Педагогические науки/5.Современные методы преподавания

Kovalska N., Prisyazhnyuk N.

National Technical University of Ukraine “KPI”, Ukraine

INTERLINGUISTIC COMPARISONS IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHING

Defining of the problem and the analysis of the last researches and publications. One of the most important conditions for modernization of education in Ukraine is to provide European quality of education, the transition to new forms and methods of the educational/learning process, stressing the idea of the student’s mobility within the European Higher Education space. Teaching and learning languages at higher education are considered to be among prior issues together with the development of intercultural conscience as basic part of the development of competences in other languages.

Goals. The aim of this article is to examine the assumptions and practices underlying and considering the efficiency of the native / mother tongue language while working over the target one in translator training. In some respects our methodological approach to the foreign language teaching is based on introduction of new aspects and we shall contrast these ones with some traditional concepts in order to cope with the changing situation where we can speak about the changing / developing nature of university study, academic freedom, and specific character of individual study programs.

We would like to start with the concept of the relationship between the first language and a foreign language. It seems logical to assume that our first language plays a vital role in our lives as it has such essential functions as symbolic, structuring, expressive and communicative.

In the long history of the foreign language (L2) teaching there is always a debate about the challenging role of the first language (L1) in the classroom. Although many researchers, lecturers, and learners feel that the L1 should not be used in the classroom, others do see a significant role for the L1 and support its use as a communication strategy and instructional tool.Language teachers often regard L1 as a source of linguistic interference and as a result a source of errors in L2. But we cannot think of acquiring a foreign language if we take into account only lexica and structure. Indeed, the relationship between the L1 and L2 is much deeper.

It is important to look at the issue from a variety of angles. For example, when we begin to learn another language we have our picture of the world that can be described with the words of our active and passive vocabulary based on our past, history, experience/linguistic experience activated/reactivated in a particular context. However, even the first steps in the world of another language require not only transformation of the reality, showing it at least in a different light but also a new physical experience of how to pronounce sounds, how and what to stress in order to have the right rhythm in connection with the right body rhythm and manner of breathing. The big difference is in the structures that are used to reflect the speaker’s intellectual capacities and picture of the world. A person can master a foreign language if/when he/she has full understanding of the world of the native speaker, if/when he/she has conquered that world. In our opinion a native language can play a supporting role even in contemporary teaching.

It is of interest for us to look at the historical background of this issue as well as to discuss the current usage of native language in the L2 classroom, bearing in mind the necessity of inter linguistic comparisons for the future translators and interpreters. The benefits of using translation in teaching general English long before special (professional) courses in translation practice start cannot be overestimated. As far as students should be motivated enough in order to gain both mother tongue and target language competences as the background for translation competence.

At the linguistic faculty of the National Technical University of Ukraine the ‘KPI’ the students are taught general English (or German/French) language. The University curricular for translator degree inevitably contain special courses in translation that usually start from the 3-rd year of studying. However, the competences are gained gradually according to six levels of proficiency. It is necessary to use appropriate methods to foster the students to develop their native/mother tongue and target languages. The students should bear in mind that we live in a fast-moving world and there is no time to ‘learn and use later’, it is high time to ‘learn as you use and use as you learn’.

One of the principal values of using native language in the classroom in our case is that the students become involved as far as they gain considerable practice in translating from their native language into English and vice versa. Translations are considered as a new mechanism to development of innovative leaning / working environment. Such environment is important to overcome students’ fears of spontaneous translation during their following courses in the theory and practice of translation and interpreting. Students are helped to achieve a shared vision of their translation abilities and are usually motivated enough demonstrating their experience in the target area of their future profession, and have established creative environment on the base of critical relationship.

Thus, we changed some of our attitudes to using native language in the English classroom of future translators and interpreters. We introduce translation exercises as a part of the classroom routine and a systematic activity and students start make it a habit. We have noticed that students gradually become comfortable about translation exercises, and they do not seem pressured doing it. Well- designed translation exercises help students learn, revise, review, improve, test and assess their knowledge not only in general English but in the sphere of translation as well.

There is a great need as well as considerable potential for overcoming students’ fears for a lecturer in the art of interpreting. Not many people naturally enjoy taking the floor in front of a large group of people in the role of interpreter. The urgent task of any lecturer is to identify the sources of anxiety and inhibition in the classroom and help students overcome these fears of public speaking due to the creation of working / learning “translation environment”.

This can be done in steps. We usually start by asking our students to prepare the written translation of the text (let it be the text from their manual or any additional text). After checking the students’ translation we propose to role play the process of interpreting: ask their group peer to do so called “back translation” from their native language into English and vice versa (pair-work), then to a small group (group-work), and finally to a larger group of sympathetic peers (interpreting in front of the class). This role play involves having the text in English / source language and its written translation before the students’ eyes. One cannot deny or ignore the significance of such brainstorming event in the classroom that encourages students to actively take part and share knowledge with mates. It also implies active usage/revision of new vocabulary.

The proposed procedure includes two stages.

The first stage (deals with translation):

1. Written translation of the English text into native language (In the form of home assignment);

2. Checking the students’ translation (In the classroom);

3. “Back translation” from the native language into English (using the blackboard or the screen).

The second stage (deals with interpreting):

1. Pair work of interpreting from native language into English and vice versa;

2. Group work of interpreting from native language into English and vice versa;

3. Interpreting (by individual students) in front of the class.

We try to put our students in a positive frame of mind by reminding that their audience has chosen willingly to take part in this kind of interpreting exercise to study English in the classroom. This preparatory work usually helps students get ready for successful translation / interpreting during their special courses in translation as well as during translation practice and in their future professional life. This challenging activity helps give more autonomy to students, become more active in their learning process and assume responsibility for their learning.

The outline for translation exercises proposed here is widely and successfully used in the process of teaching English at the linguistic faculty of the NTUU ”KPI” for several years already. We suppose that getting our students used to such a framework and gradually making them familiar with it we give them a great chance for the future successes in their career development after graduating from the university.

We assume the possibilities of “teaching English through English” that is using English in the classroom as often as you can, but it is never considered anathema for either a student or a lecturer to use the students’ native language in the classroom of future translators to enable them to define factors that may influence the translator’s selection of elements in the language to be ready with finished product – translation of the source text. Being flexible and adaptable as lecturers we help the students to ensure effective and systematic gaining of the levels of not only language competences but also translation competence.

References

1. Celce-Murcia M., ed. Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language. – Heinle: Cengage Learning, 2001. – 584p.

2. Coyle D., Hood P., Marsh D. CLIL – Content and Language integrated learning. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2010. – 173p.

3. European Higher Education Area in 2012 – Bologna Process Implementation Report. Available at: http://www.ehea.info/

4. Присяжнюк Н. Залучення студентів факультету лінгвістики до творчої діяльності. / Присяжнюк Н., Ковальська Н. // Матеріали IІ міжнародної науково практичної конференції «Сучасні тенденції викладання іноземних мов у вищій школі: технології навчання». - 2011 р. - К.: НТУУ «КПІ». - С. 103-105

5. Tang, J. Using L1in the English classroom. English Teaching Forum 2002.,№40 (1): 36-43.