The aims of foreign language teaching

INTRODUCTION

It is generally known that school leavers’ vocabulary is poor. They have troubles with hearing, speaking, reading and writing. One of the reasons is poor teaching of vocabulary.

At all stages of teaching vocabulary the teacher should constantly use all kinds of vocabulary testing to see how his pupils assimilate the form, the meaning, and the usage of the words. For testing the retention if the written form dictations may be suggested. For testing the meaning special tests may be recommended such as writing synonyms, antonyms, derivatives, identification, and some others. For testing the usage of the words the teacher may administer such tests as composing sentences using the words given, composing a story on a picture or a set of pictures, and some others. The teacher should bear in mind that most of the exercises offered for the stages of presentation and retention may be fruitfully utilized for vocabulary testing.

Learning may take place without conscious teaching, but teaching is intended to result in personal learning for students, and is worthless if it does not do so. In other words, the concept of teaching is understood as a process that is intrinsically and inseparably bound up with learning. There is no separate discussion of language learning; instead, both content and process of the various modules consistently require the teacher to study learners’ problems, needs and strategies as a necessary basis for the formulation of effective teaching practice and theory.

It is necessary to distinguish between “teaching” and “methodology”. Foreign language teaching methodology can be defined as ‘the activities, tasks and learning experiences used by the teacher within the language teaching and learning process’. Any particular methodology usually has a theoretical underpinning that should cause coherence and consistency in the choice of teaching procedures. ‘Foreign language teaching’, on the other hand, though it naturally includes methodology, has further important components such as lesson planning, classroom discipline, the provision of interest – topics.

 

GUIDELINES ON GIVING EFFACTIVE EXPLANATIONS

Prepare

You may feel perfectly clear in your own mind about what needs clarifying, and therefore think that you can improvise a clear explanation. But experience shows that teachers’ explanations are often not as clear to their pupils as they are to themselves! It is worth preparing: thinking for a while about the words you will use, the illustrations you will provide, and so on; possibly even writing these out.

Make sure you have the class’s attention

One of the implications of this when giving the instructions for a group-working task is that it is advisable to give the instructions before you divide the class into groups or give out materials, not after!

Present the information more than once

A repetition of the necessary information may make all the difference: learners’ attention wanders occasionally, and it is important to give them more than one chance to understand what they have to do. Also, it helps to represent the information in a different mode: foe example, say it and also write it up on the board.

Be brief

Learners-in fact, all of us-have only a limited attention span; they cannot listen to you for along time with maximum concentration. Make your explanation as brief as you can, compatible with clarity. In some situations it may also mean using the learners’ mother tongue, as a more accessible and cost-effective alternative to the sometimes lengthy and difficult target- language explanation.

Illustrate with examples

You may explain, for instance, the meaning of a word, illustrating your explanation with examples of its use in various contexts, relating these as far as possible to the learners’ own lives and experiences.

Get feedback

When you have finished explaining, check what they have understood. It is not just enough to ask “Do you understand?”; learners will sometimes say they did even if they did not, out of politeness or unwillingness to lose face, or because they think they know what they have to do, but in fact completely misunderstood! It is better to ask them to do something that will show their understanding: to paraphrase in their own words, provide further illustration of their own.

 

WHAT IS ANTONYMY

Traditionally antonyms are defined as words that have opposite meaning. This definition is open to criticism. The latest linguistic investigations emphasize that antonyms are similar as words belonging to the same part of speech and the same semantic field, having the same grammatical meaning and functions, as well as similar collocations. Like synonyms antonyms are interchangeable at least at some contexts (hot in its figurative meaning “ angry, excited ” is chiefly combined with the names of unpleasant emotions: hot resentment, hot scorn; its antonym cold occurs with the same words). Unlike synonyms antonyms do not differ in style, or emotional colouring (they express, as a rule, emotional characteristics of the same intensity).

So antonyms are two or more words belonging to the same pat of speech, contradictory or contrary in meaning, and interchangeable at least at some contexts.

Almost every word can have one or more synonyms; comparatively few have antonyms because not all notions can be opposed to one another. Antonyms are primarily found in adjectives, nouns expressing quality and state.

It should be noted, that as words are polysemantic ones and the same words may have different antonyms (light bag-heavy bag; light wind-strong wind; light colors-dark colors).

Generally we may divide antonyms into 2 groups: absolute and derivational.

Absolute antonyms are subdivided into antonyms proper where opposition is gradual (cold (cool)-(warm) hot; large-little or small), complementaries having a binary opposition (dead-alive, single-married), conversives denoting one and the same referent from different points of view (to sell-to buy, to give to receive).

