THE HISTORY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHING IN RUSSIA IN THE XI-XIX CENTURIES

Khrebtov N.A.

student of Higher School of Social Sciences, Humanities and International Communication,[email protected]

scientific supervisor: Zakharchenko M.V., senior teacher of English Language Department, Higher School of Social Sciences, Humanities and International Communication

In modern conditions, the role of foreign languagesis increasing as the mean of exchanging scientific and cultural information. The study of the history of teaching foreign languages is acute in connection with conflicting views on teaching methods.

The history of teaching foreign languages began in the centuries, when this knowledge was necessary to maintain trade and cultural relations between states. The main languages were Greek (in the Roman era) and Latin (in the Middle Ages). The methodology of teaching Latin had a significant impact on teaching “vivid” European languages [2].

During the period of penetration of Christian ideas, our ancestors began to learn foreign languages in order to perceive church texts andto train their own pastors and spiritual mentors. The first teachers were Greek churchmen. It is known that most of the metropolitans came to Russia from Greece and Byzantium. So the number of schools located in churches and monasteries increased. In addition,the Byzantium influence on formation of Russian national culture. The study of the cultural values of the Byzantines assumed the Greek languageacquisition.

Because of business and diplomatic relation between Russia and other countries, it was foreign languages acquisition for diplomats and merchants in the XVI-XVIII centuries. FurthermoreDutch, Swedish, English, Danish, German, Polish, Persian, Armenian merchants and othermerchants travelled for trade, which had made itpossible to get acquainted with foreign cultures and languages.

These transformations caused the beginning of a new stage in the development of pedagogics and new goals for teaching foreign languagesappeared. At that time, the state faced the problem of great demand onprofessionals fluent in foreign languages in the field of policy, army and navy. It became necessary to have excellent language skills for representatives of nobility and aristocracy.

Foreign Language training was in charge of the Western teachersduring this period. Foreign teachers were invited to teach Sciences and Foreign Languages through direct communication with their Russian students. Young people were sent abroad, where they acquired foreign languages and became attached to the culture.It was precondition for appearing Direct Method a few years later.

In general, education in the secular schools that were opened had the character of acquiring professional knowledge, when language education was given secondary importance [1]. The basis for teaching language was grammar. It was studied mechanically without context. Grammar rules were illustrated with examples. At first the students learntforeign words with its translation, and then constructed separate sentences. The reinforcing of language material was made by translating separate sentences from the native language into a foreign one – Grammar Translation Method. Thus, the process of foreign languages acquisition hada synthetic approach [2].

After the educational reform of Alexander I (1804) for the higher level of education - the gymnasium, the leading role was given to the foreign languagesteaching, as a part offoreign culture through studying of world original literature and art masterpieces. Apart from other educational institutions in the gymnasium students could learn classical (Latin, Greek) and new (French, German) foreign languages.

The teaching methods were constantly improving.Teachers, frustrated by the limits of the Grammar Translation Method, began to experiment with new ways of teaching language.In the gymnasium, teachers did translation tasksusing direct associations between native and foreign languages. In this connection, there were two teaching languages approaches: Grammar Translation (synthetic) and Text-Translation (analytical). The basic premise of the first methodwas teaching a great amount of vocabulary and grammar rules. The premise of the second approach was teaching vocabulary and grammar based on coherent text [1].

Grammar Translationteaching methodsdominated more than two hundred years before the reforms of Alexander II. The training was divided into three stages: 1) acquaintance with the alphabet and phonetic rules, studying the etymology of new words; 2) readingtraining texts 3) exploring scripts, style and eloquence 4) writing exercises on drilling grammar rules and vocabulary. Senior year students were given detailed lectures on history of French, German and English literature. Finally, students studied the history of Foreign Literature and wrote essays [3].

Gradually the social demand on professionals fluent in foreign languages was increasing. The previous teaching methods appeared to be ineffective to respond to these demands. As a result the Grammar Translation Method was replaced by Direct Method in the 80s of XIX century and lasted about forty years. The basic premise of the Direct Method is that students should learn to communicate in the foreign language, partly by learning how to think in that language and by not involving their native language. Theobjective included teaching the students how to use the language spontaneously and orally, linking meaning with foreign language through the use of real situations, pictures or pantomime [4]. Thus, the foreign language methodology was evolving up to the end XX century, when the modern Communicative Approach was applied.

This paper presents a comprehensive overview of teaching foreign language methodshistory (XI-XIX)emphasizing the importance of political reforms and social demands for its development. The findings open us the various avenues for further research into historical background of language education.

REFERENCES

1. Камызина А.В. Основные вехи иноязычной подготовки в отечественном образовании XVIII начала XX вв. / А.В. Камызина // Наука. Инновации. Технологии. – 2007.- № 50.– С.43-47.

2. Knyaz'kovS.A. Ocherk istorii narodnogo obrazovaniy av Rossii do ehpohi reform Aleksandra II. – M.: Pol'za, 1910. – 238 s.

3. Ratner, F. L. Iz istorii prepodavaniya inostrannyh yazykov v uchebnyh zavedeniyah Rossii / F. L. Ratner // Inostrannyeyazykivshkole. - 2004. - N 4. - S. 102 -108.

4. Larsen-Freeman, Dianne. 1986. Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching. NewYork: Oxford University Press.