Theoretical problems of foreign language studying

THE reinstatement and/or strengthening of the for eign language component of the undergraduate cur riculum offers an exciting challenge to foreign lan guage faculty.1 Awareness of the findings of the President's Commission on Foreign Language and International Study, as well as growing concern over students' literacy levels, may encourage building a program in language and literature or even restoring a foreign language requirement in many institu tions. While administrators, colleagues, and perhaps students and their parents will all be involved in deliberating these issues, we, as the faculty, bear a special responsibility for leadership. Our leadership will benefit from our preparedness to meet the questions and concerns of these con stituencies. Clearly each institution has its own needs, and each foreign language department will develop its own method of reassessing the role of foreign language and literature study. The strategies suggested below are designed to support the process of strengthening the foreign language program, whether or not language requirements are at issue. The process includes gathering information, es tablishing a rationale, clarifying needs, developing resources, and sometimes changing institutional pol icy. The order of the suggestions below does not suggest a fixed modus operandi. In some situa tions, for instance where there are only two foreign language teachers, securing outside help in the form of a consultant might precede collection of relevant data on foreign language study in the college. In other circumstances, when student enrollment and faculty staffing patterns permit, a department chair man might offer a faculty team released time to develop the statistics, bibliography, and other rele vant data needed to support the reassessment pro cess. Where nearby institutions have particularly successful foreign language programs, a college con sidering reinstatement of foreign language require ments might regard visits to these departments as a sensible first step in reassessment. Each department should develop its own plan. The logic of steps within this plan will, of course, be determined by internal departmental and institutional factors.

This monograph presents in detail the genesis, design, and implementation of a full‐scale curricular innovation in a U.S. university German foreign language studies program, with a primary focus on writing development. Its goal is to demonstrate and articulate how college educators, from typically diverse scholarly persuasions, might conjointly craft a much‐needed response to calls for change in tertiary foreign language and cultural studies departments. After sketching the contemporary landscape of and challenges in collegiate foreign language studies, it theorizes an approach to educational design that is at once theoretically grounded in genre‐based literacy development, legitimately responsive to both literary‐cultural and language developmental values of faculty, and practically focused on student achievement of very advanced learning outcomes. Turning from ideation to application, the monograph then reports extensively on the actual curricular scope and sequence, genre‐based pedagogies, and associated assessment practices that were developed and implemented in a four‐year undergraduate German program. The emphasis throughout the monograph is on explaining why and how decisions were made while also demonstrating the outcomes of these decisions in the form of practicable educational efforts and products. It closes by arguing the need for additional inquiry‐driven program innovation of the sort reported here, if the value of college foreign language studies is to be enhanced, perpetuated, and, fundamentally, realized.

Teachers of foreign languages in the United States have a number of obstacles to overcome, the most massive being, perhaps, the fact that ours is a one-language-oriented society. That language, of course, happens to be English. While it is true that to know an elegant language such as French was at one time considered to be aesthetic, nice, or a status symbol, the study of that language was never truly widespread; and neither was the study of any other foreign language. On the other hand, people in other lands have a broader outlook on this form of communication. European countries, for instance, perhaps due in part to geographical circumstances, have always been multi-language oriented. Asian countries such as India and Pakistan, due to their long subjugation to the British Empire, were (and are) to a great extent, bilingual.China, under a communist regime, has included the teaching of English in the curriculum, but the study of the language was introduced into the country along with our large trading interests and many missions long before the communist take over. Reports on President Nixon's trip to Russia have disclosed that in Russian schools the teaching of English as a second language is begun at the second grade of elementary school. In Latin American countries the study of English is fairly general; and in Mexico, our closest neighbor to the South, the presence of American tourists boosting the national economy has also encouraged its study. Instructors of foreign languages in the United States have to fight, then, the indifference towards other languages that is so deeply embeded in our culture. Nevertheless, Spanish, French, German, Latin, Italian, and Russian are taught in many high schools, colleges, and universities. At the high school level, the study of a foreign language is sometimes encouraged, but more

What happened to the study of German in 1917-18 may happen again in 1939-40 to German and to other foreign languages. Foreign language teachers must divorce the study of modern foreign languages, literatures, and cultures from politics. As teachers, good sense suggests self-imposed limitations upon the freedom of speech and action to which we are unquestionably entitled as citizens. The study of foreign languages should stress the things that bind men together, not those that divide them.)

