Германские языки | Филологический аспект №6 (14) Июнь, 2016

TEACHING UNIVERSITY STUDENTS THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE VOCABULARY

Коломиец Андрей Михайлович
Школа английского языка Language Link

Аннотация: Одним из основных факторов, влияющих на успешность овладения английским языком, является изучение лексики. В данной статье рассматриваются различные методы, применяемые большинством преподавателей английского языка в процессе преподавания. В дополнение к этому, в данной статье мы постарались объединить различные методы обучения лексике для достижения лучших результатов в обогащении словарного запаса обучающихся.
Ключевые слова: обучение иноязычной лексике, формирование лексических навыков, иноязычная коммуникация

Kolomiets Andrey Mikhailovich
Language Link

Abstract: One of the main factors affecting the success of mastering the English language is the study of vocabulary. This article discusses various methods used by the majority of English teachers in the process of teaching. Moreover, in this paper we have tried to link the methods of teaching vocabulary to achieve the best results in the enrichment of students' vocabulary.
Keywords: foreign language vocabulary teaching, development of lexical skills, foreign language communication

Vocabulary is a major aspect in language learning. This means that it is an important part of language components, such as grammar, pronunciation, spelling, etc. It can be concluded that the students’ understanding of the meaning of words largely influences their ability to translate and build a sentence, even if the word is associated with reading comprehension [1-3]. Vocabulary is a prerequisite for reading comprehension, in which people who do not know the meanings of words are most likely, poor readers. The principal aim of teaching lexical material is the formation of students’ vocabulary skills as an essential component of expressive and receptive speech activities. Lexical skills are characterized by greater awareness, which is manifested in the choice of words in combination with other words depending on the purpose of communication. Language lexical skills are also highlighted: operations on analysis of words, word-formation, and construction of phrases.

The problem of formation of lexical and grammatical skills rightfully seems to be one of the most significant issues in foreign language teaching. Knowledge and practical possession of language system and lexical grammatical structure allows generating verbal and semantic level of secondary linguistic identity of the learner, the level without which it is not possible further preparation for an authentic cross-cultural communication [4, 5].

From the methodological point of view, a complex process foreign language vocabulary acquisition involves many components: presentation, explanation, a variety of exercises for training and application, control over the process of composition and formation of lexical skills. In the formation of mechanisms of lexical processing of statements the important role is played by lexical rules. In determining the content and the role of lexical rules it’s necessary to take intoaccount the data on the formation and quality of the relevant foreign language units from the perspective of the active approach to learning [9, 10]. Active lexical skill includes possession a series of operations, such as the translation of training lexical and semantic units from long-term memory into the operational combination of words within the meaning and form of certain schemes, substitution of free positions and their use in oral and written forms of communication. As the systems of concepts do not coincide in different languages, the study of a foreign language is necessary in conjunction with forms of words to assimilate new system of concepts that always requires explanation.

Exercises are the main means of learning at any stage of mastering a foreign language. There’s always a goal in any exercise. Usually there are exercises for mastering the material and its use in the spoken language [11].

All vocabulary exercises are divided into two categories, aimed at: remembering words, its semantics in unity with pronunciation and grammatical forms; formation combinations of words of semantic character. In teaching it is necessary to remember that success is largely dependent on the correlation of exercise quality with the content of an intended purpose and the conditions of its achievement. Adequacy is expressed in the following statement: every kind of speech activity is acquired, mainly due to exercise in this particular activity.

1. Wallace [8] claims that one may be familiar with how the language system functions and not being able to communicate, whereas if we know the necessary vocabulary, as a rule, we can communicate well, that is, learning vocabulary should be given not fewer attention than to other aspects of learning a foreign language (grammar, pronunciation, spelling).

Work on the development of lexical skills at a particular stage depends on the method of teaching, which a teacher uses in a foreign language classroom. In accordance with the modern communicative method of foreign language teaching, new lexical items should be introduced, where it is possible only within the context close to real situations of communication and relevant to interests of this age group of students. Reading aloud and then memorizing word lists consisting of foreign lexical units and their translation into Russian, sometimes even without the use of examples, that is often suggested in textbooks and used in practice, is not appropriate and is contrary to the goal of foreign language teaching which consists in practical mastery of a foreign language or reaching the minimum adequate level of communicative competence that is willingness and ability to carry out foreign language communication in limits defined by the program. In the actual process of communication we rarely use individual words, we select them, connect with each other in sentences and statements in accordance with the situation of communication. In addition, different words in different contexts can have quite different meanings. Therefore it is necessary from the very beginning of learning a foreign language to introduce students in the real situations of communication or at least imitate them, showing in practice how the new vocabulary is used. Only in this case, students have the opportunity to experience a new language, while developing contextual guess to help further development of receptive types of speech activity [12-14].

A major role in teaching vocabulary plays a correctly chosen by a teacher method of semantization of new lexical units, disclosure of their meanings. The most popular way is translation into native language. But it should be noted that this method can be applied only on condition that the words of the foreign and native languages have the same, identical meanings and their use. Translation is also recommended if the linguistic level of students is not sufficient enough for monolingual ways of semantization. However, it does not develop students’ linguistic thinking and does not contribute to the development of linguistic intuition, therefore, at teachers’ disposal, there are also other methods of explanation of the meaning of new vocabulary: nonverbal, for example, by means of images or the relevant objects, facial expressions and gestures; explanation by context; using synonyms / antonyms / paraphrasing, etc. The choice of teachers depends on many factors: the type of new introduced vocabulary, the age of students, their language skills, time, learning objectives, etc. The main thing consists in the fact that a language teacher should try, whenever possible, in this case, in teaching vocabulary, develop and encourage imagination and contextual guess of students [6].

There are two methods of learning foreign vocabulary:

1. Visual Techniques (pictures, mime or gestures);
2. Verbal Techniques. At the core of this method is the use of synonyms, opposites, scale, definition and categories. Maria et al [7] subdivide verbal techniques into four parts, namely:
3. Defining and providing examples of use. Foreign language teachers introduce a new token through the use of the word in practical application.
4. Synonyms and antonyms; Synonyms and antonyms are especially important in building new vocabulary because learners are able to know vocabulary.
5. Scale, suggesting representation of related words in scales that include the combination of both verbal and visual techniques.

In conclusion, it should be noted that for more effective vocabulary learning, a combination of didactic principles, that is awareness, visual expression and interdisciplinary coordination; linguistic principles, that is minimization of language and concentric features; psychological principles, that is the gradual formation of lexical skills and competencies; and properly methodological principles, that is accounting of the native language, interrelated teaching of vocabulary and types of speech activity, differentiated approach depending on the purpose of mastering vocabulary and professional orientation of principles, acting in close connection with each other.

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