The problems of foreign language learning in elementary school: an innovative context

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The problems of foreign language learning in elementary school: an innovative context

Liliya Kravchuk

Annotation

UDC 37.013 (045)

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24919/2308-4634.2018.133904

THE PROBLEMS OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE LEARNING IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: AN INNOVATIVE CONTEXT

Liliya Kravchuk, Ph.D.(Pedagogy), Associate Professor of the Humanitarian Disciplines Department Separated Subdivision of National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine "Berezhany Agrotechnical Institute".

The article analyzes the main problems (pedagogical, methodological, organizational) connected with the introduction of studying of foreign languages in elementary school. The tendencies of the foreign language education in the European language space are determined; the peculiarities of introduction of foreign languages in elementary school of Ukraine (90-s of XX century) are revealed; the possibility and expediency of early foreign language teaching of junior pupils is substantiated.

The analysis of theoretical works of domestic and foreign specialists was conducted, which shows that in the context of the study of foreign language education, there was no unambiguous idea regarding the introduction of a foreign language from the second or from the first class. However, the priority of this issue can be noted in the context of the requirements of the European Recommendations on Language Education.

With the proclamation of Ukraine's independence, the fundamental changes were made to the goal and priorities of school education. Ukrainian pedagogical science and practice, mastering the values of a democratic society, redefines the previous achievements of native pedagogy, actively studies foreign experience, makes adjustments to all components of the educational process. Undoubtedly, such changes also affected the sphere of foreign education, which is faced with the task of increasing the interest of students in the study of foreign languages in general education institutions in order to prepare them for life in a multi-ethnic and multicultural prospect, develop skills and abilities of communication with people of different nationalities. Freely to speak at least one foreign language was not a whim, but a requirement of the time. The social significance of this problem was predetermined in the 90's years of XX century, a large-scale experiment aimed at finding out and substantiating the possibility of learning foreign languages in elementary school. A new area of activity required the development of appropriate pedagogical and psychological justifications. It is no coincidence that during this period a large number of works were devoted to the teaching of a foreign language in elementary school.

The analysis of scientific publications, the lessons learned and advanced pedagogical experience made it possible to distinguish the main groups of deficiencies that were admitted during the teaching of a foreign language of junior schoolchildren - pedagogical, methodological, and organizational. The analysis of the main problems associated with the implementation of the study of a foreign language in primary school makes it possible to avoid similar shortcomings in further pedagogical activities; to think about updating the content of education and education by means of the foreign-language language.

Keywords: foreign languages; an elementary school; tendencies of foreign language education; junior schoolchildren; European Recommendations from language education.

Анотація

ПРОБЛЕМИ НАВЧАННЯ ІНОЗЕМНОЇ МОВИ У ПОЧАТКОВІЙ ШКОЛІ: ІННОВАЦІЙНИЙ КОНТЕКСТ

Лілія Кравчук, кандидат педагогічних наук, доцент кафедри гуманітарних дисциплін Відокремленого підрозділу національного університету біоресурсів і природокористування України "Бережанський агротехнічний інститут".

У статті проаналізовано основні проблеми (педагогічні, методичні, організаційні) пов'язані із запровадженням вивчення іноземної мови в початковій школі; з'ясовано тенденції іншомовної освіти у Європейському мовному просторі; розкрито особливості запровадження іноземної мови в початковій школі України (90-ті роки XX ст.); обґрунтовано можливість і доцільність раннього навчання іноземних мов молодших школярів.

Проведено аналіз теоретичних праць вітчизняних та зарубіжних фахівців, який свідчить, що у контексті дослідження іншомовної освіти не існувало однозначної думки стосовно запровадження іноземної мови з другого чи з першого класу. Проте можна відзначити першочерговість цього питання у контексті вимог Загальноєвропейських рекомендацій з мовної освіти.

Ключові слова: іноземна мова; початкова школа; тенденції іншомовної освіти; молодші школярі; Європейські рекомендації з мовної освіти.

Introduction

The modern process of European educational standards. One of the widely Ukraine's entry into the European educational developed approaches in the field of foreign education field is marked by the active borrowing of is the early study of foreign languages and bilingual problem. The orientation is the European Recommendations of language education. For the first time, they were printed according to the decision of the Council of Europe in English and French in 2001. In Ukraine they were published in 2003, and immediately attracted attention of specialists of this sphere. The European Recommendations formed the basis of a conceptually new approach to the process of reforming foreign language education in Ukraine and were reflected in the new programs of foreign languages for general education schools (2001) [8].

This approach is based not only on the practical acquisition of a foreign language as a means of communication, but also on the activities of the individual as a member of the community, which is capable of performing certain tasks (not necessarily related only to language) under certain specific living conditions, and socio-cultural environment. Therefore, when learning the language, cognitive, emotional, volitional and other individual qualities of the user of the language as a representative of the society are also taken into account. The knowledge and skills that a pupil learns in the process of another language education allows him to attain a certain level of communicative competence and - the necessary components of intercultural communication, through which his competence as a user language is formed.

Particular attention is paid to the initial stage of the study of a foreign language, because, the foundations for the successful mastery of the language in the following classes are formed. However, the development of a new paradigm for in-language education requires appropriate training of foreign language teachers and their willingness to successfully implement a competent approach in their future pedagogical activities in accordance with common European standards. Unfortunately, current domestic programs and textbooks on the methodology of the school curriculum of foreign languages do not have a separate section outlining the main provisions of the European Recommendations on the study, teaching and assessment of the language.

Analysis of scientific achievements and publications. The existing scientific foundation notes that in the works of Ukrainian scientists the various aspects of the problem of foreign language education were actualized, in particular: the peculiarities of its development and functioning in the context of modern approaches to teaching foreign languages in secondary schools (G. Grinyuk, E. Nikolaeva, O. Mysechko); socio-cultural component of the content of teaching a foreign language in the context of European language education (O. Maksimenko, O. Perniukova,); a comparative analysis of trends in the management of basic education in modern European countries and the place of a secondary educational institution in this process (L. Grinevich, A. Sbrueva); trends in the development of the theory and practice of testing students' learning attainment and practical aspects of its implementation in a general educational institution (O. Petrashchuk, M. Chorna); the theory and practice of restructuring the teaching of foreign languages in high school (O. Vishnevsky, O. Sherstyuk); linguistic principles of the problem of forming the language skills of pupils and students (V. Plakhotnik, V. Redko, etc.).

Purpose and task of the article. On the basis of finding out the trends of foreign language education in the European linguistic space, to reveal the peculiarities of introducing a foreign language in elementary school in Ukraine (90-s of the XX century).

The main part presentation

With the proclamation of Ukraine's independence, fundamental changes were made to the goal and priorities of school education. Ukrainian pedagogical science and practice, mastering the values of a democratic society, redefines the previous achievements of native pedagogy, actively studies foreign experience, makes adjustments to all components of the educational process. Undoubtedly, such changes also affected the sphere of foreign education, which is faced with the task of increasing the interest of students in the study of foreign languages in general education institutions in order to prepare them for life in a multi-ethnic and multicultural prospect, develop skills and abilities of communication with people of different nationalities. Freely to have at least one foreign language was not a whim, but a requirement of the time. The social significance of this problem was predetermined in the 90's years of XX century, a large-scale experiment aimed at finding out and substantiating the possibility of learning foreign languages in elementary school. A new area of activity required the development of appropriate pedagogical and psychological justifications. It is no coincidence that during this period a large number of works were devoted to the teaching of a foreign language in elementary school [1; 2; 3; 6; 12; 13].

Based on numerous studies of foreign and domestic media, psychologists (B. Belyaev, L. Vygotsky, D. Elkonin, I. Zimnaya, G. Rogova,) substantiated the possibility and feasibility of early studying foreign languages. They noted the characteristic psychological changes taking place at the pupils during the study in elementary school. These authors saw the basis for enhanced education of younger pupils of foreign languages in the specifics of the psychophysiological capabilities of children. foreign language education ukrainian

Thus, according to Zaporozhets A.B. the physiological reason for the success of language learning is that during this age, the child's brain has a specialized ability to learn a language - an ability that diminish with age. Psychological and physiological peculiarities of this age, in particular, the flexibility of brain speech mechanisms, increased activity, pronounced imitative abilities, which are amplified by the ability to imprint, are the prerequisites for the successful study of younger students of a foreign language [5].

The world experience of introducing early foreign education shows that the knowledge of a foreign language, acquired by children in the first years, will be skillfully used and developed by them at subsequent stages of studying at a general educational institution.

Of particular interest in the context of our study are the works of Ukrainian scholars (O. Belyaev, V. Plakhotnik, V. Redko), which emphasize the importance of introducing an early study of a foreign language. It is said that in the elementary school "the bases of the foreign language communicative competence are formed, necessary and sufficient for their further development and improvement" [13, 24].

The opinions of teachers and psychologists regarding the introduction of a foreign language from the first or second class were sufficiently contradictory [7].

Let us turn to the works of the researchers of child psychology - S. Vygotsky, I. Zimnaya, D. Elkonin, O. Leontiev, J. Piage. Analysis of their research indicates the direct dependence of the success of the early study of a foreign language on the level of communicative development of the child in his native language [2; 4; 6].

The notion of "communicative development in the native language", as defined by I. Zimnaya, should be considered as a complex multidimensional phenomenon, which includes: the volume of the child's vocabulary in the native language; the level of assimilation of language rules; the level of possession of oral forms of communication, the indicators of which are the child's ability to consciously build a coherent statement, adequately respond to replicas interlocutor, etc [6, 102].

Practice shows that a significant part of first- graders who come to school, do not have experience in pre-school learning foreign language, cannot distinguish the features of objects, find similar and different among them. From the first days they face complex tasks:

- adapt to school life;

- to master the methods of educational activity;

- go through socialization in the children's collective.

Under these conditions, learning a foreign language is an additional burden that can affect the health of children, since six years is a period of intense mental and physical development of the child. Compared to seven-year-olds, have a less mature cortex, a cardiovascular system, a musculoskeletal system. In general, the incompleteness of the development of the main organs and systems of a six-year-old child increases the sensitivity of her organism to the effects of adverse factors. And this factor can lead to the formation of various abnormalities and diseases [5].

The first academic year allows children to get acquainted with the main features of objects (color, size, shape, material, taste, quality of people) and certain functions such as category of behavior. Under the influence of education in the first class, the child's vocabulary gradually enriches with new concepts. Thus, learning in the first class creates an appropriate functional and propaedeutic basis for meeting a child with a foreign language in the next, second grade; contributes to its general linguistic development, acquisition of skills and abilities of educational activities, social and socio-psychological orientation in the children's team and in general in human society.

The increased intellectual capacity of the second grade students creates an appropriate basis for the perception and assimilation of socio-cultural information, which should be saturated with the content of the teaching of a foreign language, if the latter is really aimed at mastering students through intercultural communication in other languages. At this age, in children, memory is better developed, especially the auditory short-term, ability to imitate, reflection, creative attention. Second class pupils formed the skills of conscious operation in their native language, general education skills; in contrast to the first-graders, they have a large range of concepts [11]. The analyzed factors support the validity of the introduction of a foreign language, starting with the second grade of the secondary school.

Teaching of a foreign language was carried out according to the school curriculum, issued in 1995, by the Ministry of Education of Ukraine. The program offered to include this subject in a basic curriculum from the first or second grade. In this case, the first year of study was considered as propaedeutic, during which the students formed the primary speech skills. To study a foreign language in the school program was given 2 hours a week [15].

The 2000 school curriculum was drafted in the context of the requirements for reforming secondary education, taking into account the Council of Europe Recommendation on Linguistic Education, declared the official course for the introduction of a 11-year term for teaching the first foreign language from the second to the twelfth grade, with a weekly load in second class 2 hours [15]. The main principles of constructing a foreign language program were: communicative orientation, personal orientation, student autonomy, interconnected integrated learning of all types of speech activity (listening, speaking, reading and writing). In order to ensure continuity and continuity in teaching a foreign language to a primary school teacher, it is important to know them and take them into account.

In accordance with the new educational policy in 2002/2003 academic year, the teaching of a foreign language began with the 2-nd grade. The main objective of the project is to tweak the teaching of a foreign language and prepare schoolchildren for life in a developed European state [15]. This fact has become a serious test for teachers and all those involved in this industry, since it was necessary to revise and clarify certain persistent views on the school subject "foreign language", including on the means and methods of teaching, as well as the role of teachers and pupils in the learning process.

For decades, the massive study of a foreign language in Ukraine has begun with the 5-th form. With this fact branches of pedagogical and methodical sciences were connected, scientific researches were directed in the specified spheres. Knowledge at the state level of the feasibility of introducing a foreign language in elementary school made you think about the tasks of early school education of this subject and the possibilities of their implementation.

Publication analysis [3; 7; 10; 11; 13]of the studied lessons and pedagogical experience enabled to distinguish the main groups of deficiencies which were not accepted during the teaching of a foreign language of junior pupils - pedagogical, methodological, organizational. We characterize these groups.

1. Pedagogical. Analysis of the lessons learned showed that not all teachers are familiar with new programs, instructional letters from the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine on teaching foreign languages, the specifics of teaching and assessment of student achievements in elementary school. Significantly, the disadvantage of teaching a foreign language in elementary school was the disregard of the psychological characteristics of six-year-old schoolchildren and the non-estimation of game teaching methods. Many teachers who teach foreign languages in elementary school do not have enough knowledge of the age of younger schoolchildren, the conditions, regularities and special features of their physiological development, because the matter concerns the learning of a foreign language of six- year-olds and children in a "crisis of seven years".

The crisis of seven years is a transitional period of the psychological development of the dynasty from pre-school childhood to the junior school age, from dominant game activity to dominant educational activity [11, 23]. Therefore, the main requirement for the teaching of a foreign language in elementary school is the consideration of psycho-physiological features and possibly young students. It should be noted that the textbook is somewhat outdated, along with new modern textbooks, books that are not included in the list of literature recommended by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine are used. The level of the availability of modern foreign language textbooks for pupils of the 2nd grade is 54 % of the total needs. That is, the textbooks published by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine did not reach the school in full.

2. Methodical. The modern school does not ensure continuity between the pre-school and primary levels of education. Teachers forget about specific preschool activities: the game, various types of creativity (designing, modeling, retelling of fairy tales, creation of poems), which form the creative imagination - the basis of the educational capabilities of the child, the foundation upon which the entire educational process is based. In some cases, teachers mechanically transfer the techniques and methods used in upper grades to elementary school students; Games-forms of instruction are used unsystematically and monotonously; Little practicing group and paired work. As a result, foreign language teachers cannot always create optimal conditions for the implementation of small-school pupils. In this connection, the most important is the provision of such forms and methods of training that will allow the "child self-esteem" to be preserved [14, 10]. The teacher of the first degree school must know the peculiarities of the organization and management of game teaching methods, be able to accurately and adequately take into account the age-specific features of the subjects, especially the structure of their self-knowledge, intellectual activity and behavior.

3. Organizational. Do not adhere to the sanitary and hygienic rules of conducting lessons; the necessary exercises are not used for the removal of physical and visual tension; Rarely provides alternation of various types of educational activities.

Conclusion. The analysis of scientific publications, the lessons learned and advanced pedagogical experience made it possible to distinguish the main groups of deficiencies that were admitted during the teaching of a foreign language of junior schoolchildren - pedagogical, methodological, and organizational. Analysis of the main problems associated with the implementation of the study of a foreign language in primary school makes it possible to avoid similar shortcomings in further pedagogical activities; to think about updating the content of education and education by means of the foreign- language.

References

1. Belyaev, B.V (1968). Psychological analysis of the new methodical principles of teaching foreign languages. Foreign languages at school, no. 3, pp.27-31.

2. Vygotsky, L. V (1986). Pedagogical Psychology. Moscow: Enlightenment, 316 p.

3. Dronov, V.V. (1985). Psychological and methodological bases of teaching foreign languages of elementary school children. Foreign languages at school, no.4, pp.93-95.

4. Elkonin, D. B. (1978). Psychology of the game. Moscow: Pedagogics, 304 p.

5. Zaporozhets, A. B. (1986). Selected psychological works. Psychological child development. Moscov: Known, 316 p.

6. Zimnya, I.A. (1978). Psychological Aspects of Learning of Speak of Foreign Language. Moscov: Enlightenment, 159 p.

7. Ivanova, V N. (1989). Meeting on experimental teaching of languages in elementary school. Foreign languages at school, no.1, pp.100-114.

8. Kremin, V.G. (2006). Qualitative education: modern requirements. Pedagogy and psychology, no.4, pp. 5-10.

9. Nikolayeva, S. Yu. & Onischenko, K. I. (Ed.). (2005). International Forum "Language Education: Ways to European Integration": Abstracts of Thoughts. Kyiv: Lentiv, 290 p.

10. Nikolayeva, S. Yu. & Onishchenko, K.I. (2005). Modern trends of language education in Ukraine. Kyiv: Lentiv, pp.6-7.

11. Elkonin, D. B. & Wenger, A. L. (1988). Features of mental development of children 6-7 years. Moscov, 136 p.

12. Panova, L.S. (1999).Teaching a foreign language at school. Kyiv: Genesis, 368 p.

13. Plahotnik, V.M. (1995). Learning foreign languages in a high school: the concept and its implementation. Foreign languages, no. 1, pp. 13-15.

14. Pokroeva, L. (2006). Problems of preparation for the study of six-year-children. Pedagogy and psychology, no.4, pp. 5-10.

15. Programs for general education institutions. Foreign languages 5-11 grades. Kyiv: Education, 1991, 1995, 2002/2003, 148 p.

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