SYSTEM OF EXERCISES AND TASKS FOR FORMING INTERCULTURAL FOREIGN LANGUAGE COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE OF 5-6 GRADES GYMNASIUM STUDENTS IN READING

Abstract

The urgency of the problem is due to the fact that today the intercultural approach is considered the basis of modern foreign language education, and involves students mastering a foreign language and culture of the target language country, as well as the culture of the native country. The object of the study is reading (visual perception) as the most common method of foreign language communication, which students of general secondary education institutions must master in accordance with the requirements of the new State Standard of basic secondary education and the current Curriculum in foreign languages. The system of exercises and tasks developed by the author serves as a means for forming intercultural foreign language communicative competence of students in reading. The characteristic of reading as a receptive type of speech activity is given, and its connection with other types of speech activity is emphasized. The factors influencing the success of mastering a foreign language reading and the most typical difficulties encountered in the process of teaching it are identified. It is argued that the main unit for formation of intercultural foreign language communicative competence of students is an authentic text. The main types of foreign language reading and the features of its teaching are highlighted and characterized. The essence of three stages of work on any text is revealed. To test students’ understanding of authentic texts of different genres and types, a system of exercises and tasks developed by the author is proposed. The recommended exercises and tasks provide for the achievement of general and specific expected learning outcomes of teaching foreign language reading of gymnasium students, as defined in the current Curriculum in foreign languages for grades 5–9 of general secondary education institutions.