Planning as a fundamental aspect of effectiveness of a foreign language class

Planning as a fundamental aspect of effectiveness of a foreign language class

Ustelimova Natalya Anatolyevna, L. N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, Astana Post-doctor, Department of Philology E-mail: natust_dezember@mail.u Nurbekova Gulizat Shaksylykovna, L. N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, Astana Senior teacher, Department of Philology E-mail: guleken169@bk.ru Shussupova Gaukhar Mussayevna, L. N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, Astana Magister, Senior teacher, Department of Philology E-mail: shussupowa@mail.ru Akhmetkarimova Khaziza Mursashevna, L. N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, Astana Senior teacher, Department of Philology E-mail: sapargali57@mail.ru

Planning as a fundamental aspect of effectiveness of a foreign language class

Abstract: The article is dedicated to modern requirements of planning of a foreign language class. This issue is relevant in the system of higher education and requires an advanced and detailed research.

As education borders opened and academic ties with foreign educational institutions expanded and strengthened, a foreign language as a school subject gained a special status in the educational program from a nursery school to a doctoral program at higher educational institutions. On the one hand, foreign language is viewed as a school subject, but on the other hand, one should remember that foreign language is a means of intercultural and professional communication, a way of stimulation of a student’s intellectual and emotional development and their preparation for objective perception of a foreign culture. Studying of a foreign language enables to train memory, develop oral and written speech and receive required information. Knowledge of a foreign language gives freedom of communication, allows being a mobile, active and sought-for person. The task of a teacher is to create the respective conditions during the course of studies to form skills in all kinds of speech activity: speaking, listening, reading and writing; give appropriate country-related information, full understanding of phonetic and grammar structure of the language as well as perform a system-based work on active and passive vocabulary. Performing a goal-oriented work during classes, students should acquire the skills of self-education activity, which are necessary for the further improvement of their language skills.

To achieve the set goals, there is a need for a goal-oriented and system-based work during a class, when every next class has a close connection with the previous one, thus preserving the principle of consistency, succession and availability. A competent and methodically justified plan of class work contributes to this. A sufficient number of works is dedicated to this topic, but we would like to general63

Section 9. Language and Literacy Learning

ize it based on our working experience. [1, 9] Main aspects that one should pay attention to while planning a class are:

I. Target group

II. Educational goals

III. Stages of a class (introduction to a topic, topic presentation, exercise, generalization and reflection)

IV. Content of the class that includes all kinds of speech activity: speaking, listening, reading and writing, country study reflecting the specific of the region or country of the studied language, work with a theme vocabulary.

V. Time frames for every stage of the class

I. In our case, our class is oriented to first-year students of non-language specialization, who study a foreign language as a general educational subject during three semesters. Students have certain knowledge of English from school. The task of the teacher is to deepen and expand the student’s knowledge or actively use the accumulated «language background» during the study of a second foreign language.

II. Educational goals: pragmatic and cognitive.

Pragmatic goals are aimed at the formation of

certain abilities, which are demonstrated by the students at the end of the class. [2, 154-155] For instance, pragmatic goals can be formulated as follows:

• Students can play a dialogue in a shop. They are capable of explaining their choice to a shop-assistant, as well as the situations if the order doesn’t fit, or asking another design.

• Students may perceive an audio recording on the topic «At a shoe department» superficially, understanding only basic moments of the audio dialogue.

• Students are capable of texting one another about their visit to a shop and their purchases.

• Students can do a «Right — False» task in respect of the read text on the topic «At the supermarket».

• Students can answer question based on the content of the text.

Thus, the given goals are aimed at the formation of abilities and skills in speaking, listening, reading and writing.

Cognitive goals are always aimed at knowledge; they reflect what students are supposed to know at

the end of the class. For instance:

• Students know theme vocabulary on the topic «At the supermarket».

• Students know the word order in simple extended sentences.

• Students know the rules of formation of an interrogative sentence.

• Students know the rules of formation of compound nouns on the topic «At the supermarket».

• Students know that in Germany it is customary to bring a bouquet of flowers of sweets in the evening.

The given goals are oriented to the enrichment and revision of the active vocabulary, grammar, phonetics and country study.

III. Based on the set goal, educational material for the class is distributed in accordance with the stages of the class. Every stage has a goal, which is, in turn, the sub-goal of the main goal set at the beginning of the class. In the introduction to the topic, we familiarize the students with lexis, expressions, phrases, grammar structures, so that we can activate this material in sentences and further in dialogues and monologues at the stage of exercise, i. e. in the communicative situational activity. If necessary, there is a parallel explanation of grammar phenomena using the examples and multiple and variative repetitions — students begin to use grammar categories appropriately. At the end of the class, students should be able to objectively assess themselves and their work during the class and formulate what they learnt and what they can already say in the foreign language, and these knowledge and skills will form an active language background for long. The teacher, in turn, should be able to correctly and objectively assess the results of the students’ work at the end of the class, thus analyzing his or her work, and understand if the sub-goals are realized and the main educational goal is achieved. [2, 156]

On the assumption of the goal, we are oriented to the content. For instance, studying the topic «Food», we set a goal: students can talk about their breakfast, lunch and dinner. They can ask their friends about the same, talk about their favorite dish and its preparation method. To make students achieve the set goal at the end of the class, the teacher should ask themselves a question: «What do students need to be able to reach

Planning as a fundamental aspect of effectiveness of a foreign language class

the set goal?» (certain vocabulary, cliche, grammar structures, methodically appropriate tasks and exercises, interesting and relevant test material).

The next aspect of the class is the form of conduct. To make students active and flexible, there is a need for a calm and trusting atmosphere. Various forms of work contribute to it: from independent to plenary.

Thus, when planning a class, it is required to pay attention to the following moments:

• When planning, keep in mind who it is oriented to

• The class is formed on the basis of the goals

• Stages: step by step realization of the class

• Think over the content of the class that can help achieve the set goals

• Distribution of time

• Choose appropriate social forms of work [2,158-159]

Goal of the class Content of the class Students and teacher’s activity during the class Social forms of the class Material Time

Students understand the question that asks their opinion and can answer it My name is ... What’s your name? The teacher moves from student to student, greets them and asks «Hi! What’s your name?». If students have doubts, the teacher explains unclear moments with mimic and gestures. Students sit in circle. They reply one by one Board, chalk, pictures 5

Students can ask about their neighbor’s name and answer the question correctly My name is . What’s your name? Students approach one another and find out about their names and answer the asked question Movement in the class 5

Students understand the question about the place where they come from and can answer it on their own I come from Where do you come from? The teacher points at the map and says: «I come from Almaty. Where do you come from?». Work with students Students sit in circle, plenary work Map, globe, chalk, board, pictures 5

Students can ask a question about a place, which one comes from for studies and answer it themselves I come from Where do you come from? Moving in the class, students learn about places people come from for studies and answer this question on their own. The teacher observes the work Chaotic movement in the class 5

Students can play mini-dialogues on the topic «Acquaintance» What is your name? My name is ... Where do you come from? I come from Students choose an opponent and have a mini-dialogue «Acquaintance». The teacher observes and takes active part in the dialogue. Movement in the class Board, map, chalk, cards, cliche expres- sions 10

Section 9. Language and Literacy Learning

Today, there is a great choice of educational manuals from different publishers. To make an appropriate choice, we have to focus on the following issues:

• Working educational program on the basis of which educational process during a foreign language class is built upon.

• Items interesting, relevant for and needed by students based on their professional orientation, age and language level.

• Amount of time allocated for a foreign language course.

• Competences that should be mastered by students at the end of the foreign language course.

References: