The methodological determinacy and characteristics of the basic categories of MFL education

1.

Lecture 2
THE METHODOLOGICAL
DETERMINACY AND CHARACTERISTICS
OF THE BASIC CATEGORIES OF MFL
EDUCATION.
THE CATEGORY “AIMS” OF MFL EDUCATION

2.

The most widely-accepted definition of a
'methodical system' (within pedagogy?) is
as a: 'general model of the teaching
process based a particular
methodological conception which
governs the selection of materials,
aims, forms, content and means of
teaching'.

3.

In this case, creators of educational
programmes and FL teachers are faced with
fundamental questions, namely:
What should be defined as the aims
and learning outcomes of FL
education?
Which system of educational
technology and pedagogical means
should be employed to develop FL
competencies?

4.

A second problem is also caused by
researchers' use and definition of
terminology.
The chaotic state of the categorization of
the methodological characteristics of the
modern theory of FL education raises the
following question:
What explains this diversity in opinion
regarding the place and role of the terms
'approach', 'principle', ‘aim'?

5.

One of the main reasons for the change of the FL
educational paradigm and its transformation was a
change in the public demand for quality of FL teaching
in the form of intercultural communication.
The current growth of a global society, the
understanding of language as a translator of a global,
human culture, the broadening of international
integration and co-operation have all served to focus
attention on the culture-forming and cognitocommunicative functions of language.
FL was studied without reference to its social and
cultural foundations or the idea of an individual as a
future “second language personality” or
“intermediator of intercultural
communication”.

6.

The notion of category ‘aim’ throughout the history of foreign language
education development. MFL teaching occurred in the 1950s
‘Consciouscomparative’
theory
systemstructural
language
model
• In this period, the theory for the realization of
'MFL teaching aims' was that of the consciouscomparative theory which amounted to conscious
assimilation through translation of foreign language
material organized in the form of sub-systems, texts .
• This was a linguistic- knowledge- and
measurement-based teaching model for
transmitting conscious linguistic knowledge
via the use of translation.

7.

2. MFL teaching occurred in the 1960s
Consciouspractical
approach
• It, however,emphasised the linguistic rather than
psychological aspect of language learning and at its
core lay the theory of activity.
• This period of FL teaching coincided with the
academic recognition of P la. Galperin's 'theory of the
systematic formation of mental actions and concepts'.
was a transition away from the
psychological • There
statistical and systematic-linguistic
approach towards one that was activitymodel of the
based and dynamic.
use of linguistic
methods

8.

3. MFL teaching occurred in the 1970s
theory of the
speech-activity
functionalactivity model of
foreign language
learning
• This increased focus on the personality of the student
as an active subject and as the student's development
as regards interpersonal/social communication was
reinforced by the theories of A.V. Petrovskii, A. A.
Bodalev, G. M. Andreeva and A. K. Markova
• there was tendency towards a transition from
information-based to activity-based teaching.
There was a search for the right psychological
and didactic conditions which would allow the
transition from the strict, formalized means of
organizing the teaching process towards ones
that were developmental, active, problembased, intensive and games-based in nature.

9.

4. MFL teaching occurred in the 1980s
'communicativeorientated theory of FL
teaching'
• This approach arose due to the need to fundamentally
change the aims and content of education in order to
study languages and cultures together.
• At this period was established a completely new
teaching unit, namely, the communicative situation.
communicative method • The unit of interaction was the 'speech
act' in the sense of one-sided, typical
model (E. I. Passov) and
forms of realizing speech intentions
the ideas of
communicative linguistics
and the psychological
theory of activity

10.

5.
MFL teaching occurred in the 1990s
embryonic
version of the
theory of
intercultural
teaching
Model of the
theory of
intercultural
communication
• the aims of MFL teaching were simply declared
to be intercultural-communicative
• MFL teaching was now understood as a means
for intercultural communication.

11.

STRUCTURAL ASPECT OF CATEGORY “AIM”
Traditional approach
educational
up-bringing
practical
COGNITO-LINGUOCULTURAL APPROACH
cognito-conceptual:
sociocultural-pragmatic:
is an essential requirement
of the future 'intermediator
of intercultural
communication' and a
developed 'second
facilitates an individual's ability for adequate
social and linguo-culturological interaction
with a bearer of a different linguoculture
through the use of MFL techniques that are
appropriate to the typical social
circumstances of different communicative
situations
cognitive consciousness
interculturalcommunicative:
develops a student to the
level of an 'intermediator of
intercultural communication'

12.

References
Kунанбаева С. С. Современное
иноязычное образование: методология
и теории Алматы, 2005 г.
Brown H. Douglas (1987). Principles of
language learning and teaching. Englewood
Cliffs, New Jersey, Prentice Hall
Harmer, J. (2001). The practice of English
language teaching. Essex, England: Longman.
Richards, Jack C. and Theodore S. Rodgers
(1986). Approaches and methods in language
teaching: A description and
analysis. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press