Karakalpak State University Faculty of Foreign Languages Department of English language and literature Djavod Kurbanbaev

Karakalpak State University Faculty of Foreign Languages Department of English language and literature Djavod Kurbanbaev

LECTURE 1: General problems of Foreign Language teaching

The word “method” primarily means way or manner of doing something. It is a word of international currency, borrowed into all European languages through the Latin “Methodus’’ from the Greek “Methodos”. Methods of Foreign Language Teaching is understood here as a body of scientifically tested theory concerning the teaching of Foreign Languages in schools and other educational institutions. It covers three (sometimes four) main problems:

1. Aims of teaching a foreign language, why to teach a foreign language.

2. Content of teaching, i.e. what to teach to attain the aims.

3. Methods and Techniques of teaching, i.e. how to teach a foreign language to attain the aims in most

effective way.

4. Whom to teach.

We must distinguish between General Methods and Special Methods. By general methods we mean the methods dealing with general problems of foreign language teaching irrespective of the language taught (whether it is English, German or French).

By special methods we mean a method of teaching of a particular foreign language, i.e. the teaching of a definite foreign language is treated.

The English word “method” has accordingly, two meanings. It expresses (1) the corresponding Russian word, as a way of doing something, and (2) unlike the Russian word, that branch of knowledge and study which deals with ways of teaching.

Methods of teaching English, and its relations to other sciences.

Methods of foreign language teaching and pedagogy

Methods of foreign language teaching is closely related to other sciences such as Pedagogics, psychology, physiology, Linguistics, and some others.