Teaching English to Pre-School Children and Children in a Primary School

     Since extra-curricular work is voluntary and based on active and creative work of school organizations and individual pupils, when organizing non-class activities the teacher ought to take into consideration the fact that the motive for the activities is the interest the teacher stimulates in his pupils for learning the language both during class-periods and extra-curricular work.

     It is quite obvious the teacher may succeed in promoting greater interest for studying the language provided he works skillfully in class, explaining new material in a clear and comprehensive way, using various methods and devices to make his pupils active and interested in the work done, applying audio-visual aids, preparing exercises which give the pupils satisfaction of a job well done, making them feel their own progress in the target language after every lesson.

     In carrying out extra-curricular work various forms should be used so that the majority of the class is able to take part in it. The following forms of extra-curricular work are used at schools: individual, group and mass work.

     Group work includes: (1) ‘hobby’, groups that work systematically; they are: play and game sections, chorus section, conversation section, reading and translation hobby groups, drama section, literature and art sections; (2) groups for temporary activities, namely to make up an album, to make a display-stand or a bookstand with English books and booklets, to illustrate a story read, to organize a school library, etc.

     C1 ass w о г к includes: the organization and holding of a pioneer assembly in the foreign language; talks in that language; pleasure parties, conferences, olympiads and contests, excursions to films in a foreign language with following discussion; dramatization of the stories read; holding of guessing games; issuing wall-newspapers; making up school display-stands, etc. One of the most entertaining types of mass work that wins more and more popularity among pupils is с 1 u b work. The foreign language club gives an opportunity to have natural situations for communication in the foreign language. The work of the club may contribute to international friendship among young people, as one of the main activities of the members of the club is establishing contacts with foreign friends, mainly through correspondence. Sometimes guests from foreign countries may be invited to view performances of the club, in which case direct association with foreigners is established. Club work is varied in form and content. The work of English clubs is described in “Иностранные языки в школе” and some other journals.

     The club work of one of the Moscow schools is a good example. Many pupils of the school took part in the club work. They worked in different sections, for example, the section of philatelists which made interesting stamp albums, or the section of young naturalists, who got different seeds from remote corners of the world. Its members grew flowers in the flower-beds of the schoolgarden.

     Unfortunately there are but few clubs in our schools. Teachers underestimate this mass work in foreign languages, and do not realize that work of this kind is of great educational and practical value.

     To organize both class and non-class activities of pupils properly it is necessary to have a special classroom for the study of the foreign language. The classroom must be decorated with portraits of revolutionaries, writers, poets, artists, composers, and other outstanding people of the countries whose language the pupils study. Decorations should be regularly changed; otherwise pupils get used to them and no longer notice them. Besides, changing decorations will help teachers to mark current events in life (e. g., centenary of some writer, scientist, or the visit of a prominent government leader to our country). The room must be equipped with modern technical aids, such as a tape-recorder, an opaque projector, a film strip projector, a film projector, etc., and a set of slides, tapes, films, film-strips. The teachers should regularly enrich this stock. A map of the country whose language we study should be a permanent visual aid in class. There must be a book-case in the room with books in foreign languages, the stock of books being regularly increased, too. There must be various, visual aids such as lotto, dominoes and other games in the room. To crown it all, a notice-board which shows pupils' activities must be hung there. On- the notice-board one might find lists of pupils engaged in sections, non-class activity programmes in the foreign language, hobby group work schedule, lists of. recommended literature for independent reading. 
 
 
 

THE CONTENT OF EXTRA-CURRICULAR WORK AND HOW TO CONDUCT IT. 

     The content of extra-curricular work is determined by the tasks set for each form by the syllabus, pupils' interests and their age characteristics. For example, after the pupils have assimilated the linguistic material of lesson 4 (A. P. Starkov, R. R. Dixon)of the text-book for the 6th form, during non-class activities the pupils are told to use those words and sentence patterns they have assimilated in a talk during tea. Some of the girls are told to lay the table.

The pupils have learned the following words:

     - tea, milk, water;

     - bread,  butter,  apples,  sugar, salt,  pepper,  fish, meat, soup;

     - lay the table, be ready, pass, prepare, serve, have breakfast, have tea, have dinner,    for breakfast, pour,  spread   (the  table-cloth), wash, clean, help, put, please, thank you;

     - spoon, fork, knife (knives), plate, dish, saucer, cup. 
The following words may be added:

     - coffee, cocoa;

     - sweets, gruel, sausage, cake;

     - brown, white (bread);

     - clear (the table), wash (dishes).

     Help yourself. Not at all. Don't mention it.

     The following conversation may take place:

     1. While the girls are laying the table

     - Get some bread and put it on the table, please.

