Урок на тему: «The Day of European Languages»

THE DAY OF EUROPEAN LANGUAGES.

ENGLISH AS A MEANS OF INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATION.

Larisa Goidina

Gymnasia "Intellect"

Gorlоvka

Objectives:

Practical aims

• to revise lexis on the topic;

• to improve listening comprehension skills;

• to motivate the pupils in expressing their own opinion and views on the topic;

• to promote discussion based on the text;

Educational aims

• to increase students' active involvement in all areas of language practice;

• to enrich pupils' knowledge about importance and usage of a foreign language;

Developing aims

• to develop pupils' outlook;

• to develop pupils' creative abilities;

• to develop the pupils pair communicative skills;

Upbringing aims

• to develop pupils'proud of their state language;

• to teach pupils to respect other countries' languages, customs, traditions;

• to encourage pupils to study foreign languages.

Equipment:

• DVD;

• a text-book;

• copies for individual work;

• a set of posters;

Procedure

I. Introduction

Teacher: Today we are going to discuss the problem of the importance of studying a foreign language. As you the 26th of September is considered to be a Day of European Languages. Do you think it's a good idea?

Pupil 1: I agree with you completely. Because the importance of foreign languages in the life of society is quite evident. Nowadays we can't do without foreign languages.

Pupil 2 : I am all for it. Besides, I'd like to add that studying of foreign languages was not welcome in the past and moreover there wasn't much applications of it.

Pupil 3: It's really so and I'd like to mention that now the situation has changed greatly thanks to the expansion of all types of ties of our country with other countries in Europe and in the world.

Teacher: Oh, how clever you are! Before we continue our discussion let's do some training exercises.

II. The Main Part of the Lesson.

1. Warming-up.

a) name two words in English with the same pronunciation but different meaning e.g. two write

too right etc.

b) name English, French words which are actively used by the Ukrainians and other nations

e.g. tolerant - толерантний

creative - креативний

region -регіон

monument - монумент

consensus - консенсус etc.

c) think a bit and say what languages the following words come from and what they mean:

a dentist (comes from Latin a means "teeth")

a cutlet (comes from French and means "to cut meat") etc.

Teacher: Thanks, you are perfect.

2. Improving Listening Comprehension Skills.

Teacher:I'd like you to listen to the text. I am sure all words are quite familia to you.

Teacher: Well, share your ideas. Why is English a useful language? Think of at least three reasons.

Pupil 1: I suppose English is useful because people of different nationalities use it to communicate with each other.

Pupil 2: To my mind English is useful because we use it in our job when travel abroad and when we want to understand English films and songs without resort to anybody's help.

Pupil 3: Everybody knows English is the main language in international business, in science and technology, in sport and pop music.

Pupil 4: Well, it's so useful because nearly 70% of the world's scientists read scientific texts in English.

Pupil 5: I can say without hesitation that on the Internet over 60% of home pages and about 85% of emails are in English.

Teacher: Magnificent. You're on target. So, listen to the text again and match 1-7 with a-g and make sentences:

1) English is the first language of

2) There are three hundred and seventy-five million

3) There are three hundred and fifty

4) For thirty-six million Americans

5) Three quarters of a billion people

6) Seventy per cent of the world's scientists

7) About eighty-five per cent of emails

a)different languages in India.

b)learnt English as a foreign language.

c) four hundred and fifty million people.

d)are in English.

e) Spanish is their first language.

f)speakers of English as a second language.

g)can read texts in English.

Teacher: Remarkable job.

III. Focus on communication.

Teacher: You see here is a familiar quotation of Johnson's: " Language is the dress of thought and the knowledge of two or more languages will help us to "dress", that is to say, to word our thoughts better still"

What is your interpretation of this statement?

Pupil 1: My point of view is that a truly learned person should know a foreign language which will enable him to communicate with foreigners, to participate in cultural and educational exchanges with other countries.

Pupil 2: You see, there are too many joint ventures have been and are being set-up of late, and the knowledge of a foreign language will provide you with a chance of dealing with it.

Pupil 3: I think this quotation means that a person who has a good command of a foreign language feels at ease not only in his native country but abroad too, if he finds himself there.

Pupil 4: I suppose the meaning of this statement is the following. The knowledge of any foreign language helps everyone find new friends around the world and learn to get on well with people of different cultural background.

Pupil 5: I'd like to say for me this quotation means that one can't be a learned and well-educated person if he doesn't know at least one foreign language.

Pupil 6: No doubt this statement proves that if you are ambitious and have a strong desire to do well and succeed it's a necessity to master a foreign language.

Teacher:You're unique.

IV. Developing of Dialogical Speech.

Teacher: Of course nowadays we feel the need to study foreign languages because it is the key to the outside world. It tells us about the people's lifestyle, their thoughts and ideas.

Now work in pairs and give each other advice how to improve your language skills and habits. (the pupils make up short dialogues).

e. g:

Pupil 1: I'm afraid my English is not very good.

Pupil 2: Don't be silly it's wonderful. But I think you should work hard at your pronunciation because it's your weak point.

Pupil 1: Well, what can you advise me?

Pupil 2:Well, spend as much time as possible at the lab listening to the DVD, imitating the sounds and intonation of the native speakers.

Pupil 1: That's correct. I see you are making good progress in the language. You speak English very well!

Pupil 2: Oh, no, not really. I have some problems with listening comprehension. What should I do?

Pupil 1: I suggest you to read English books in original and by all means with a dictionary. I'll help you.

Pupil 2: I think that's really the best. I'll follow your advise .

V. Summary of the lesson.

Teacher: So, our lesson is going to be over in a few minutes. You're worked hard today. You've revised the lexis on our topic, you've learnt to give advice. I'm satisfied with your work. You were really classic. All of you got excellent marks.

In conclusion I'd like to remind you a proverb "So many languages you know so many times you are a man".

I wish you to achieve strong results in studying any foreign language.