СТРУКТУРА ТА ЗМІСТ ЗДІБНОСТЕЙ ДО ВИВЧЕННЯ ІНОЗЕМНИХ МОВ

Abstract

This study aims to explore the foreign language (FL) aptitude components as one of the crucial factors of successful language learning. Having conducted the research, the following results and conclusions have been drawn. FL aptitude is defined as individual psychological characteristics which determine and predict the dynamics of mastering FL, that is the rate, speed and progress of learning. The components of FL aptitude include language abilities (phonetic, lexical, grammatical and stylistic abilities), speech abilities (abilities to listening, speaking, reading and writing), communicative abilities, the sense of language, thinking in a foreign language, linguistic creativity, motivation. The sense of language and thinking in a foreign language is considered to be the central abilities in FL aptitude. The structure of FL aptitude forms an integral unity, since it is characterized by the interdependence and interaction of all its components. Moreover, it is closely related to general intelligence. Therefore, it is possible to single out auditory and cognitive abilities which are common for all above mentioned abilities and play a key role in determining the level of their development. These abilities involve auditory differential sensitivity (phonemic awareness and intonation hearing), memory (iconic, echoic, motor, working, short-term, long-term, verbal and the ability of involuntary remembering), verbal thinking and inductive reasoning, cognitive processing speed (the rate of speech, the rate of associative processes and the rate of processing new information). According to the level of FL aptitude development there are three styles of FL learning: communicative, cognitive and mixed. The difference between these three styles lies in the fact that the first style refers to language acquisition and the second and the third styles refer to language learning. Consequently, the direct (natural) methods of FL learning are more appropriate for the representatives of the cognitive style and the indirect methods or the combination of the direct and indirect methods is more beneficial for the representatives of the cognitive and mixed styles. Taking into account the results of our research, we suppose it is expedient to run the tests for revealing and measuring FL aptitude which is normally difficult to observe. It allows the educators to detect the factors which make it difficult for students to learn FL and to find the effective ways to eliminate or relieve them.