Didactic functionality of discourse markers in teaching reading in English

Abstract

This article is aimed at considering the potential of such a mechanism of text coherence as discourse markers, which can be used in teaching reading in English. The authors raise the problem of the necessity in finding effective methods for teaching reading in a foreign language to improve students reading literacy. The article is aimed at identifying and describing the linguodidactic technique promoting the development of reading skills in English with the help of discourse units. By applying typologization method supported by the contextual analysis the authors consider discourse markers in English academic articles and make an attempt to develop the extended functional classification of these units. Academic articles written in English were chosen as the material for the first part of the study due to the high-level structure of this genre, in which the mechanisms of cohesion and coherence are widely applied. Then, the authors are trying to involve B. Grabes visual schemes to illustrate discourse markers functional potential. These schemes are supplemented by the a modelling method to create various types of exercises that contribute to the development of reading skills in English with the help of discourse units. The results are characterized by novelty, since up till now discourse markers in teaching a foreign language have been applied for learning activities while the in the present paper the authors offer to consider them as a learning tool, namely a tool for speech skills development. The results obtained can be applied in teaching reading in English in secondary and high school.