CLIL technology as a tool for the development of communicative competence in teaching English

CLIL technology as a tool for the development

of communicative competence

in teaching English

Abstract:

This article will consider the issue of developing communicative competence in younger schoolchildren through the use of CLIL technology in English lessons. The basic principles of this method will also be considered. In the process of implementing this method, primary school students are taught in different ways, depending on the age and location of the students.

In order to study the development of communication skills using CLIL technology in students of grades 3-4 of secondary school No. 6 in Temirtau, a pedagogical study was conducted. During the research, such scientific methods as observation, analysis, synthesis, and questioning were used.

Keywords: CLIL technology, communicative competence, pedagogical research, interdisciplinary connections, motivation, culture.

Introduction

The trend of early learning of foreign languages, in particular English, is widespread in society. This is due to the fact that the economic, political and social conditions of human life are changing. And, if earlier knowledge of a foreign language was reduced to mechanical mastery of the material, to the study of grammar, reading and translating texts, performing monotonous exercises after the text, now language learning is becoming more functional. Language becomes an instrument of production. Many successful politicians, scientists, businessmen and other specialists in various professional fields understand the importance of language functionality.

It's no secret that elementary school students have huge opportunities to expand their knowledge of a foreign language. These are various kinds of training programs, animated films, educational videos on the Internet. Children have the opportunity to communicate with their peers online via Skype, read authentic books with poems and stories, listen to audio fairy tales, communicate in a natural environment when traveling abroad. All these factors translate the child's passive knowledge into active ones, which serves to introduce the child to a foreign language culture from an early age.

The trend of modern methods of teaching a foreign language is that of the four main aspects of the language (reading, writing, listening and speaking), great attention is paid to the last two, that is, communicative competence becomes predominant.

The result of studying the experience of Russian and foreign scientists, such as Vereshchagin E.M., Vygotsky L.S., Negnevitskaya E.I., G.Puchta, D. Johnstone, P.Kuhl, etc., is the conclusion that "... a foreign language, studied from early childhood, allows you to reveal language abilities: two pictures of the world are formed, a child he learns to compare two languages, as a result of which thinking becomes multilevel, because the child abstracts from a particular language; getting acquainted with a different culture, the child learns to be tolerant, conversational abilities develop."

When learning English, students show such abilities as the ability to answer a question, express their point of view, refute someone else's opinion, agree with the opinion of the interlocutor and use other people's replicas as a building material for their speech.

These conversational abilities, in turn, are transferred from the skills of the second language to the area of the skills of the first.

Methodology

In our opinion, one of the interesting approaches to learning English is CLIL (Content and Language Intergrated Learning) or subject-language language learning.

This approach is a method of teaching some subjects in English. According to the CLIL method, English can be used in all academic subjects, that is, it becomes not an object of learning, but its means.

When determining the basic principles of this method in European countries, five aspects are distinguished:

1. Cultural aspect

▪ Study and understanding of the culture of other countries

▪ Development of intercultural communication skills

▪ Study of the characteristics of neighboring countries, regions and national minorities

▪ Enhanced understanding of cultural relationships

2. Social aspect

▪ Preparation for internationalization, especially within the framework of European integration

▪ The opportunity to pass the exam for obtaining an international certificate

▪ Improving the educational level within the school curriculum

3. Language aspect

▪ Improving the overall level of language competence

▪ Development of communication skills

▪ In-depth understanding of both native and foreign languages

Development of an interested attitude towards both native and foreign

language

▪ The use of a foreign language for applied purposes

4. Subject aspect

▪ The possibility of versatile study of the subject

▪ Access to special subject terminology through a foreign language

▪ Preparation for further training or for work

5. The learning aspect

▪ The possibility of using different training strategies

▪ Using different methods and forms of classroom work

▪ Increasing the motivation of students

The author of this methodological approach is David Marsh, who in the article "The relevance and potential of content and language integrated learning (CLIL) for achieving MT+2 in Europe" gives it the following definition: "Subject-language integrated learning refers to any educational context focused on two subjects in which an additional language, that is not the main language, in which the entire course of study is conducted, is used as a means of teaching a non-linguistic subject.” According to the author, this principle allows teaching in two subjects at the same time, although the main attention can be paid to either a language or a non-linguistic subject.

The implementation of this method is carried out in different ways, depending on the age and location of the students. Usually classes are conducted by foreign language teachers or subject teachers.

The idea of using the principle of subject-language integrated learning arose as a result of increased requirements for the level of proficiency in a foreign language with

limited time allocated for its study. Teachers in almost all countries face this problem.

When introducing tasks using the CLIL methodology into textbooks for younger schoolchildren, four "C" of this approach were taken into account:

• Content.

Within the framework of the taught subject, there is a process of mastering knowledge, as well as skills and abilities. The CLIL method makes it possible to develop interdisciplinary connections. For example, students study individual facts from history, geography, natural science, literature within the same topic.

• Communication.

Schoolchildren learn to use the means of a foreign language to gain knowledge. In this context, language is not an end in itself, but a tool for communication. Here there is a reduction in the teacher's speech and an increase in the students' speech. With the help of a teacher and classmates, the student practices using a foreign language. In order to use language as a means of communication, the teacher engages students to express ideas, opinions, goals. When children begin to take part in discussions, speech activity is stimulated, motivation for the subject increases, and speech experience is actualized.

• Cognition.

In the process of mastering a language, there is undoubtedly a development of thinking. The involvement of students in the active process of cognition of the essence of the studied phenomena creates conditions for the realization of personal orientations. Tasks to achieve this goal contain such techniques as: identifying the main thing, comparison, analytical reading or writing, guessing, finding connections.