     - What bread shall I get?

     - The white bread.

     - We have white bread. We do not like to have brown bread for breakfast. We have it for dinner.

     - Now get some butter and sugar and put them on the table, too.

- Where is the sugar-basin? 
- I don't know.

     - Oh, I see the sugar-basin there with sugar in it.

     - Is the tea ready?

     - Yes, it is.

     - Do we have milk on the table?

     - Yes, we do.

The girls ask the teacher and the children to take their seats at the table.

     - Take your seats, please. Everything is ready.

2. At table

     - Do you prefer tea or milk?

     - I like milk better.

     - As for me, I don't like milk. I like coffee.

     - Do you like sugar in your milk?   .

     - No, I don't like sugar in my milk.

     - Which do you like better, fish or meat?

     - I like fish. And you, N.?

     - I like meat better.

     - Give me some bread, please.

     - Here you are.

     - Thank you.

     - Not at all.

     The material covered and that which has been introduced is reviewed and learned beforehand.

     In the 8^th form, after the pupils have learned the linguistic material of “Great Britain”, the following work may be done. It may be connected with travelling about the country. The map of Great Britain should be used on this occasion, but not the one that was used during the lesson. The work should be done so that it permits the pupils to broaden their knowledge in geography and learn some additional words and expressions. They may travel by air and sea, by train and by car or bus, and even on foot.

     In the 9^th form the text “London” gives pupils an opportunity to learn and become familiar with the map of London, its places of interest, its monuments, great people who lived there, etc. There are slides, film-strips, post-cards, and films about London which are to be used to foster pupils’ interest.

     Texts dealing with the life and deeds of outstanding people should be used for deepening pupils’ knowledge and developing their interest in language learning. Here are some examples which illustrate the use of such forms of work as round table conferences.

     An extremely valuable round-table conference on the theme “How V.I.Lenin Studied Foreign Languages” was arranged in one of the secondary schools of Riga. V.I.Lenin’s experience in studying Russian, Old Slavonic, Latin, Greek, German, French, Ukrainian, English, Italian, Polish, Dutch, Swedish, Czech, Finnish and Bulgarian was discussed by the pupils of the 9th form and could not but encourage the pupils to study languages.

     A similar conference on the theme “V.I.Lenin Abroad” was arranged in the 10^th forms of the same school. The conference was arranged as follows: nine “delegations” from various countries occupied their seats around a nicely decorated table. In front of each delegation was a small flag of the respective country and the name of this country:  USSR, Great Britain, Poland, Finland, Germany, France, Switzerland, Czechoslovakia and the flag of the Latvian SSR. The delegates spoke Russian, Latvian, German, English, French, Czech, Polish, and Finnish.  Some interpreters were also present. The actual air of an international gathering pervaded the hall. The pupils had prepared their speeches in the given languages carefully and the participants were most attentive when their classmates began to speak   an unfamiliar language.

     A third example, illustrating the injected international character of foreign language teaching dealt with Rockwell Kent. A press conference on the theme “Rockwell Kent’s gift to the Soviet Union” took place in the 10^th form. The purpose of choosing this type of lesson was to excite the pupils' interest in learning English. The process of the lesson can be described as follows. At the beginning of the lesson a tape-recorder was switched on and a noise peculiar to such gatherings filled the classroom.

     Teacher: We are present at a press conference organized by the Ministry of Culture of the USSR. Some American correspondents have been invited to this conference.

     Chairman: This press conference is dedicated to Rockwell Kent. My task is to announce the news of his gift to the Soviet people. The famous American artist and author R. Kent was a great fighter for peace, a great friend of the Soviet Union. He died on March 12, 1971, at the age of 88. Long before his death R. Kent present-ed a large collection of his paintings, drawings, and books to the Soviet Union.

     Secretary: Some years ago there was an exhibition of R. Kent’s paintings in the Soviet Union. The pictures were exhibited in many cities and everywhere the people showed great interest in them. R. Kent’s books have been translated into Russian and Latvian. Now you will see some illustrations to the Latvian translation of his book “Skarba pirmatniba”. (The pictures were projected on a screen.)

     A participant of the conference: For R. Kent painting was a means of communication, a form of speech. He met understanding and friendship in our country. R. Kent said: “Art belongs to those who love it most, and I want the Soviet people to have all my life's work.”

     A participant of the conference: Why has R. Kent not presented his paintings to the American people? Why didn't he ask an American museum to take his pictures?

     A progressive American correspond-e n t: Several years ago he asked the Farnsworth Museum in Rockland to take his collection. The director of the museum said they would be glad to receive such a wonderful collection. But soon after that R. Kent was asked to Washington by the McCarthy Committee where he was questioned about his political views. He refused to answer the questions. Immediately after this event the museum refused to take his pictures.

