THEMATIC REPRESENTATION OF EDUCATIONAL CONTENT IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE SYLLABUS FOR SCHOOLS OF UKRAINE: LOGICAL AND STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS (1991 — 2019)

Abstract

Theme based approach is a way of teaching and learning, whereby many areas of the curriculum are connected together and integrated within a theme. This approach is based on human brain capability to compartmentalize and structure the surrounding material and non-material world into cognitive units, making educational process easier and more efficient. Despite this fact, in recent times the approach has been considered flawed by some theorists. Nevertheless, thematic units remain mainstream among educators. They remain the core of school curriculum and syllabi. The objective of this research is to outline key transformations in representing thematic information in school foreign language syllabi in the period of 1990s — 2nd decade of 20th century for Ukrainian schools. According to the obtained data it is possible to conclude that themes are not a standalone or independent concept of school curriculum and syllabi. Instead, well-organized syllabus indicates the scope of skills or competences which are to be developed within a particular theme. Over the last three decades school syllabi for foreign languages has undergone several overhauls: each time the description of themes as well as students’ academic achievements in each of them became more detailed. The first decade of the 20th century saw the change of emphasis to communicative situations and promoting student’s sociocultural awareness whereas the second decade was marked by the rise of competence approach and increased importance of axiological dimensions in foreign language learning. Thus, theme based approach still prevails in representing the content of learning through syllabus, although the main sphere of changes takes place in describing expected outcomes of educational process. Currently the following terms and notions are used to describe themes and related outcomes of educational process: ‘spheres of communication’, ‘cross-cutting line’, ‘competences’, ‘skills’ and ‘values’.