Derivational antonyms may be affixal (happy-unhappy, logical-illogical) or suffixal (hopeful-hopeless).

It is not always possible to replace a word by its opposite. Where it is possible you may notice that some words have several opposites depending on the context.

The opposite of “old”, for example, can be “new” or “young” depending on the situation.

 

HOW TO TEACH ANTONYMS

Teaching antonyms requires great skill and practice. For this purpose the teacher uses various techniques and methods.

For example, while teaching antonyms “small” and “big” he uses pictures for presenting them. He says: In these pictures you see two balls. (The balls should differ only in size.) This is a small ball, and this is a big ball. This ball is small, and that ball is big. Now, Sasha, come up to the picture and point to the small ball (big ball).

Then the teacher shows another picture with two houses in it – a white house and a yellow house, and he asks another pupil to point to the white house, to the u yellow house, and so on.

The teacher may use gestures, for example, for conveying the meaning of stand up, sit down. He says: Lena, stand up. He shows with his hands what she must do. Lena stands up. Now, sit down. Again with the movement of his hands he shows the girl what she must do. The other pupils listen to the teacher and watch what Lena is doing. Then many pupils are invited to perform the actions.

If the antonyms are difficult for understanding the teacher may use the learners’ mother tongue and translate them directly or to give the analogies. For example, the teacher says: антоним слова “широкий” на русском языке будет “узкий”, а по-английски это слово звучит как “narrow ”.

ABOUT THE ACTIVITIES

These activities are intended for children.

Not all of the activities will suit all children - so be selective.

Put the emphasis on listening, thinking and speaking.

The activities are aimed at having the child retrieve known words - not at extending the vocabulary by teaching new words.

Use a minimum of visual cues. If the word to be “retrieved” does not come easily for the child, provide an auditory cue (e.g., say the first sound or syllable of the word) or a verbal clue (e.g., “it rhymes with...).

Give the child time to think, but don’t leave it so long that they are struggling to find the word. Rather than letting them persist unsuccessfully, tell them the answer, and go on with the next few items. Then ask them the one that was difficult again.

Aim for a high success-rate to encourage motivation and confidence.

Adapt the tasks to suit the (developmental) age of the person. Talk about words and word-meanings.

As natural opportunities arise talk about such topics as “Why is Big Bird called Big Bird?” Talk about people being named after other people. Talk about why certain names might have been chosen for pets and TV characters (Cookie Monster, Vinny the Poo, Uncle Scrooge, The Fat Controller, etc). Try to work these conversations in around topics of genuine interest to the child.

 

A Checking test

Each of the following questions begins with a single word in capital letters. Five answer choices follow. Select the answer choice that has the meaning most opposite to the word in capitals.

1. CEDE:
(A) estimate (B) fail (C) get ahead of (D) flow out of (E) retain

2. ACRID:

(A) surly

(B) vapid (C) damp (D) steady (E) sweet

3. NOISOME:

(A) lurid

(B) healthful (C) peaceful (D) morose (E) rancorous

B Answers

This question type is heavily based on vocabulary. The better your vocabulary, the better you will do. But there are a few tricks you can try to use. For example, if a choice doesn’t have a clear opposite, it can’t be the correct answer. Such words as “hinterland” or “automobile” don’t have very clear opposites and would be incorrect if you were to see them as answer choices. In this case, answer choice (A) does not have a clear opposite and can be eliminated even if you don’t know what “cede” means.

Also, if it’s a tough question and the keyword is really hard, remember to stay away from choices that are too good to be true. The hard questions, which are the last few questions of each question type, often contain choices that are misleading or tricky. For instance, the word “cede” will remind many people of “succeed,” so they’ll pick (B). But the test maker will never reward students for making mistakes. (B) can’t be correct. By the same logic, you could probably eliminate (C) and (D) because “cede” will remind some people of “recede,” as in “receding tide.” That leaves you with choice (E) as the right answer. “Cede” actually means to yield or surrender, which is in fact the opposite of “retain.”

B Note: You will seldom, if ever, be able to eliminate all four wrong answers to an antonym question just by using these kinds of guessing strategies. They can help you eliminate a few choices and increase your guessing odds, but the best way to tackle antonyms is to know what kinds of words tend to show up on the GRE, make flashcards of them, and improve your vocabulary.

C

Cede is to give up one’s rights or possessions. The most opposite phrase in meaning is to get ahead of.

E

Something that is ACRID is sharp and biting to taste or smell. The word most opposite in meaning is sweet.

B

NOISOME can mean harmful or injurious. The best opposite to this is therefore healthful.

