Lecture 1 Methods of Foreign LanguageTeaching as a Science

LECTURE 2
Aims, content and principles of foreign language teaching


1. The aims of foreign language teaching
Aims are the first most important consideration in any teaching. The teacher shouldknow exactly what his pupils are expected to achieve in learning his subject, what changes he can bring about in his pupils at the end of the course, at the year term, month,week, and each particular lesson i.e. he should know the aims and objectives of foreign language teaching in schools.
The aims of foreign language teaching are threefold: practical, educational, and cultural, developing.
Practical - pupils acquire habits and skills in using a foreign language;
Educational -they develop their mental abilities and intelligence in the process of learning the foreign language;
Cultural -pupils extend their knowledge of the world in which they live;
Developing-they see the progressive traditions of the people whose language they study.
Practical aimsare consequent on the basic function of language, which is to serve as a means of communication. International intercourse is realized directly, through the spoken language or indirectly, through the written language, i.e. through printed, or hand- or type written texts. Therefore the school programs set forth the following practical requirements: the instruction must be such as to ensure that the graduates can converse in the foreign language on simple everyday subjects, using the speech material dealt with in the course, can read and understand without a dictionary an easy text in foreign language, and with the occasional use of a dictionary a text presenting moderate difficulties and can express in written form simple thoughts (wrote a short letter).
The foreign language as a school subject differs from other subjects of the school curriculum. Whereas the teaching, for instance of history is mostly connected with the imparting of historical laws and facts which pupils are to learn and the mother tongue leads to the mastery of the language as a system so that pupils will be able to use it more effectively in oral and written language, the teaching of a foreign language should result in pupils’ gaining one more code for receiving conveying information, same purpose as the native language: to use it as a means of communication.
The practical aims in teaching a language are four in number: hearing, speaking, reading and writing.
In foreign language learning all forms of work must be in close interrelation, otherwise it is impossible to master the language. However, attention should be given mainly to practice in hearing, speaking, and reading. Thus pupils must achieve a level in their knowledge of the language, which will enable them to further develop it at an institute or in their practical work.