In the contemporary dynamic educational landscape, the development of critical thinking skills has become extremely important and is now widely recognized as a foundational objective across virtually all academic disciplines. It extends significantly to foreign language study, which was traditionally focused on linguistic accuracy and communicative competence. The article provides a research of the relationship between critical thinking and foreign language acquisition, stating that these two cognitive and educational domains are not merely complementary but are, in fact, profoundly reinforcing. The research examines the cognitive processes that engage with a foreign language and demonstrates how they foster analytical, problem-solving, and evaluative competences within the learner. It also illustrates how applying of a critical mindset enhances both the depth and effectiveness of language learning, examining pedagogical approaches and methodologies that can be integrated into foreign language curricula. These approaches are designed to actively stimulate and develop critical thinking skills through targeted activities and strategic instructional design, moving beyond rote memorization to genuine intellectual engagement. The methodology employed for the article is based on a literature review and a conceptual analysis that involves a clear conceptual delineation of critical thinking and foreign language study, as well as an exploration of theoretical frameworks that link cognitive development with linguistic acquisition. Furthermore, the methodology focuses on identifying instances of mutual reinforcement, investigating how learning a foreign language stimulates critical thinking and, conversely, how critical thinking can be strategically applied by learners to optimize their language acquisition strategies. The article also highlights the substantial academic and practical benefits of fostering critical thinking in foreign language learners that are far beyond primary linguistic competence and encompass broader cognitive, metacognitive, and intercultural capabilities. The main research findings reveal a relationship where critical thinking is both an outcome of and an enhancer for foreign language learning, which naturally fosters metacognitive awareness, problem-solving and inference skills, cross-cultural comparison and perspective-taking, and critical evaluation of information and sources. At the same time, a critical mindset significantly improves language acquisition through strategic learning, deeper linguistic processing, effective error analysis and self-correction, enhanced reading and listening comprehension, and improved productive skills. Pedagogically, integrating critical thinking requires a shift to tasks demanding analysis, synthesis, and evaluation, such as problem-based learning, debates, authentic material analysis, and comparative tasks. The conclusions emphasize that cultivating critical thinking in foreign language learners transcends the traditional objective of achieving linguistic proficiency, instead equipping learners with essential cognitive tools that empower them to make more informed and reasoned decisions, engage in more profound and empathetic intercultural communication, and critically understand diverse perspectives.

The development of international ties and the internationalization of all spheres of life have greatly increased people's desire to study foreign languages as well as a need for people who speak them. This is the second time this kind of interest has emerged in the postrevolutionary history of our country. The first time it happened was in the second half of the 1920s, when the people's commissariats of education of the RSFSR [Russian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic] and the Ukrainian SSR [Soviet Socialist Republic], the Academy of Sciences, and the Central Committee of the Komsomol all issued this nationwide appeal: "Learn Foreign Languages." In the decree of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party (Bolshevik) of 1929, "On Organizing the Study of Foreign Languages by the Party Activists," the study of foreign languages—by correspondence as well as other methods—was stated to be a party duty assignment (see Izvestiia VTsIK, Moscow, 1929, no. 1). In the early 1930s, foreign languages were made a regular subject and there were even attempts to introduce language instruction in the third and fourth grades.

