The formation of metalanguage skills among bilingual elementary schoolers as a linguodidactic strategy of teaching three languages

Abstract

The subject of this research is the method of formation of metalanguage skills among the bilingual elementary schoolers by means of the native (ethnic), Russian and English languages. The object of this research is the process of teaching native (ethnic), Russian and foreign languages in elementary school. Particular attention is given to the examination of prerequisites of formation of metalanguage skills, creation of conceptual grounds and methodology of their formation as a linguodidactic strategy of interconnected teaching of three languages in the conditions of contact bilingualism in the Russian regions. The preliminary survey conducted among the elementary school teachers  and teachers of English language demonstrated that they experience certain difficulties in organization of methodical work on implementation of interconnected teaching of languages. For the purpose of development of scientifically substantiated methodology of formation of metalanguage skills and experimental determination of its effectiveness, a comprehensive research was conducted in the Sakha Republic (Yakutia) and Chuvash Republic, which included surveying teachers and parents, recitation of first graders, written tasks for multilingual and bilingual students of elementary school. The scientific novelty consists in identification of peculiarities of the formation of metalanguage skills among bilingual children, as well as main difficulties associated with learning several languages in elementary school. In accordance with ontolinguistic, psycholinguistic and cognitive approaches, the author develops and substantiates a linguodidactic complex on the interconnected formation of metalanguage skills among bilingual students of elementary schools.