AGE FEATURES OF STUDENTS IN 5-6TH GRADES AND THEIR IMPACT ON SELECTING CONTENT OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHING

Abstract

The article analyzes age characteristics of students in grades 5-6 in order to outline optimal approaches and strategies for teachers and authors of didactic materials to appropriately select content of foreign language learning. It is stated that one of the key priorities for grade 5 should be systematization and generalization of knowledge and skills acquired by students in primary school. At the same time, foreign language experience gained in primary school and restructuring of students’ motivational component allow to significantly expand the content of foreign language learning in terms of topics and problems relevant to students’ personal interests. It is noted that development of abstract thinking, ability to systematize and analyze allow students not only to master the linguistic and speech material, but also to form effective strategies for learning, which in the future will be the basis for independent acquisition of knowledge and skills. Furthermore, the author draws attention to the fact that social networks, which have become a popular platform for adolescents to communicate and receive information content, significantly affect the perception of information through forming so called ‘clip thinking’. The article provides recommendations for organizing the learning process in order to overcome the negative consequences of clip thinking, i.e. involve students in reading texts with complete comprehension of plot and problem, motivate students to write own texts and discuss various topics. At the same time, considering the fact that ‘clip format’ of presenting information remains an objective phenomenon, the author proposes to integrate it into the process of language learning.