THE BALANCE BETWEEN LANGUAGE ACQUISION AND LANGUAGE LEARNING IN ELC

Abstract

The article is devoted to the to the actual problem of the balanced use of English language teaching methods, some of which are considered by foreign researchers as close to the natural development of the child's language, and others are viewed as purely educational. Based on the analysis of foreign researches, the authors of the study clarified the concepts of " second language acquisition" and "second language learning", outlined their fundamental difference and importance in the process of studying English. It has been observed that some scholars prefer only methods of second language acquisition that resemble the natural process of a child's native language development. There is another vision of successful foreign language learning, whose proponents believe that when teaching a foreign language one should use both exercises that give an idea of ​​the language, and activities that resemble the natural process of language acquisition, where the first can not be ignored and plays an important role. The article suggests the examples of different approaches to the use of educational material at English language classroom. It is noted that their choice depends on the teacher, his understanding of the real language functioning in the community. T has been suggested, that wide exposure to a second language can be provided by extensive reading and listening, in particular out of ELC. This can be assisted by parents and their involvement to students’ studying. The results of a survey of students on their preferences in mastering the English language and observation of the real situation in the classroom are presented. The paper discusses the debatable nature of the problem and need for its further development is emphasized.