Most adult Russians, while studying at school, studied as a foreign language including english to spanish translation. The question arises: why don’t most of us know him? Is this to blame for our inability to speak languages, the imperfection of the school curriculum or the lack of professionalism of teachers? Why did the years of studying it at school, and for many also at the university, have given practically no results? We do not understand oral speech, we cannot read and translate what is written or express aloud simple thoughts. It is believed that the inefficiency of the method used in previous years is to a greater extent to blame.
There are two main approaches to learning any foreign language: traditional and communicative. Traditional combines grammar-translation and audiolingual methods.
While studying at school, we experienced the effect of the grammar-translation method, which includes endless exercises in grammar, translations, retelling and memorizing texts, expanding vocabulary with long lists of new words. And, unfortunately, the results of this method, as they say, are obvious.
The audiolingual method is more effective. It was also used in our schools, but, firstly, not in all, and secondly, rather sluggishly. Because it required implementation in language laboratories: listening and reproducing dialogues were supposed to help in learning grammar and pronunciation. Unlike modern schools, well-equipped classrooms were not common.
As it turned out, the language studied in this way does not give us, alas, the possibility of real live communication. Since knowing the English language, owning it means not only being able to “read with a dictionary”, as we write in the questionnaires, but also perceive fluent English by ear, have a sufficient vocabulary, including modern vocabulary, to express fluently and with correct pronunciation your thoughts without experiencing psychological difficulties. All this has become available to modern schoolchildren studying in new programs.
The vast majority of schools and numerous English language courses today use the most effective approach to learning languages - communicative. An approach that is, in fact, a combination of techniques unusual for Soviet and post-Soviet schools, including the development of speaking skills through games, debates, etc., the study of theory and written practice, acquaintance with the culture of English-speaking countries, the basics of regional studies and live situational communication. It allows you not only to learn English, it teaches you how to use this language!
If the traditional approach to learning English has once failed to bring you the results you want, it’s time to rectify the situation. English courses will provide an opportunity not only to restore the basic knowledge in memory (after all, wonderful in our school years), but also simply teach you to listen and understand, read and speak this language. And, believe me, now it’s not superfluous at all!