On teaching German as a second foreign language

Volume 3, Number 2, 2018, P. 81–85

[ PEDAGOGICAL SCIENCES ]

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Abstract:

The article discusses the issues of teaching students of non-linguistic fields of study to the German language as the second foreign language after learning English. It emphasizes that currently the knowledge of only one foreign language is insufficient. The second foreign language is considered as a mandatory component of the modern educational portfolio, including in Russia. Special attention is paid to phonetic, grammatical and lexical similarities caused by the linguistic proximity of English and German that makes the combination «English plus German» attractive for study. The article provides the examples of the lexical, grammatical and cultural similarities of the two languages. The author underlines that the importance of the German language formerly the most widespread foreign language in Russia, is still high due to the special historical and modern ties between Russia and Germany. The study of one foreign language optimizes the study of the second anguage and forms a positive attitude towards the study of languages and multilingualism in general. Particular attention is focused on the fact that the study of two or more foreign languages is becoming increasingly important in the system of training students of non-linguistic fields of study. That is a part of a forward-looking approach and perspectives for the future. The arguments presented in the article allow for the conclusion that study of German as a second foreign language after English has a number of advantages for Russian-speaking students.

Keywords:

English, German, a second foreign language, linguistic similarity, educational case

Author:

Yuliya O. Sinyova, a Senior Lecturer of Department of Foreign Languages for Technical Specielities no. 2 of Institute of Linguistics and Intercultural Communication, Irkutsk National Research Technical University, Irkutsk, Russia

For citation:

Sinyova Y.O. On teaching German as a second foreign language. Social Competence, 2018, vol. 3, no 2, pp. 81–85. (In Russian).

References:

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