Lecture 1: General problems of Foreign Language teaching

6. Homework 1 min.
The beginning of the lesson is used not only for the pupils to get ready for the lesson, but also for "free talk", of course within their ability to understand the language spoken and to speak it.
Pronunciation drill remains one of the main points of the lesson. Pupils are trained to pronounce sounds, phrases, sentences, rhymes. For example, cat, map, cap, in the garden, on the skating-rink. Don't go home alone.
Father, mother, sister, brother.
Hand in hand with one another.
Pupils listen either to the teacher, or to the tape-recording or the record. They repeat the words, phrases and sentences in imitation of the teacher or the speaker individually and in chorus. Special attention is given to individuals. The teacher corrects mistakes, if there are any. Songs and poems may serve as material for pronunciation drill at this stage. If the teacher uses a song or a poem he explains briefly to the pupils in Russian what the song or the poem is about.
The teacher plays or sings the entire song once while the pupils listen. He reads or recites the poem to the class.
The teacher drills the lines to be taught. The lines are broken up into phrases and pronounced by the teacher in the rhythm in which they are to be sung or recited. The pupils repeat first in chorus and then individually. The teacher and pupils sing the song or recite the poem softly at first.
The teacher divides the class into groups and has each group sing or recite separately. Errors are immediately cor­rected.
Then the teacher calls on individuals to come up in front of the class to recite for the class or to sing; the latter can be suggested to volunteers only.
Pupils develop their hearing and speaking skills:
— when assimilating new words, phrases, and sentence patterns presented in performing drill and creative exercises (this is the case when oral language is used as a means of learning the language (see "Teaching Vocabulary" and "Tea­ching Grammar”);
— when hearing and speaking in the English language in connection with the situations suggested (this is the case when the target language is used as a means of communica­tion). The materials used for the purpose are: sentence pat­terns and words for substitution, pattern dialogues, pattern utterances related to the situations in which pupils can use them.
Pupils develop their reading skills:
— when reading aloud;
— when reading silently.
The materials used for the purpose are: exercises mostly with flash cards and texts in the textbooks, and supplemen­tary readers (see "Teaching Reading").
Pupils develop their writing skills when assimilating the English graphic system (see "Writing") and performing vari­ous written exercises.
Homework should include reading, writing, and speaking and require approximately 20 minutes a day. Pupils need to be shown how to work at home. They should be cautioned against translation and be encouraged to read the text aloud, grouping the words in sense groups; to read for meaning and sequence of ideas; to answer the questions given before or after the text; to compose questions on the text, and so on. Pupils should know that when copying words, phrases or sentences they should first read them aloud, look at them attentively and then write a whole word, a whole phrase, or a whole sentence. This will help them in learning the words and structures and in mastering English spelling.
Here is one of the possible approaches to compiling a daily plan.
Level: 6th form. Date ...
Objectives: 1..........
2..........
3..........
1. The beginning of the lesson. (3—5 min.)
A. Greeting.
B. A short talk with a pupil on duty.
C. A "free talk" about ...
(The subject of "free talk" changes with the growth of vocabulary and grammar.)
2. Pronunciation drill. (3—5 min.)