THE ROLE OF GRAMMATICAL COMPETENCE IN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHING

ABSTRACT

This paper determines the role of grammatical competence in a foreign language teaching. Definitions of grammatical competence in various domestic and foreign methodologists’ interpretations are presented. The principles of the grammatical competence developing according to E. I. Passov’s classification are highlighted and analysed. The article considers I. A. Zimnaya’s approach to the grammatical skills developing in the basic secondary school.

Keywords: E. I. Passov, I. A. Zimnaya, foreign language communicative competence, principles of grammatical competence, receptive–analytical exercises, receptive–reproductive exercises, productive exercises.

Introduction:

Federal State Educational Standard states to form and develop foreign language communicative competence. It is stated that it serves both as a necessary component for successful socialization and self-realization, and an instrument of intercultural communication in the modern multicultural world [5].

In turn, domestic and foreign methodologists offer definitions of foreign language communicative competence. These definitions have both similar conceptual provisions and distinguishing aspects. Despite the contradictions, researchers conclude that foreign language communicative competence is a complex consisting of constituent elements [2, c. 162].

Some scholars identify linguistic competence as fundamental in the foreign language communicative competence. Linguistic competence contributes to verbal communication by knowledge about the grammatical structures functioning and lexical units.

Grammatical competence is a key component of foreign language communicative competence. It involves grammatical structures knowledge, their functioning rules in the language and the ability to apply them in a communicative situation.

Theoretical part:

E. Taroun and D. Yule give definition to grammatical competence in their work. According to scholars, grammatical competence is the ability to ‘produce and understand the correct syntactic, lexical and phonological forms in a language’ [8, c. 34].

L. Bachman claims grammatical competence to be a multicomponent competence that includes relatively independent sections of language – vocabulary, morphology, syntax and phonology. These competencies influence the choice of words to express specific meanings, their forms, their organization in statements to express meaning, as well as their physical realizations [6, c. 1990].

From the point of view of I.L. Bim, "grammatical competence is the ability to produce linguistically correct sentences and utterances in unlimited quantities" [1, c. 147].

Thus, the authors define grammatical competence as the presence of knowledge and skills to use the rules and linguistic means of the studied language in its three reflections (at the phonetic, grammatical and lexical levels).

The foreign language communicative competence development has a practical significance that is relevant to teaching foreign languages methodology.

The grammatical competence development principles were highlighted in various scholars’ works. According to E. I. Passov’s classification, the basic principles of the grammatical competence development include:

1. The principle of speech orientation involves the use of speech exercises that best reflect real communication. Speech exercises are aimed at consolidating the acquired theoretical material and externalizing knowledge into oral speech.

2. The principle of functionality determines that any speech unit, any language form performs any speech functions in the process of communication. This means that it is necessary to study all aspects of speech activity simultaneously in the process of communication in the presence of a specific speech task.

3. The principle of situationality assumes that everything said in the lesson somehow concerns the interlocutors — the student and the teacher, the student and the other student, their relationship. On the contrary, descriptions of possible communication situations in a certain place, for example, "in a movie / store", are not situational and cannot motivate the speech utterance of students.

4. The principle of novelty regulates both the selection of the studied material and the form of its assimilation during the lesson. Students should receive new information in each type of speech activity; the teacher, in turn, chooses various forms of educational organization.

5. The principle of collective interaction helps to open up in the study group, build confidence in success and overcome learning difficulties. It helps not only to show the interaction of grammatical phenomena, but also to teach the rules of choosing language units for the needs of linguistic communication, depending on the communicative situation [4].

The purposeful students' grammatical competence development is carried out on the basis of a structured and regularly used set of grammatical exercises and tasks, which determines balanced interaction at all levels.

According to I. A. Zimnaya's research, the grammatical skills development begins with perception, which is based on the recognition of a grammatical phenomenon in a speech situation context. To get acquainted with the grammatical structure, it is customary to use receptive and analytical exercises aimed at analysing the form and function of the grammatical phenomenon being studied. The main types of receptive and analytical exercises at this grammatical material systematization stage include filling in grammatical tables, analysing the textual situation from the perspective of the studied grammatical phenomena functioning in the context. These exercises contribute to the development of both receptive grammatical skills and contribute to the further universal learning skills improvement [3].

The leading exercises at the second stage of grammatical skills development are receptive–reproductive exercises. This group of exercises is aimed at:

1. Grammatical listening skills – the exercises are aimed at recognizing and analysing the grammatical structure audibly, determining its form, meaning and function in the context of a speech situation;

2. Grammatical speaking skills – the use of acquired knowledge about the grammatical structure to construct sentences using it at the level of dialogical and monological units.

At the third stage of grammatical skills development, productive exercises are aimed at using the learned grammatical structure in a simulated situation of real communication. Students can be offered role maps with situations that functionally require the use of the studied grammatical structure; creating a monologue based on the listened text, arguing their own point of view on the issue; participating in a polylogue on the topic of the read text.

Conclusion:

The grammatical competence development is a multicomponent process that includes the grammatical skills and oral grammatical competence development. Bringing theoretical subject knowledge to a practical level contributes to the foreign language communicative competence development among students – the main goal of foreign language education.

After analysing the scientific literature on the topic under study, comparing the definitions of grammatical competence, it is possible to outline the working definition. Grammatical competence is the ability to use foreign language grammatical knowledge, skills and abilities in a communicative, appropriate and situational manner in order to adequately implement one's speech behaviour in a foreign language in the process of communication.

The article presented the principles to develop and improve the grammatical competence, as well as language exercises and communicative tasks that can be used in the educational process.

References:

1. Bim, I. L. Competence–based approach to education and teaching foreign languages. Competences in education: design experience: Sat. scientific Art. / I. L. Bim. – Moscow : INEK, 2007. Pp. 156–163.
2. Elashkina, N. V. Interpretation of the essence of foreign language communicative competence and educational competence by foreign linguodidacticians in methodological science / N. V. Elashkina. // Youth Bulletin of ISTU. 2019. T. 9. №. 2. Pp. 162–165.
3. Zimnyaya, I. A. Psychological aspects of teaching speaking in a foreign language / I. A. Zimnyaya. – Moscow: Education, 1985. – 159 p.
4. Passov, E. I. Fundamentals of communicative methods of teaching foreign language communication. /E. I. Passov. – Moscow: Russian language, 1994. – 275 p.
5. Federal State Educational Standard of basic general education (approved by order of the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia dated December 17, 2010 No. 1897 (as amended on December 11, 2020) [Electronic resource] URL: https://fgos.ru/fgos/fgos–ooo/ (date of the address: 11.11.2023).
6. Bachman, L. Fundamental Considerations in Language Testing / L. Bachman. – Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1990. – 408 p.
7. Hymes, D. On Communicative Competence / D. Hymes, in J. B. Pride and J. Holmes (eds.). – New York : Harmondsworth : Penguin, 1972. Pp. 269–293.
8. Tarone, E., Yule, G. Focus on the language learner / E. Tarone, G. Yule. – Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1989. – Pp. 16–39.