Abstract
The problem of developing grammatical competence of pre-service philologists, teachers, interpreters, and translators while learning German after English is quite urgent nowadays as it is a typical second foreign language after English. The reasons for students’ unacceptable level of German are examined by analyzing the results of the survey of 437 students and 37 academics from nine Ukrainian universities and singling out the five groups of factors. The study is based on the following research methods: critical analysis of local and foreign scientific works; generalizing the teaching experience of German as a foreign language after English, scientific observation of teaching process; analysis of local and authentic programs and courses/textbooks, and survey of students and academics. This research reveals the main problems of teaching German as a second foreign language: the insufficient amount of modern local methodological research projects for higher education; improper methodological, psychological, and pedagogical preparation of teachers; lack of teaching and learning materials; low level of students’ learning autonomy, language, and metalinguistic awareness, and motivation. The aim of the article is to study the possibilities and ways of solving the given problems. The main aspects of interaction and mutual influence between the two foreign languages and native language are considered. The solutions for the singled out problems of teaching and learning German after English are suggested. The article presents and justifies the hierarchy of teaching principles: general methodological principles of teaching any foreign language, special principles of teaching second foreign languages, and particular principles of German grammatical competence development. The study offers the means for applying the last group of principles into practice.
Highlights
German is a second foreign language (FL2) in European context and is a typical FL2 after English in Ukrainian educational institutions, which makes the problem of the methodology of teaching and learning German as a second foreign language (GFL2) quite urgent.Exam results show that the students’ command of GFL2 is insufficient
The system of GFLaE teacher preparation hardly exists, the accumulated experience is not taken into account, and a new generation of academics either has not studied the mentioned above methodology or work relying on their own learning experience
Bilingual preparation of teachers in both foreign languages and cultures is an essential condition and requirement for successful FL2 teaching, which is not fulfilled by 18.9% of the respondents
Summary
German is a second foreign language (FL2) in European context and is a typical FL2 after English in Ukrainian educational institutions, which makes the problem of the methodology of teaching and learning German as a second foreign language (GFL2) quite urgent.Exam results show that the students’ command of GFL2 is insufficient. Out of 85 Master’s Degree students of Kyiv National Linguistic University who passed the state exams in 2017 – 2019 only 18.8 % got “excellent” (“А” in ECTS), 36.5 % – “good” (14.1% “В” + 22.4% “С”) and 44.7% – “satisfactory” (18.8% “D” + 25.9% “Е”). Such low command of GFL2 depends on at least five groups of factors: а) scientific research; b) preparation of teachers; c) teaching materials; d) students; e) GFL2 itself. Scientific observation, interviews with academics, and the results of the survey show the predominance of the methods typical for teaching FL1, neglecting the regularities of interaction and mutual influence of three languages (native language (NL), FL1 and FL2)
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