• Culture.

An important component of the CLIL methodology is cultural knowledge aimed at understanding one's own and foreign-language culture, forming a positive attitude towards other cultures.

Research results

The main attention is focused both on the content of the texts and on the necessary subject terminology. When integrating a language into the curriculum, there is a need to immerse yourself in the language environment in order to participate in the discussion of thematic material. At the same time, motivation to use the language in the context of the topic under study increases significantly.

At this stage of learning English, close attention is focused on reading literacy. Reading literacy is part of the functional literacy of students. In this case, we are talking about a person's ability to understand and use written texts, reflect on them in order to achieve their goals; expand their knowledge and capabilities, participate in social life.

Tasks are developed according to the level of complexity, with an emphasis on the subject content, its understanding, verification and subsequent discussion. Lexical and grammatical structures are introduced for all types of speech activity (reading, speaking, writing and listening). The students' attention is focused on the lexical material, on the content of the text, and then on the grammatical material at various stages of working with the text.

At the while- and post-reading stages, you can include a sufficient number of independent and creative tasks, such as: describe, compare, contrast, ask a question, express your point of view, create and present a presentation.

Therefore, special requirements are imposed on the selection of educational material and the development of tasks for it:

- all tasks for working with the text should be built with a bias on the subject content;

- involvement of students in the process of understanding, checking, discussing the main idea of the text.

Improvements in students' mastery of all types of speech activity by the end of the school year can be seen from the following diagram:

Naturally, it is quite difficult to build the study of all subjects in English in a secondary school. However, elements of the CLIL methodology are successfully implemented in the lesson stages. So, for example, the English language textbooks “Smiles 3”, “Smiles 4”-Jenny Dooley-Express Publishing-Kazakhstan 2019- for elementary school students contain in each section of the 9 proposed, 3 lessons based on the use of this technology.

CLIL assignments are designed to expand students' knowledge in subjects such as literature, natural science, geography, and history. Close interdisciplinary ties are traced. Based on which,

together with colleagues from elementary school, we have developed integrated lessons:

1. 3rd grade "The great scientists". (integration of Kazakh, Russian, English);

2. 3rd grade "Home and wild animals" (English, mathematics);

3. 3rd grade "Safety around the house" (English, science);

4. 4th grade "Aesop fables" (a series of lessons based on the study of Aesop's fables. Integration of English with literature, history).

5. 4th grade "Dragons and creatures" (English and natural science).

Students apply their previously acquired knowledge in other subjects, impose information on a foreign language, consolidate language structures. Although the information is of a scientific nature, students perceive the material quite easily and with interest, since the age and psychological characteristics of students were taken into account when selecting the material. The material is colorful and clear. CLIL technology helps to realize oneself as a part of the big world, to understand to a small person how diverse and interesting the world is. At the end of the lessons with the use of this technology, there is a need to reflect the knowledge gained in the form of a drawing, diagram, table, mini-project.

We believe that the role of the teacher is most important here, as it is necessary to evaluate the knowledge of students, as well as to conduct reflection and give feedback to each student. But when conducting integrated lessons, a question arose about the assessment of students. After all, it was necessary to evaluate the knowledge of a non-linguistic subject (mathematics, natural science, history), as well as mastering the skills of speech activity. After long discussions with colleagues, it was decided that each teacher sets his own grade, then the results are discussed and the average score is set. We think that the issue of assessment will still be finalized at the level of educational standards and in the conceptual provisions of the criterion assessment system in schools in Kazakhstan.

One of the most important aspects of CLIL technology, in addition to the development of communicative competence, is the education of culture. These include: cultural awareness of ourselves, as well as the study and understanding of other cultures. In the modern world, communication with representatives of other countries is not uncommon. People from another country have a different language, mentality, traditions, that is, in general, a different culture. It is important to realize that a foreigner has his own cultural values for a successful and conflict-free intercultural dialogue.

In today's globalized world, intercultural competence is very important. This is what the CLIL technology allows us to develop. And also through CLIL, students develop the ability to see and manage relationships with their culture, values, behavior, as well as predict the meaning of concepts from a foreign language and correlate them with concepts from their native language. The main task of CLIL is to explore and uncover the possibilities of intercultural communication, as well as to introduce students to the diversity of cultures. The integration of culture into the curriculum is mandatory in a multicultural world.

According to T. A. Laletina: "The CLIL methodology allows solving a wide range of educational tasks. Learning a foreign language and a non-linguistic subject at the same time is an additional means to achieve educational goals and has positive aspects both for learning a foreign language and a non-linguistic subject. In addition, it should be noted the social psychological and economic aspects of this method, which correspond to the political goals of the world community."

List of used literature

1. Laletina T.A. "AN INTEGRATED APPROACH AND THE USE OF SUBJECT-LANGUAGE INTEGRATION IN TEACHING A FOREIGN LANGUAGE."

2. E.S. Yurasova, E.A. Gorbacheva "CLIL technology in English lessons".

3. Marsh, D. 2002. Content and Language Integrated Learning: The European Dimention – Actions, Trends and Foresight Potential.

4. Functional literacy. Learning for life. Edited by G.S. Kovaleva, 2020.

5. Voronina, K. V. Formation of functional literacy in English lessons / K. V. Voronina. —Text: direct // Young scientist. 2020. —No. 5 (295). —pp. 305-306. —URL: https://moluch.ru/archive/295/67066/

6. Oschepkova T.V., Prolygina M.M., Starkova D.A. Methods of teaching various types of reading // Inostr.languages at school. 2005. No. 3. p. 14