Филологические науки / 1. Методика преподавания языка и литературы

PD, Associate Professor, Usacheva G. M.

Donetsk State University of Management, Ukraine

PhD, Associate Professor, Usachev V. A.

Donetsk National University of Economics and Trade named after M. Tugan-Baranovsky, Ukraine

Developing of the communicative human culture in teaching of foreign languages

The main purpose of foreign language teaching is focused on developing communicative human culture, teaching practical language acquisition. But these objectives can be realized by using all groups of educational technologies. Sometimes the technology resources that world language teachers have at their disposal seem more like a magic map, capable of transforming teaching and curriculum in ways that would have unimaginable a decade ago. Technology is a tool: the skilled teacher, like the skilled craftsman, matches the tool to the task in order to accomplish an important purpose.

The role of foreign language is very important nowadays because of increased international business. Knowledge of a foreign language and multicultural sensitivity are so essential in many professions and in general in our everyday life. Proficiency in a foreign language combined with skills in a certain professional area is desirable if a professional wants to succeed in global competition and cooperation.

English language is a universal instrument of communication in every field of society’s activities. Most terms, short names, names of scientific phenomena and laws have English language etymology. Future professionals have every opportunity of getting the latest information technologies in their specific subject areas, most of which are given in English.

There are many theories in foreign language teaching and they are important in the teaching process. The ability to speak a foreign language is a factor for the overall political and cultural development of the individual. Mastering a foreign language is linked with familiarization with the greatest work of the world’s art and literature, different culture, different national character and mentality. The cultural ethnolinguistic concept of foreign language teaching means communicative orientation of the learning process. Intercultural competence of the student is the most important. Foreign language teaching becomes intercultural teaching developing tolerance to foreigners and breaking down existing stereotypes. According to the last scientifical investigations there are several components of intercultural training:

l. inguistic: grammar, lexis, etc.;

2. aesthetic: differences in lifestyle, clothing, etc.;

3. stereotypical: stereotypes towards the own culture and the target culture;

4. differences in behavior, manners;

5. historical: different assessment of the two countries’ past;

6. practical: rules that help to orient in another country;

7. reflective: personality changes as a result of the intercultural training.

Students need to be taught to communicate in foreign languages and understand others cultures and value systems. Unfortunately, we lack global perspective in higher school curricula. Most students do not understand even one foreign culture and language. To have better results in teaching of foreign languages we need to train many more professionals who will be able to communicate effectively with foreigners and who will be familiar with cultural differences. It will be the key to success in mutual understanding and in communication. To achieve better results foreign language should be produced in context and the linguistic experience of the learners and self-evaluation activities taken into account; learning process must be more intensive; we must expand the exchange programs for students.

The problem of mutual understanding of different cultures with their identity and specificity preservation and assimilation of cultural context to the world area becomes extremely urgent. Global changes in politics, economy and culture are accompanied with isolation of some culture; provoke attempts for self-affirmation and values preservations of some nations. That leads to negation of other peoples’ values and resistance to them. Under modern conditions there is an urgent necessity in considering cultural communication within the context of different cultures interaction and mutual influence. Cultural communication is an important factor in regulation of both domestic life and interrelation between countries within the processes of transformation. Foreign languages become a means of execution of cultural communication and adequate interaction with representatives of other cultures. Peoples are different and these differences are preconditioned by geographic, political, social and economic factors, by distinctions in their values, ways of thinking, mentalities etc. Ability to speak foreign languages enlarges possibilities in communication at a cultural level and, undoubtedly, inspires respect to a partner during communication.

To know what another person speaks about and understand him are different things. Technical absence of a language barrier is not enough to overcome cultural barriers. That’s why the unity of a language and culture provides implementation of the communicative function. Any foreign language allows speakers to penetrate cultural world of speakers, focus on its values and choose correctly strategies of behavior.

Within the context of international communication foreign languages become an instrument of peoples’ mutual enrichment and extension of cultural ties between countries, becomes a means of learning of national and universal achievements and culture, a means of self-understanding and self-actualization.

Cultural contacts during the process of teaching of foreign languages have always taken place but nowadays they are of global and mass character. The world become more open and people have become more mobile.

Foreign languages promote cultural originality as it is renewed and enriched as a result of the contacts with other nations’ traditions and values. Any culture is a dialogue, exchange of opinions, learning of other peoples’ experience. It can’t exist in isolation; it fades and dies being isolated. In this respect the learning of foreign languages become the interlink connecting different cultures. A language is a part of any culture and a foreign language is a social value. It is closely connected with all spheres of life: social, political, economic, religious etc. Becoming participants of any type of cultural contacts, teaching foreign languages to people, we are involved in interaction with representatives of other cultures who usually differ considerably. And the success of this interaction greatly depends on understanding of each other which is achieved b y means of common language of communication. So, teaching foreign language to others, communicate with others in this foreign language are considered a factor of adaptation to modern world, the whole world community.

Foreign languages open a person rather broad perspective. The more languages you know, the better chances you have in the labor market, traveling, communicating with interesting people from all over the world. There are different methods of studying of foreign languages. Between them we can call such as direct method, which consists of a direct contact with the teacher and student, where the teacher plays the role of leader and mentor; audio-lingual method, which consists of developing language skills by regular, mechanical repetitions of material; the method of complete physical reaction, which requires body movements in studying languages; situational method, which is possible only when the students are able to express what they really want to say; communicative method, which doesn’t belong to the traditional method of learning languages, and the purpose of such method is acquisition of language and performing the task in an appropriate way in the context of the situations. Experience shows that there is not ideal method. In practice, the learning of foreign languages combines many methods.

There are several useful advices for learning foreign language: memorizing a few unknown words every day, watching movies, broadcasts, listening to music, reading newspapers, magazines and literature in the original language. Knowing of foreign language can bring the cultures, connections, and comparisons goals to life, allow students to use their communication skills to participate in a wider community of speakers of the language as they are learning. Using foreign language is important to get information, request information, to encourage actions to express feelings and develop the communicative human culture in the whole.