The purpose of the article is to analyze informal additional foreign language learning practices used by high school seniors in the context of modernization of school foreign language education, primarily expressed in optimizing the requirements for the formation of a multilingual component and the loss of the status of a compulsory subject in a second foreign language. The research strategy involves a comparative analysis between two reference points: 2020 and 2024, using data from official statistics, such as the Federal State Statistics Service (Rosstat) and specifically conducted sociological research by the MSLU sociological laboratory in cooperation with the NAFI research company among students of grades 8-11 in the Moscow region and other regions of the Russian Federation. Additionally, the study focuses on the informal (extracurricular) learning practices of seniors for foreign languages. The obtained results indicate an increase in the proportion of English language learners with a simultaneous loss of the role and importance of the traditional German and French languages for Russian foreign language education, as well as a reduction in the study of other foreign languages. The ongoing public discussions about the reorientation of the foreign component of school education in accordance with the new geopolitical situation to the languages of Asia and Africa do not have any real opportunities for their implementation due to the lack of staff and logistical support. At the same time, the maintenance of the elite segment of foreign language education in the form of specialized educational institutions with in-depth study of foreign languages is fixed, which does not eliminate, but rather perpetuates the gap in unequal access to opportunities for obtaining foreign language competencies and career opportunities. Additional (extracurricular) foreign language classes, including paid ones, continue to be in demand among seniors. The degree of involvement of schoolchildren in additional educational practices is determined by regional, settlement and professionally oriented factors.

State policies that impinge upon the study of foreign languages have been largely the domain of educational agencies. These policies frequently respond to events with little thought to necessary supportive relationships. Thus we now see a spate of mandates for programs in elementary schools with no policy for the preparation of teachers for those grades. We see rationales built upon global competition and a response of two years of study for less than an hour a day. In addition, foreign language planning is often the indirect result of larger, more general policies. In recent years, foreign language study has been mandated as part of policies aimed at higher college admission standards, for desegregation purposes, or for international development. None of these address the realistic potential or the value foreign language study might contribute.

Abstract: The purpose of this article is fourfold: first, to report on a university-wide survey assessing demand among bilingual undergraduates for foreign language study in a management university in Singapore; second, to determine those factors influencing students' foreign language choice and also those influencing decisions not to pursue foreign language study; third, to discuss how the results contribute to curricular planning for foreign language provision; and fourth, to provide readers with a non-U.S. or European perspective on the issues of foreign language learning interest and choice. Using an online survey, results from 708 respondents indicated that, although already bilingual, an overwhelming majority demanded more opportunities for foreign language study, particularly for Japanese, French, and Spanish. Students' primary motivations were a desire to learn about the target culture and enhance employment marketability.

Success or failure in foreign language study is often attributed to the learner's aptitude for foreign language learning. As generally defined and measured, however, aptitude is not a valid predictor of achievement. Motivation, which influences aptitude, has also been examined. Factors affecting motivation include the learner's attitude toward the language to be learned and the people who speak it. Responsibility for achievement, or the lack of it, in second language learning has been placed on the learner. This one‐sided approach is, however, being corrected, as recent studies report the influence of teacher attitude on pupil achievement. How the teacher and learner perceive and react to each other must be recognized as a major determinant for successful second language study. In the classrooms of our pluralistic society, cultural differences may be as varied as those being presented with the foreign language. Preparation of future language teachers should include a program which will sensitize them to teacher‐learner human relations.

The article analyzes the issue of the formation of foreign language communicative competence among students of higher education in non-linguistic specialties. The author considers the experience of learning a foreign language for specific purposes by veterinary students. The educational discipline “Foreign Language for Specific Purposes” has its own specifics of teaching. Since its priority task is the training of specialists with a high professional level, able to work in a foreign language environment. The problem of learning a foreign language by students of higher education for various professional fields is of interest to many scientists, methodologists and teachers. The purpose of this work is to study the problem of the formation of foreign language communicative competence as a necessary component of the professional development of students of the “Veterinary Medicine” specialty. Within the framework of the study, the concepts of “communicative competence”, “foreign language communicative competence”, “method” are considered. The main attention is paid to the analysis of effective methods in the study of foreign languages by veterinary students. These are a mind map, a play role, a project method. A mind map is a relatively new technology for the formation of foreign language competence, a method of convenient recording and systematization of information. A play role is defined as a way of simulating a situation with simulation of professional activity by playing according to previously announced rules. The project method provides a combination of theoretical knowledge and their practical implementation, it is the act of making a creative product, a special type of intellectual activity aimed at practical research. The development of students’ professional foreign language competence is a priority direction of the learning process at non-language faculties, which requires the development of an effective method of teaching a foreign language in higher education institutions.