     Chairman: Why did the American museum refuse to take R. Kent’s collection?

     A reactionary American correspondent: I am a correspondent of the New York Times. I express the opinion of the ruling classes of our country. R. Kent visited the Soviet Union and found many friends there. He supported the communist ideology. He has presented many paintings to Soviet Russia. But who cares?

     Chairman: A correspondent of the progressive magazine New World Review wants to answer your question, Mr. Green.   .

     The correspondent: The fact is that many people in America do care. People, who are tired of the cold war and who want peace and friendship, understand the purpose of R. Kent’s gift and are happy about it. Extracts from his books were read and more illustrations   projected.

     A few words should be said about additional material to cover the topic. There are several points of view on the subject. Some teachers believe that extra-curricular work must only consolidate the linguistic material the pupils assimilate during classes and the task is to develop their speech habits on the material covered. So it is not necessary to give any additional material for the pupils to learn. There are some objections to this point of view. It is necessary that pupils should   learn   something   new   during   non-class   activities. Otherwise it will be difficult to stimulate their interest and make them active and anxious to do the work. Besides, it is difficult to make up natural situations to use the language as a means of communication within the material studied during the lesson. Everything must be done to provide favourable conditions for the pupils to speak, read, and write in a foreign language for their own needs. They need words and sentence patterns which they may use. And it is the teacher who should always be ready to help them. He shows the pupils how to apply their knowledge to the purpose. He presents some new words or structures which are necessary for this particular situation. The teacher need not be afraid of presenting some new material.   Pupils will   definitely memorize it, if the new material is connected with their activity, their interests, their emotions and feelings. Of course, the material presented must be limited in amount, carefully selected, and necessary for the given situations. Consequently some fresh material which is necessary to, express a certain situation must be presented to pupils. And they will be able to assimilate it, as it will be closely connected with their activities.

     Others think that extra-curricular work requires special linguistic material which may or may not be connected with the material the syllabus involves. These teachers are mistaken, too. The success of extra-curricular work depends on many factors:

     - the correlation of extra-curricular work with classwork;

     - the vividness of situations in which the additional material is needed;

     - the enthusiasm of the pupils when new material is introduced.

     Therefore extra-curricular work must be based upon class-work. Some linguistic material should be added.

     In conclusion it is necessary to say that little is done in selecting material suitable for the purpose in each form for conducting extra-curricular work successfully. However, there is a lot of material for the teacher to use for extra-curricular work and he can choose the one he needs.

     Methods and techniques the teacher uses for conducting extra-curricular work must aim at developing pupils’ initiative and creative power, on the one hand, and for providing language surroundings, natural situations, making pupils use the language for their practical needs, on the other. The role of the teacher is to set up a goal, to draw up a plan to supply his pupils with necessary material and help them whenever they are in difficulty. All the rest is done by the pupils themselves. The more they do themselves the better for them. It is necessary that the pupils of senior forms should help the pupils of junior forms. For example, a pupil is learning a poem by heart which he will recite at a pleasure party. The teacher asks one of his senior pupils to help the child. Or many boys are known to be fond of mechanical aids. Why not employ them in demonstrating a film slide or a film? Of course, first they must be taught how to do it.

     To sum this up we must say:

     1 - Extra-curricular work in a foreign language is an in separable part of educational work, proceeding from the aims the syllabus sets.

     2 - Various forms of extra-curricular work should be developed in schools to involve as many pupils as possible.

     3 - Technical aids should be extensively utilized to make the work interesting and effective.

     4 - Study of progressive experience both in our schools and schools abroad is one of the main tasks for the further development of extra-curricular activities.

     5 - Carrying out investigations dealing with the content and methods of extra-curricular work is one of the main problems to be solved. 

Control questions: 

1. What role of extra-curricular work is in language learning in school?
2. How is extra-curricular work in foreign languages organized?
3. What contents of extra-curricular work is it? How is it conducted?

 

Recommended literature: 

1.Зимняя И.А.  Психология обучения иностранным  языкам в школе.-М., 1991.

2.Колкер Я.М., Устинова Е.С., Еналиева Г.М. Практическая методика обучения иностранному языку, М., 2000.

3.Пассов Е.И.  Основы коммуникативной методики  обучения иноязычному общению.  – М., 1989. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

    Lecture 11, 12 

Optional Course

THE AIMS OF THE OPTIONAL COURSE. 

Plan: 

1. The aims of the optional course.
2. The organization of the optional course.
3. The content of the optional course.
4. The importance of testing and evaluating pupils’ achievement.
5. Testing language skills and language knowledge.
6. Evaluating pupils’ achievement.