 

A ANTONYMS QUIZ

FACETS	Handout Prefix:	Score
1. What is the prefix that gives the opposite meaning of “happy”? Write the word here:.................................................... 2. What prefix makes the word “possible” into something you cannot do? Write the word here:................................................... 3. Which prefix creates the antonym for “practical”? Write the word here:................................................... 4. Choose the prefix that creates the antonym for “satisfied”. Write the word here:................................................... 5. The prefix that creates the opposite of the word “patient” is... Write the word here:.................................................. 6. What word means the opposite of “human”? Write the word here:.................................................. 7. And the prefix that creates the antonym for “imaginative” is? Write the word here:.................................................. 8. What is the antonym of the word “legal”? Write the word here:.................................................. 9. What is the antonym of “regular”? Write the word here:.................................................. 10. The opposite of “responsible” is: Write the word here:..................................................	1. a) -im b) il- c) in- d) ir- e) un- 2. a) im- b) un- c) ir- d) il- e) dis-     3. a) dis- b) im- c) un- d) ir- e) il-     4. a) im- b) il- c) un- d) dis- e) ir-     5. a) dis- b) ir- c) un- d) im- e) un-     6. a) ir- b) il- c) un- d) dis- e) in-   7. a) dis- b) un- c) in- d) im- e) il-     8. a) un- b) dis- c) ir- d) im- e) il-   9. a) un- b) ir- c) dis- d) im- e) in-   10 a) un- b) dis- c) in- d) im- e) ir-

AMATCHED PAIRS.

Purpose: To review vocabulary. Sometimes, new words can be added to the set, as long as the number of new words s small and not disruptive. A second purpose, if the game is played as a team activity, is to stimulate conversation among the team members—“I think 7 matches 23.” “Do you remember where ____ is?” Finally, the game, like all the card games, is fun and contributes to group building.

Targeted Skill: vocabulary development

Preparation: Choose a category, e.g. antonyms. Write a word on each of 15 cards and the matching antonym on another 15 cards. Shuffle the cards well and then turn the over and number them from 1 to 30 on the back.

Because the purpose of this game is to review something that has been taught rather than teach something new, go over the pairs before the game begins to be sure everybody knows what the 15 pairs are.

B Procedure:

1. Lay the cards out face down with the numbers showing.

2. Taking turns, the students call out 2 numbers. Turn over the called cards. If the cards don’t match (chances are they won’t for the first few turns), the cards are turned back over.

3. When a student makes a match, the matched areas are removed from the lay-out and that student gets another turn, continuing until the cards picked don’t match.

4. When all the cards have been matched, the student with the largest pile wins.

Variations:

1. The game can be played as a team activity. One person from each team is the spokesperson for the team’s collective effort to remember locations. Students can take turns being the spokesperson.

2. When a match is made, the player can be required to use the two card words in a sentence. If the player can’t do this, the cards are retuned to the layout, and the next player gets he opportunity to match and use the two words.

Suggestions:

1. adjective synonyms (big-large; next-following; skeptical-doubtful);

2. antonyms (warm-cool; light-heavy);

3. two-word verbs: separable (find out - discover);

4. two-word verbs; inseparable (come back - return);

5. prefixes (un - believable);

6. idioms (by the way - incidentally);

7. proverbs (Time - heals all things.).

 

A CHOOSE THE CORRECT ANSWER

Please check to see if the question is asking for an antonym or synony

1.	Give the antonym for ‘forward’ (1 pt)
	[A] advance [B] ahead [C] backwards [D] behind
2.	Are the following antonyms or synonyms? (FEARLESS/BRAVE) (1 pt)
	[A] Synonyms [B] Antonyms
3.	What is the antonym of ‘no’? (1 pt)
	[A] yes [B] forget [C] eat [D] know
4.	True or False: An antonym is a word that has the opposite meaning of another word. (1 pt)
	[A] True [B] False

CONCLUSION

The process of teaching a foreign language is a complex one: as with many other subjects, it has necessarily to be broken down into components for purposes of study: the teaching acts of (1) presenting and explaining new material; (2) providing practice; and (3) testing.

In principle, the teaching processes of presenting, practicing and testing correspond to strategies used by many good learners trying to acquire a foreign language on their own. They make sure they perceive and understand new language; they make conscious efforts to learn it through; and they check themselves.

In the class, it is teacher’s job to promote these three learning processes by the use of appropriate teaching acts. Thus, he or she: presents and explains new material in order to make it clear, comprehensible and available for learning; gives practice to consolidate knowledge; and tests, in order to check what has been mastered and still needs to be learned and reviewed.

These acts may not occur in this order, and may sometimes be combined within one activity; nevertheless good teachers are aware which is their main object at any point in a lesson.

In modern teaching materials now in use the words pupils are to learn pass through the following stages:

1. Pupils listen to the words in sentences arranged in a structural group.

2. They learn the meaning of the words in various contexts.

3. Pupils learn the forms of the words.

4. They perform various exercises with the words in phrases and structures to assimilate the usage of the words.

5. Pupils use the words in speaking in various situations.

The rules, techniques, methods and structures mentioned in this paper are available for teaching any unit of vocabulary and antonyms as well. Following these learning processes you will achieve a step and will be successful in teaching antonyms and vocabulary in the whole.

THE LIST OF LITERATURE:

1. Общая методика обучения иностранным языкам в средней школе. М., 1967.

2. Методика преподавания иностранных языков за рубежом. Сост. М. М. Васильева и Е. В. Синявская. М., Прогресс, 1967.

3. Старков А.. П. Обучение иностранному языку в средней школе. М., Просвещение, 1978.

4. Программа по иностранному языку для средней школы. М., Просвещение, 1981.

5. Хэкболдт П. Изучение иностранных языков. М., Просвещение, 1963.

6. Костиникова О. А.. Basic English Lexicology. Сочи, 2000.

7. Flower J. Berman M. Build your vocabulary 2. LTP, London, 1998.

8. Ur P. A Course in Language Teaching: Practice and Theory. Cambridge University, 1997.

9. The All Nations Dictionary (International Phonetic Alphabet). All Nations Literature, Colorado Springs, 1992.

 

[1] See: Общая методика обучения иностранным языкам в средней школе. М., 1967

[2] LINGUIST List 6.86 p.-32/1995/Dr. Alex Eulenberg USA Department of Speech, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK

 

 

[3] This idea contributed by Mrs. Amada Pérez

INTRODUCTION

It is generally known that school leavers’ vocabulary is poor. They have troubles with hearing, speaking, reading and writing. One of the reasons is poor teaching of vocabulary.

At all stages of teaching vocabulary the teacher should constantly use all kinds of vocabulary testing to see how his pupils assimilate the form, the meaning, and the usage of the words. For testing the retention if the written form dictations may be suggested. For testing the meaning special tests may be recommended such as writing synonyms, antonyms, derivatives, identification, and some others. For testing the usage of the words the teacher may administer such tests as composing sentences using the words given, composing a story on a picture or a set of pictures, and some others. The teacher should bear in mind that most of the exercises offered for the stages of presentation and retention may be fruitfully utilized for vocabulary testing.

Learning may take place without conscious teaching, but teaching is intended to result in personal learning for students, and is worthless if it does not do so. In other words, the concept of teaching is understood as a process that is intrinsically and inseparably bound up with learning. There is no separate discussion of language learning; instead, both content and process of the various modules consistently require the teacher to study learners’ problems, needs and strategies as a necessary basis for the formulation of effective teaching practice and theory.

It is necessary to distinguish between “teaching” and “methodology”. Foreign language teaching methodology can be defined as ‘the activities, tasks and learning experiences used by the teacher within the language teaching and learning process’. Any particular methodology usually has a theoretical underpinning that should cause coherence and consistency in the choice of teaching procedures. ‘Foreign language teaching’, on the other hand, though it naturally includes methodology, has further important components such as lesson planning, classroom discipline, the provision of interest – topics.

 

THE AIMS OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHING

The aims of foreign language teaching are threefold: practical, educational and cultural.

Its practical aims are consequent on the basic function of language, which is, to serve as a means of communication.

International intercourse is realized directly, through the spoken language, or indirectly, trough the written language, that is through printed, or hand-or type-written, texts. Therefore the school programmes set forth the following practical requirements: the instruction must be such as ensure that the graduates can observe on the foreign language on simple every day subjects, using the speech material dealt with in the course, cab read and understand without a dictionary an easy text in the foreign language, and with the occasional help of a dictionary a text presenting moderate difficulties, and can express in written form simple thoughts (write a short letter).

The educational aims of foreign language teaching in schools consist in inculculating in the children through instruction in the foreign language the principles of morality.

The cultural aims mentioned on school programme of foreign languages imply the following tasks: widening the pupils’ general outlook, developing their powers abstract thinking, cultivating their sense of beauty and their appreciation of art. The reading of English texts acquainting the pupils with the life and culture of the English-speaking nations, and with their manner and customs, will contribute to the mental growth of the pupils.

Later the ability of reading English and American authors in the original and texts in the English language reflecting the culture of the countries where that language is spoken will likewise serve the pupils as a mean of attaining a higher general education level.

Reading good authors in the foreign language will develop in the children a feeling of beauty.

A widening of their philological outlook will result from the unconscious and conscious comparison of the foreign with the native language.