Developing Links of the English Language Study with the Study of the Native Region
статья по английскому языку на тему

Developing Links of the English Language Study with the Study of the Native Region

  The importance of learning the English Language is undeniable. English is spoken as a foreign language by more than 750 million people all over the world. That’s why English is known as Global Communication Language. Well-educated people use it as a language of communication, science, business, tourism, technology, media and the Internet.

The role of the English Language can’t be overestimated nowadays. The Internet has become an integral part of our everyday life.  Every year at the very first lesson (the 2d grade) I ask my students why it is necessary to learn English. The most frequent answer was: “We want to communicate with people from different countries”. It was evident that most of them foresaw the possibility of using the language only in future without connecting it with the real everyday life. But now in addition to that usual answer they say: “English is widely used on the Internet”. And they are quite right. In Wikipedia there are more  articles written in English than in Russian.

Fortunately, students understand this necessity of learning English. Why is it so important for any teacher? I believe that it’s a bit easier for a teacher to motivate students for learning English when students understand the importance of the knowledge given to them.  

We teach English for different varieties of purposes, among which communication takes the first place. Therefore Communicative Language Teaching is a widely spread approach. We develop the communicative abilities of our students providing them with the needed knowledge. Can we prepare our students for communication or even life in a foreign country without giving them information about the history, geography, traditions, beliefs, culture of the country? Of course, not. So in modern textbooks we find a vivid presentation of country-study material. Thus at the end of the course the students can easily tell us a lot about Britain, America, Australia, etc. But what worries most of the teachers is a wide gap in the knowledge of the history, traditions, culture of the native region. Surely it’s impossible to include the information about all the places of our great country. That’s why it’s up to the teacher to include studying of the native place in organization of the classroom activity. If you know nothing about the place you’re living in you’ll be uninteresting interlocutor.

The native region-study must become an essential and integral part of the English Language course because:

1. The information connected with the student’s real life is much more interesting for them. When they can tell about their native place or discuss some acute news in English they fell proud. It is a good possibility for a teacher to develop motivation for learning. Usually students are involved to the preparation of some projects dealing with their native place. They become active themselves and the teacher can only help them and stimulate, encourage.
2. Native region-study is a good way to develop all the four types of language activities: listening, speaking, reading and writing. Thus we reach the aim of realizing the main methodological principle of communicative approach.
3. We arouse the feelings of pride, respect and love to the native place. It’s a great contribution to the upbringing of patriotism and widening the scope.
4. If a student doesn’t know and value the traditions of his own region he won’t respect culture and traditions of other countries. One can become a citizen of his country only if he knows his origin.
5. The experience shows that students become tolerant to the people and culture of foreign countries when they know the local history.

At my lessons I try to introduce different aspects of our country life. We live in Scholochov district of the Rostov Region. There are only 10 km between my school and the place where M.A. Scholochov lived and worked – stanitsa  Veshenskaya. This place is visited by thousands of tourists and it is known all over the world. I want to provide my student with the information about the history of the land of the Don Cossacks, traditions, cuisine, culture. There is an English lesson plan where I want to show how we can develop links of the language study with the native region study.

“What do We Know about Our Native Place?”

Lesson aims:

1. Developing reading, listening and speaking skills (monologue and dialogue spoken language);
2. Developing study skills (note-taking);
3. Promoting interest in the history, culture and traditions of the native place;
4. To bring up such qualities as attentiveness, responsibility, activity.

Interaction (T – teacher, S –student, Ss – students): T – S, Ss – Ss.

Stages

1. Greetings, aims of the lesson.

T: Good morning, students! (Ss answer). I’m glad to see you. Look at the picture, please. What shall we speak today about? Yes, you are right; we’ll talk about our native place. You’ll be able to tell your friends about the history, culture, traditions of st. Veshenskaya. This place is famous all over the world. But do you know the reasons of this fame? (Ss give their answers).

1. Phonetic exercises.

Let’s listen to the words and repeat them to make our pronunciation clear (Here I use “Professor Higgins”). Let’s organize the words in two columns: traditions, exhibitions, festival, regional, landscapes, magnificent, patriotic, spirit, and embankment. – Slide 1.

2. Speaking exercise.

1. Do you feel proud of the places you live in? 2. What places do you like to visit most of all? 3. Why is Veshenskaya so famous? 4. What books by Sholokhov have you read?

2. Working in a group. Developing reading and speaking skills. – Slide 2.

T: What do we know about the history of the Don Land? When was the stanitsa founded? Let’s work together now. You’re given some sentences which you should organize in order. Thus you’ll read the text and find out some interesting facts about the land of Cossacks.

Card

The Don history is the history of our native place, the history of its people called Cossacks. According to the historical documents the first Cossack settlements appeared in the XVI century.

The settlements were usually fenced by double wooden walls; the room between them was filled with earth.

Late in the XVI century separate Cossack groups organized to form the Cossack army called Voysko  Donskoye.

By the end of the XVII century there had appeared Cossack settlements called stanitsas.

The people inhabited wooden dwellings and houses and were headed by the chieftain, or ataman.

The walls were equipped with small cannons ready to defend against the enemies. The settlements were guarded to prevent attacks.  

The life was severe and hard. The Cossacks spend much time in the military marches and raids.

The Cossacks made themselves famous for being fearless of hunger, cold, dirt, beastly weather, hardships.

According to brotherly traditions of the Cossacks they lived, worked and enjoyed themselves together, by the whole community.

They used to go fishing and hunting. Being fierce in raids on the enemy lands the Cossacks were closely related to each other like brothers.

The sentences are given in different cards. The students organize them in order and read the whole text.

T: Now, let’s answer some questions and check what you’ve found out from this text.

1. When did the first Cossack settlements appear?
2. Where did the Cossacks live?
3. How can you describe the life of a Cossack?

3. Project work (checking the prepared monologue speech).

T: So, the Rostov Region is the Land of the Don Cossacks. St. Veshenskaya is situated on the left bank of the Don. It was founded in 1640. At that time it was a small settlement governed by the ataman.there was a sandy square in the centre, a church, a small hospital and a scholl for the children of rich Cossacks. Our stanitsa has changed greately since that time. Let’s go sightseeing! Are you ready to present the projects you’ve prepared? Let’s find out why so many tourists like to visit Veshenskaya. While listening to the classmates make up the list of sights.

S1: The centre of the stanitsa.

Veshenskaya is a picturesque place which attracts a lot of people every year. Here M.A. Sholochov lived, worked and was buried. Many tourists visit his house, the burial place which became a part of the museum complex. The big Christian church is situated in the centre. It was called after Michael the Archangel. People usually attend religious services, celebrations. In the centre there is a monument to Y.A. Gagarin. This famous cosmonaut visited Veshenskaya in 1967. Opposite the church there is our college. Between the church and the college there is a small park with a sportground where children can play and have a rest, listen to music