Lecture 1: General problems of Foreign Language teaching

V e r s i о n В
Activity. Pupils copy out topical sentences from the text they read silently.
V e r s i o n C
Objесtive: To teach pupils to write the words ... (assimilated orally).
Activity. Pupils copy the words and sentences from the blackboard. Ask pupils to spell the words ... and recollect other words which have similar and different spelling (chair — air, write — right).
V e r s i o n D
Objective: To check pupils' ability to write the words ....
Асtivity. Pupils write a dictation. (Dictate the text from Teacher's Guide, p. ... )
Homework (1 min.). Read ...;
write ex. ...;
compose 3—4 sentences about …..
N о t e: The content of homework depends fully on the work done in the classroom.
In compiling a unit, and a daily plan the teacher follows the recommendations given in the Teacher's Book and takes into account the concrete conditions he has in the classroom.
Here is a general outline for a daily lesson (the 7—8th forms);
1. The beginning of the lesson 1—2 min.
2. Pronunciation drill 3—5 min.
3. Oral practice 15 min.
4. Reading 12—18 min.
5. Writing 4—10 min. . '
6. Homework 1—2 min.
At the beginning of the lesson the teacher sets the class to work. He has a short conversation with a pupil on duty, and announces the objectives of the lesson in the foreign language. (It is obvious that by this time pupils should under­stand the objectives said in the target language.)
Since teaching pronunciation should take place at every stage, pronunciation drill is still one of the important points of the lesson. The material suggested for the purpose may be: words, mainly polysyllabic, words, phrases, sentences, and songs. It is desirable that a tape-recorder or a record player should be utilized to provide pupils with some adequate model of speech. Through hearing authentic models and guided pro­nunciation work pupils improve their habits from lesson to lesson. Songs and poems are especially useful at this stage. In conducting pronunciation drill the teacher starts with words and proceeds to sentences in the following sequence: listening — comprehension — full choral repetition — indi­vidual repetition. Three to five minutes should be spent on pronunciation drill.
Oral practice is one of the essential points of the lesson. It implies presentation of the linguistic material (the oral approach to teaching vocabulary and grammar structures) and its retention in pupils' memory through performing various exercises; the development of pupils' habits and skills in using the material presented alongside of that already cov­ered in guided dialogues and monologues; the development of prepared and unprepared speech on situations simple, unexpected and amusing, to keep the class lively, and enter­tained. The "teacher determines the objective and calculates the amount of time necessary to achieve it bearing in mind-that he cannot afford more than fifteen to twenty minutes during the lesson, since there are other language skills that should be developed under his supervision.