New Perspectives in Science Education

Edition 13

Accepted Abstracts

Teaching Foreign Language Communication through Scientific Texts

Alsu Makhmutova, Kazan Federal University (Russian Federation)

Abstract

Nowadays foreign language communication of rising scientists is limited to development of speaking skills and readiness to converse with foreign colleagues. However, scientific communication is featured by duality: it is both face-to-face conversation involving various forms of scientific speech from friendly discourse to international scientific forums and “dialogue of texts” – an ongoing exchange of information through the system of scientific publications.

Literature review shows that science-reading skills advance with skills of scientific intercourse, i.e. comprehension of foreign language message must serve as stimuli for activation of background knowledge.

The paper presents functional classification of scientific texts that could be used for foreign language teaching. This classification is based on the text functions, which are highlighted from the reader’s point of view and mode of scientific discussion the reader has with the author. The article further discusses the ways the given  classification can help foreign language teachers select and activate language material for reinforcing student’s linguistic and scientific communication proficiencies.

References:

[1] Scarcella, R. “Academic English: A Conceptual Framework”, Technical Reports, University of California Linguistic Minority Research Institute, 2003, 3-9.
[2] Hyland, K. “Boosting, Hedging and the Negotiation of Academic Knowledge”, Text, 1998, 349-382.
[3] Makhmutova, A. “Foreign Language Course Syllabus”, Master of Physics Degree Programme, Kazan, Kazan Federal University, 2015, 3-7.
[4] Sildmae, I. "Reality – Text – Knowledge", Inference and Knowledge Processing in the Systems of Text Understanding, Proceedings on Artificial Intelligence, Tartu, Publishing House of Tartu University, 1983, 118-134.
[5] Vygotsky, L. Mind in society, Cambridge, Massachusetts, Harvard University Press, 1978, 50-58.
[6] Goldman, S., Snow, C., Vaughn, S. “Common Themes in Teaching Reading for Understanding: Lessons from Three Projects”, Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, 2016, 255-264.
[7] Shcherba L. The Language System and Speech Activity, Leningrad, Nauka, 1974, 50.
 

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