The ability to think critically is considered an important component of a college education, and postsecondary institutions typically include critical thinking in student learning outcomes, particularly in the general education curriculum. Foreign language has traditionally been a staple discipline in general education. However, college foreign language instruction has not consistently integrated critical thinking in its approach to teaching and learning. Explicit teaching of critical-thinking skills in foreign language courses would strengthen higher-order thinking skills while enhancing language and cultural proficiency. This article (1) offers a definition of critical thinking that can be applied to foreign language and culture study, (2) outlines the role of critical thinking in postsecondary education, (3) discusses the various components that build communicative competence in a foreign language and culture, (4) describes the benefits of critical thinking to foreign language learners, and (5) suggests future research directions for integrating critical thinking into the foreign language curriculum.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is being introduced into various aspects of our daily activities, including education. The study of foreign languages, as part of the educational system, is also influenced by new developing technologies. Researchers believe that artificial intelligence contributes to the displacement of traditional teaching methods and changes in the role of the teacher. This phenomenon is sure to be an achievement and progress. However, practical experience in teaching a foreign language at a nonlinguistic university shows the opposite: the use of artificial intelligence technologies by students does not speed up the process of teaching and learning a foreign language, but, on the contrary, complicates and slows it down. The aim of the study is to analyze the use of AI in linguistic education in a non-linguistic university, to identify the reasons for the lack of its effective educational impact, and to propose solutions. To achieve the stated goal, the work uses a comprehensive research methodology combining theoretical approaches, including analysis of literature on the topic of the study, generalization and classification, as well as empirical methods, implying the study of local pedagogical experience, questionnaires, and statistical analysis. The study demonstrates that non-educational use of AI breaks the unity of educational process composed of teaching and learning. Artificial intelligence in teaching foreign languages helps the teacher make the educational process highly differentiated and individualized. It is a valuable tool that makes the educational process more efficient and energy-saving. However, in learning foreign languages from the student's position, devoid of a motivating component, the artificial intelligence used non-educationally have no learning effect and does not allow students to fully assimilate and process the educational material. The author suggests ways to overcome this situation.

The article discusses the features of intensive learning of foreign languages. The study of foreign languages in modern society has become an inseparable component of the training of specialists at all levels. The article takes a brief overview of the private teaching methods of students' foreign language communicative competence. Teaching foreign languages at intensive courses in language centers has its own specifics, which is different from studying at school and university. There are many intensive methods and concepts of teaching foreign languages. The external form as well as the means of implementing the intensive training system is the conscious and purposeful management of the process of communication in the study group by the teacher. A prerequisite for the effective course of this process is to increase the activity and creative role of the teacher, maximum mobilization.

The aim of this study was to assess if a correlation exists between language learning skills and musical aptitude through the analysis of scholarly outcomes concerning the study of foreign languages and music. We enrolled 502 students from a secondary Italian school (10-14 years old), attending both traditional courses (2 hours/week of music classes scheduled) and special courses (six hours). For statistical analysis, we considered grades in English, French and Music. Our results showed a significant correlation between grades in the two foreign languages and in music, both in the traditional courses and in special courses, and better results in French than for special courses. These results are discussed and interpreted through the literature about neuroanatomical and physiological mechanisms of foreign language learning and music perception.