Education Sciences / 5. Modern Methods of Teaching

 

Ivanchenko T.U.

South-Russia State University of Economics and Services, Russia

 

ABOUT SOME PROBLEMS IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHING

 

Russia today is fundamentally a different country from what is was 15-17 years ago. The country's macro-economic indicators are stronger and healthier than ever before. The role of foreign language becomes more important as technologies allow for increased international business. Business dealings are effective when you know your partner and the language he speaks. Studies indicate that linguistic competency is not sufficient to overcome cross-cultural negotiation and business problems. Culture and language strategies also play a great role.

New efforts are aimed at improving foreign language education in the Russian Federation. There is the need to strengthen foreign language skills among the students of non-linguistic higher educational establishments. Knowledge of one or several foreign languages becomes an integral part of professional education [1].  

Compared to students in much of the world, Russian students lag far behind in their foreign language capabilities. We can learn a great deal by examining successes in foreign language teaching at different educational institutions in our country and abroad and using the information to implement practices and policies that will support the development of better foreign language education and a higher level of foreign language proficiency among our citizens.

To have better results we must:

1) learn from experience in foreign language teaching in other countries. Many European countries have adapted their foreign language teaching at the national level to the frameworks and standards articulated by the Council of Europe's language policy and activities which are a planning instrument that provides a common basis and terminology for describing objectives, methods and approaches, skills, practices, and assessments in language teaching, and it is used for planning syllabuses, examinations, teaching materials, and teacher training programs throughout Europe;

2) use innovative technologies and media. They provide interaction with speakers of other languages, and improve foreign language teaching in the classroom. This is a way to increase access to information and entertainment in a foreign language. We need specific research on how technology can best be used to increase students' proficiency in other languages. The importance of the Internet and specialized databases for information retrieval is of special importance. There are television programs, films, computer games, and music videos and teachers try to develop successful strategies for integrating their students' informal foreign language exposure into classroom teaching;

3) activate interaction with speakers of other languages [1], [2]. Access to information on the World Wide Web and the use of new information technologies, especially networked computers, has contributed to increased communication among foreign language teachers and students in many countries. Through e-mail, mailing lists, discussion groups, and chat rooms, the Internet has increased access to and communication in the foreign language with speakers;

4) develop communicative teaching methods. It means a focus on communicative and intercultural learning which does not only stimulate a productive discussion of teaching objectives, methods, and underlying rationales that are now reflected in curricula and textbooks, but also results in increased oral and written proficiency for their students;

5) focus on raising students' awareness of various communication strategies [2], [3] including strategies to bridge vocabulary gaps, reading and listening strategies, and general language learning strategies.

Other notable methods include the sole use of the foreign language in the classroom; a modular approach to teaching in which students are grouped according to proficiency level and project-oriented learning that emphasizes the use of authentic materials through technology and integrates learning about English-speaking countries with language and content learning [3]. Learning content-area subjects through the medium of a foreign language has become an essential part of learning professional English. In some cases, a foreign language is used as the medium of instruction in non-language subjects.

Traditionally, business language teaching begins with a linguistic model that is adapted to a business context. The focus is on providing the language needed for a business context, with some content on business practices and culture. The focus moves from written to oral language skills. However, grammar, syntax, and lexicon are still vital components to the business language class.

The main weakness in the traditional model is the emphasis on language production rather than two-way communication between the native and non-native speaker. There are difficulties in assessing language ability beyond grammar, syntax, and lexicon. There are limited measures for cultural adaptability, professional proficiency, and business functions.

Another shortcoming is the lack of training in language strategies when communication problems arise. The problem is that the traditional model starts with the premise that knowledge of business language allows businesses to communicate across cultures effectively. Being culturally sensitive in a business context helps, but does not guarantee success. Likewise, being fluent in a foreign language may not be sufficient, even if language training has been in a business context. Students need to understand the basis for professional language genres including business practices and cultural influences.

The traditional business language model also assumes that messages appropriate in one language will be appropriate to a business context in another culture. However, this is not always true, even in communicating between two cultures with a common language. For example, references to family names may be important to establish a sense of credibility in the Northeast and Southern United States, but holds little meaning for Westerners. There are many layers of communication that are inferred depending on the context [4].

Business communication teachers often approach the mechanics of a language differently from the traditional model, since business language, including lexicon, syntax, rhetoric, and style, is often different from every day language. This is why so much time is spent on these topics. However, the corporate culture can have an effect on choice of language, grammar, and style. As a result, the business communication model needs to teach communicators to be flexible.

For example, when we look at foreign language textbooks, there is an indication of a growing movement towards English as International Language, and a neutral Spanish language that is not Castilian. Students need to be able to communicate in the target language, depending on the audience [4]. Rather than beginning with concrete language rules and looking at the exceptions, students need to be taught which rules may not be broken to prevent communication breakdowns. Students also need self-study language learning skills so they can master a foreign language outside the classroom, in the work place. These skills include observation, language trials, and self-correction.

Students need to be taught when an error is acceptable and when it must be corrected to continue the communication process. If a business professional is giving an oral presentation in English and conjugates a word incorrectly, there will not be a breakdown in communication, unless the presenter stops and searches for the correct form of the verb. However, an incorrectly conjugated verb in Spanish can result in misunderstandings about the subject of a sentence. This would result in a serious breakdown in communication and should be addressed [4].

The integration of career and foreign language studies contributes significantly to both the business community and the foreign language education profession. It fills a critical need in both disciplines and is leading to increasingly successful global interactions.

REFERENCES

1) Slesarenko I.V. The Tasks of the Language Teaching at Modern Technical Institute / Higher Education in Russia. - №11. – 2009. – p.151

2) Narolina V.I. Teaching a Future Professional Cross-cultural Communication / Higher Education in Russia. - №1. – 2009. – p.124

3) Ingrid Pufahl, Nancy C. Rhodes,  Donna Christian What We Can Learn From Foreign Language Teaching In Other Countries, Center for Applied Linguistics. -  Mode of access: http://www.cal.org/resources/digest/digest_pdfs/0106-pufahl.pdf

4) Yonkers, Virginia The Business Communication Model For Teaching Foreign Business Languages, Siena College. -  Mode of access: www.krannert.purdue.edu