СOMPETENCE-BASED TEACHING OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES AT PRIMARY SCHOOL: LINGUAL AND DIDACTIC ASPECTS

Abstract

The article deals with lingual and didactic aspects of competence-based foreign language teaching at primary school. Teaching foreign languages at primary school (1st-4th classes) is examined as the first degree that is correlated with educational spheres of basic and senior schools. The principal aim of teaching foreign languages at primary school is in forming students as subjects of cross-cultural communication through mastering by them foreign communicative competence and development of qualities for secondary language and multicultural personality. The author’s views, outlined in the article, are based on age peculiarities and psycho-physiological characteristics of primary school children as well as current development trends of modern school education. In accordance with their age features the priority is given to reproductive types of educational work that are fulfilling according to sample, by instruction as an approximate basis of activity. However, according to world experience productive types of work are gradually emphasized, which predetermine students to creative thinking and development of independent work. Considerable changes took place in the sphere of school foreign language teaching during the last decades. This stage is characterized by the first active steps of forming students’ capabilities to apply and deepen knowledge, ability and skills in accordance with vital situations. Competence-based approach to teaching foreign languages of primary school students predetermines a special organization of different aspects of educational process. The author of this article examines the phenomenon of foreign communicative competence of primary school students as integrative formation which depends on influence of a special purpose, motivational, cognitive, operative, emotionally-evaluative and reflexive aspects. The detailed description of these aspects in relation to teaching foreign languages to primary school students is described. The author outlines didactic and methodical approaches that can be a basis for the construction of communicative-based foreign languages teaching of primary school children. Thus, the formation of foreign communicative competence to primary school students includes a few types of activity and is provided by acquisition of educational experience in accordance with their age possibilities, interests and necessities.