Peculiarities of foreign language studying by bilinguals

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Symon Kuznets Kharkiv National University of Economics

National Technical University “Kharkiv Polytechnical University”

Peculiarities of foreign language studying by bilinguals

Isliamova K.S.

Lecturer at the Foreign Philology and Translation Department

Mykhailova L.Z.

Lecturer at the Foreign Philology and Translation Department

Lutai N.V.

Lecturer at the Foreign Philology and Translation Department

Abstract

The article reveals the need for in-depth integrative understanding the phenomenon of bilingualism in the modern world. Making sense of it should rely on the latest researches in linguistics in connection with related sciences - sociology, pragmatics, psychology, theory of artistic text, history of communication. In the article we try to discover the term “bilingualism", peculiarities of brain work of bilinguals and their foreign language studying. Moreover, we study the need to form bilingualism in primary school children and subsequent study second language in primary school. The urgency of the problem is grounded on the formation of bilingualism, as well as the relevance of children motivation to activities for the acquisition of knowledge, skills and abilities regarding learning a foreign language. Second part of article is dedicated to the essence of the concept of bilingualism, its manifestation in practice, what are the advantages in mental abilities, in mental development, in the proficiency of speech in children with bilingualism before monolinguals, the influence of this phenomenon on the work of the brain is characterized. We try to analyze the influence of modern world globalization and its influence on the role of foreign language learning for people around the world. We compare the monolingual and multilingual students and their comprehensive abilities in terms of second or third language learning. The article also notes new communication trends in modern (linguistic) culture and it is shown that learning English as a foreign language now means not so much learning the language of its speakers, but how much is the language of intercultural communication that allows speakers of different languages and cultures understand each other. Due to the cardinal changes, in a number of reasons, the status of the English language in the world and its globalization arises new problems in its teaching, such as its “internationality", “pluralism", “adaptability", etc. From this follows a number of methodological implications regarding the priorities and strategies as well as the features of their technological implementation in line with the new directions. In the final part of the article, we explore an innovative approach to teaching a foreign language (English) and try to determine the best method in education for the development of bilingualism or multilingualism.

Key words: monolinguism, bilingualism, multilingualism, first language, second languages, code switching, change language, mother tongue, teaching method.

Анотація

bilingualism younger schoolchildren

Особливості вивчення іноземної мови білінгвалами

У статті розкривається необхідність поглибленого інтегративного осмислення феномену білінгвізму в сучасному світі. Для цього слід спиратися на новітні дослідження лінгвістики у зв'язку із суміжними науками - соціологією, прагматикою, психологією, теорією художнього тексту, історією комунікації У роботі ми намагаємося розкрити термін «двомовність», особливості роботи мозку білінгвалів і вивчення ними іноземної мови. Крім того, ми досліджуємо необхідність формування двомовності в молодших школярів і подальшого вивчення другої мови в початковій школі. Актуальність проблеми обґрунтована сформованістю двомовності, а також актуальністю мотивації дітей до діяльності щодо набуття знань, умінь і навичок вивчення іноземної мови. Друга частина статті присвячена суті поняття «білінгвізм», його прояву на практиці; питанням, які переваги в розумових здібностях, у розумовому розвитку, у володінні мовленням мають діти з двомовністю перед одномовними; відбитку такого явища на роботу головного мозку. Ми намагаємося проаналізувати вплив сучасної світової глобалізації на роль вивчення іноземної мови для людей у всьому світі. Ми порівнюємо студентів, які володіють однією мовою, і студентів, які володіють багатьма мовами, і розглядаємо їх повні здібності з боку вивчення другої чи третьої мови. У статті також відзначаються нові комунікаційні тенденції в сучасній (лінгвістичній) культурі й показується, що вивчення англійської мови як іноземної нині означає не стільки вивчення мови її носіїв, скільки мови міжкультурного спілкування, що дозволяє носіям різних мов і культур розуміти один одного. У зв'язку з кардинальними змінами, з рядом причин, зі статусом англійської мови у світі та її глобалізацією виникають нові проблеми в її викладанні, такі як інтернаціональність, «плюралізм», «адаптивність» тощо. Із цього випливає низка методологічних наслідків щодо пріоритетів і стратегій, а також особливостей їх технологічної реалізації відповідно до нових напрямів. У завершальній частині статті ми досліджуємо інноваційний підхід у навчанні іноземної мови (англійської) і намагаємося визначити оптимальний метод в освіті для розвитку двомовності або багатомовності.

Ключові слова: монолінгвізм, двомовність, багатомовність, перша мова, другі мови, перемикання кодів, зміна мови, рідна мова, метод навчання.

The first mention of the need to learn a second language in educational establishments dates back to the 18th century. Until that time, popular foreign languages such as French, German, English and Italian were studied from using an individual approach. Later some tendencies in teaching of an additional language were carried out through differentiation. Since there was a need for education of the whole society, and not its individual representatives. The fact is that bilingualism is a phenomenon that simultaneously affects the cultural and social life of society, as well as the personality of each individual.

