Different stages of FL instruction in secondary school

Lesson structure.

The main components of lesson structure are three subdivisions of it.

I. Introductory part of lesson. Warmer / warming-up activity. As a rule, the beginning of lesson or its introductory part aims at involving learners in the language study, motivating them to participate effectively. It is natural, that innovative label of the part is “lead-in”. Warmer establishes and maintains a foreign language atmosphere at the beginning of lesson which, first of all, should be positive and promote a good working relationship within the class. Establishing rapport, positive classroom environment will stimulate effective learning being one of the motivational factors of lesson. At the beginning of the lesson warmer serves as a push to start a target language communication. It is also a successful technique in pre- teaching some difficult new items (e.g. vocabulary or grammar points), or revising them.

II. The main body of lesson.

The main part of lesson aims at organization of learning. S. V. Gaponova characterizes this part as consisting of some changeable and stable components. For example, presentation of new material, training habits, developing skills, speech practice, revision of what have been learned, assessment and evaluation, testing. Speech practice, together with assessment and evaluation, is a permanent constituent of every English lesson, the rest of the components may vary. The innovative label for the main part of lesson is main activity. Lesson itself is viewed as a set of activities.

III. The final part of lesson.

Giving homework. Round off.

These main structural components include certain stages. Each lesson stage has its own objective. Examples of presentation stage objectives from student’s side and from teacher’s side are given below:

•By the end of the lesson learners should be able to recognize, understand and operate the grammar: the Past Simple;- students' side

•To familiarize learners with more ways of expressing negation (surprise, etc.).

-teacher's side

Each English lesson aims at speech practice and language use; learners’ contribution into the lesson is assessed either formally or informally as learners are given appropriate feedback after their performance.

There are four stages that can be distinguished in teaching foreign languages: Pre-school period (kindergarten)

Primary school or early-school period (learners in the 1-3; 2-4 years of study). Junior stage (learners in the 5-9 years of study).

Senior stage (learners in the 10-12 years of study).

Traditionally foreign language was taught from junior to senior stage - the period of secondary school study. But nowadays we can observe steadily growing interest in teaching English to younger learners in pre-school and early school periods. The upsurge of interest of primary school and even kindergarten to the language learning is partly in response to the rapidly growing demand for English to be taught at younger ages by parents who want to provide their children with a competitive educational advantage. In our country the interest for teaching young children a foreign language was aroused soon after the first schools with a number of subjects taught in a foreign language were opened in 1950's. Experience has proved that the earlier the children begin to learn a foreign language, the better they master it.

Many psychologists and methodologists consider that the period from higher pre-school to junior is the most sensitive and productive in mastering a foreign language. At this age the child's both physical and psychological development is adequate for undergoing instruction in a foreign language, first of all, due to children’s ability to imprint and imitate. Children's ability of imprinting and imitation, says Antonina Kooklina, are pre-requisites for achieving the best results in teaching them foreign oral speech. Young learners are great mimics, often unselfconscious and are usually ready to enjoy the activities teacher has prepared for them. They are able to memorize quickly and operate with the language they possess on phrase and sentence level. Psychologists have determined that this imprint phenomenon is effective up to the age of 8 years. At the same time practice in foreign language acquisition contributes to a child's general development, stimulates their creativity and human potential.

According to the Primary School Project launched in early 1990th in Ukraine the idea of English as a core subject apart from the mother tongue, mathematics and elements of science in primary school has been advocated. This Project has been implemented into practice and since academic year 2002-2003 all Ukrainian schools have had English as an obligatory subject from a primary stage (the 2 year of study). That was supported by appropriate English Language Programme.

Teaching young learners is a very specific matter as foreign language is a by- product of learning activities in primary school rather than a centerpiece. Every age period is characterized by its own main type of activity. The natural activity of 5-6- year-child is a game. It is extremely important in children's intellectual, physical, emotional and social development. Playing is the best motivation for children to work at assimilating language.

At 6-7 years a gradual change of main activity takes place from playing activity to learning activity, but still playing retains its leading role. Different educational games, role playing make it easy to maintain a high degree of motivation, make the English class an enjoyable, stimulating experience for children and make even elementary utterances interesting and meaningful enough.

"As children mature, claims Sarah Phillips, they bring more intellectual, motor, and social skills to the classroom, as well as a wider knowledge of the world. All these can be applied to the process of acquiring another language"

The initial/ early-school stage of foreign language teaching which lasts for 34 years (age 5-6 up to 8-9) should lead to the achievement of the basic level of language acquisition - A1 or Breakthrough according to CEF.

Learners on the junior stage, which lasts for 3-4 years (age 10 up to 14), are supposed to be waystage users of language and will be able to use English in their own or a foreign country for such general purposes as carrying out certain transactions: making arrangements, making purchases, ordering food and drink; giving and obtaining factual information - personal/non-personal; establishing and maintaining contacts with people. To the end of 9 year of study level A2+ has to be achieved.

Peculiar characteristic of teenage life period is their striving for independence and self-determination. This age is very controversial and unexpected. There can be observed an increase of educational interests, ambitiousness and striving for great results in language learning but on the other hand teenagers may reveal lack of desire to study, demotivation and absolute neglecting of learning. Teacher’s challenge is to increase learners' motivation, to stimulate their ability to use the target language, designing enjoyable, provocative and appealing activities for teenagers of problem- solving character. Their critical-thinking skills should also be developed.

The senior stage involves high school students (age 15-17) who can realize the importance of FL proficiency in their life. They have to achieve intermediate stage of language competence (sub-level B1+ or Strong Threshold according to CEF). The increasing role of individualized instruction and purposeful realization of individualized learning are the peculiarities of the stage. Learners are expected to work independently using additional literature, some extra materials, authentic sources, technical aids and so on. Responsibility and conscious attitude to studying of senior students reveal greater possibilities of their independent work or self- instruction. The senior stage of instruction should prepare school leavers for further autonomous study and self-education.

The profound language practice, development of all four skills and the use of a wide range of topics help to reveal the wider resources of older learners and maintain the philosophy of making language relevant, practical and communicative.

Дата добавления: 2017-01-13