The cultural aspect is characterized by the position of the language in the culture, considering it as an independent art form - the art of the word. The social side reflects the communicative component, the way language unique as a means of communication. Verbal exchange of information in a multicultural world requires more than one language. That is why bilingualism is a necessity that blurs the boundaries of communication between people. Moreover, it contributes to the development of speech skills, the formation motivation for learning, comfortable communication with native speakers, as well there is an acquaintance with a new culture, values [1, p. 17]. Bilingualism, in most cases interpreted as an ability and the possibility of the individual to alternately apply possession skills of two languages depending on the requirements of the given communication situations, is an extremely ambiguous phenomenon, although it has existed since ancient times, that is, it has its own history and extensive experience. In recent decades, bilingualism has quite decisively declared itself as a condition of intellectual and professional survival in the modern world [3, p. 87]. In the theory of language developed by Western researchers, the opinion that “the inevitable result of linguistic contacts is multilingualism, which most often takes the form of bilingualism in the speaking individual” [4, p. 362]. The word “bilingualism” (from the Latin bi - “Two” and lingua - “language”) possesses in the perception of a subject speaking a European language, including Russian, no less distinct internal form than his exact “bilingualism". The Latin base is present not only in the French “bilinguisme”, but also in Spanish “bilinguismo”, English “bilingualism”, Germany “Tweetaligheit”, while the German language uses both the Bilingualismus terminology and, more often, its tracing “Zweisprachigkeit". In defining the concept of “bilingualism”, different scientists have used a number of approaches, correlated with certain aspects of the phenomenon: social, sociolinguistic, actually linguistic, psychological, psychophysiological, linguodidactical. In addition, bilingualism was considered from the point of view of the relationship between language and speech; it has also been studied in dynamics and statics. But the three most important approaches are still sociological, psychological and linguistic. Bilingual possesses the knowledge of two languages and here we should define first language and second language. The word “first” is used by us primarily to denote a preference that is bilingual in a neutral situation, communication gives the given language before the “second”, but also in the chronological sense, since in most cases “first language” - the one in which the individual spoke from childhood; it the language in which he generally began to speak. By the way, such a marking of two languages in bilingualism is comparable with the abbreviated symbolic designation of the same languages, adopted in modern Western theory of language teaching, where L1 means the first language of the subject (“first language”), and L2, respectively, the second language of the subject (“second language”) [3, p. 91]. It is believed that there is always only one first language, under any circumstances. The second languages, unlike the first, can be more than one. The next important consideration is that the second language under certain conditions (for example, as a result of prolonged emigration) can become the first language of an individual. But even in this case the original essential-hierarchical correlation “first language - second languages” will remain unchanged. Thus, taking into account the given general, indicative and aspect-specific definitions of bilingualism, we can derive our own the wording according to which bilingualism, or bilingualism, is proposed to be understood as unequal knowledge and possession of more than one national language and non-simultaneous use of them in each specific communication situation. One of these languages is and is called the first, the other - the second.

Let us put forward the problem of varieties (types) of bilingualism. It is quite natural that initially bilingualism caused interest of researchers primarily from the standpoint of its relevance to society, i.e. in terms of its functioning in society. It is on this side of bilingualism that the theory of linguistic contacts focuses, within the framework of which particular issues of mutual influences of contacting languages are resolved, such as interlingual borrowing, multilevel interference, peculiarities of the development of this national language in the context of bilingualism, etc. There exist another form - individual bilingualism as a legitimate and socially significant variety of bilingualism. The question of related phenomena also has the meaning that its actualization helps to more clearly, more definitely realize the communicative essence bilingualism, which is within the limits of verbal communication, but it is carried out with a fundamental violation of the boundaries of one national language. Two other interrelated, although different issues associated with the theory of bilingual communication are “code switching” and “language change”. The fact is that the moment of transition from one language to another in conditions of bilingual communication is always conditioned by completely objective motives based primarily on the desire of the speaker (interlocutor) for more adequate communication.

The terms “early” and “late” bilingualism are distinguished by researchers. First begins at the age of 5 years, when the consciousness and memory of the child is very receptive and flexible to learn new means of communication. Second is carried out at a later age: usually this is associated with any circumstances, such as moving to another country. However, communication skills and speech associated with a second language do not deteriorate in depending on age, only regular practice is required, as in the native language.

As for the effect on the body, scientists have confirmed that bilinguals the brain is better developed. British studies show that bilingualism has a positive effect on its structure. On the research of A. Mekelli (Andrea Mechelli) were invited 25 British monolinguals, 25 bilinguals, who learned an additional language during childhood and are fluent in it in adulthood, and 33 a bilingual Briton who learned a second language at a later age [1, p. 20]. The presence of gray matter in people with two mother tongues is much higher than that of monolinguals. This feature plays an important role in the synthesis information. Moreover, the younger the age at which the study of the second tongue or both at once, the greater the possibility of the appearance of gray matter and preserving it in more mature years. Moreover, it is a unique phenomenon. promotes the development of the speech center located in the frontal lobe of the head the brain, that is, the formation of sentences, the expression of opinions and their thoughts it is easier for a person with bilingualism. But for this process to be more effective, it is necessary to learn a second language before the age of five to six years. The best option is when each parent is a carrier of a language of any particular language group, and communicate with the child in parallel in two languages - this is called congenital bilingualism. Bilingual marriages are also common in European countries as well as all over the world nowadays. But let us study the question of how to implement a child learning in two language environments at the same time, if the family is not bilingual. In Ukraine, being initially bilingual, children can study two more foreign languages at schools that are considered - third and fourth languages. Most often as an additional English is selected as third one. It is considered to be effective way to introducing a second language or third language of education so that children are immersed during the process of learning in a language environment. The process of “language switching” could be carried out and students can more easily perceive foreign speech. Memorization of words, expressions using this method is faster and more efficiently, memory and intelligence develops. In our opinion, the lessons should be conducted by native speakers. The alternation of communication and study of the subject on classes contributes not only to improving speech skills, but also organizes the change of activity, which contributes to higher performance, motivation and attention. At the same time, communication not only with the teacher, but also the children with each other must be in both languages [8, p. 45]. For this in some institutions introduced a specific schedule for the days when the students use only one of the languages. This develops the motivation, interest and emotional raise to communicate freely with teachers and peers. For pronunciation skills improving, speaking can be used in traditional songs of the country whose language is being studied. Moreover, there is an introduction to culture, this is realized through the organization national holidays, events. With this method of teaching a second or third language, in our opinion, it is possible to bring up a bilingual or multilingual, since language learning does not act here as subject of education but also as an instrument of immersing the student in an artificial language environment. The use of creation of artificial language environment with different types and techniques of work in multilingual lessons contributes to the formation of both subject and meta subject results: students develop skills in working with texts in two languages, the ability to get out of a difficult situation in the face of a shortage of language resources when receiving information, the ability to freely switch from one language to another, to relearn lexical and grammatical moments in a different speech situation, contributes to prevention of blocking speech activity of “fear of error” [5, p. 26].

In the modern European and world cultural space, actively the problem of multilingualism and multiculturalism of education is being developed and communication, which requires new principles not only for teaching a foreign language, but also the training of foreign language teachers [6, p. 449]. And the most important position here is, firstly, the teaching of several foreign languages at the same time, and, secondly, the attitude towards the English language is not just how to foreign language, but as the main international language. It consists of the fact that in the process of globalization of the English language, its expanding use speakers of other languages, on the one hand, cannot but reflect their own cultural, conceptual and communication characteristics that should not only to be aware, but who should be taught, as well as taught to formulate, express and explain in a foreign language. All these phenomena give the English language “a plurality” that is generated and used in the process of adapting the English language to cultural realities of speakers of other languages: it allows them to formulate and express their cultural and communication characteristics. As a result, we can conclude that learning English nowadays means not only learning the language with native speakers, but more - how many languages of intercultural communication, allowing speakers of different languages and cultures understand each other. From this follows a number of methodological implications about teaching priorities and strategies. We would like to reveal one of the most modern and important - the method of “emotionally oriented teaching of a foreign language”. In order to facilitate and accelerate the acquisition of a foreign language, specialists constantly offer more and more new methods and approaches, which, unlike all other approaches, directly uses a person's not indifferent attitude to various objects and phenomena. For instance, an apple - it is not just a round red fruit, but a delicious fruit, juicy, sweet and crisp. Moreover, different objects and phenomena usually differ in the degree of emotional relationship to them: objects that the student has never seen (or have not tried), usually not associated with a high level of emotional attitudes towards them; respectively, and the words denoting them (as shown by specially conducted experiments) are learned (memorized) worse. A number of consequences following from this approach are:

the importance in teaching foreign language is played by its “localization”: taking into account the culture of students (for example, in in Muslim countries, children, especially girls, have little idea of what they mean words such as bar, glass, wine, etc. etc.), as well as a number of other external factors (so what is the jungle, steppe, taiga different peoples represent in their own way);

familiarity with the meaning of words denoting far from the speakers of another language objects and phenomena, must be accompanied by an emotionally rich commentary and examples of the use of a foreign word in an emotionally context.

This is the core element in any language learning and scientists have made a lot of studies proving the emotional effect in multilingual education.

Thus, the need of bilingualism formation and therefore bilingual learning is evident. First, this phenomenon has a positive effect on intelligence, memory, thinking, brain structure and neural connections development. Secondly, this type of training develops speech skills, the creative side of the personality, motivation not only to study foreign languages, but also to teaching in general.

In conclusion, it would be useful to say that bilingualism cannot be considered as a static or unitary phenomenon. In practice, it exists in various forms and manifestations and varies depending on a variety of historical, cultural, political, economic, environmental, religious, psychological and other factors. Attitudes towards bilingual behavior in society will also undergo certain changes depending on the development of the world community and on the expansion of our understanding of the bilingual abilities of the individual. At the same time, it remains undoubtedly: the number of bilinguals in the world is constantly growing, which means that bilingualism will be a characteristic feature of a public person throughout the history of his existence, including the coming centuries.

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