Az Eszterházy Károly Tanárképző Főiskola Tudományos Közleményei. 1989. 19/3. (Acta Academiae Paedagogicae Agriensis : Nova series ; Tom. 19)

Kovács, Éva: The History of Teaching Vocabulary

i - 150 main phases of foreign language teaching: 1. Presentation 2. Assimilation 3. Transfer It is just the third phase which is often neglected in foreign language teaching. If the teaching process is finished after the second phase ttie pupils will be deprived of the opportunity to carry out independent speculation. Consequently their reasoning powers do not develop as a result of which they do not acquire the habit of handling material in an active and creative fashion (Beljaev 1963: 13). Ihus the primary aim of language teaching should not be to instill knowledge about the language but action and thinking in the foreign language. Beljaev objects to both the grammar-translation and ttie direct method. He rejects the former one because it teaches us about ttie language and not the language itself and thus it will never lead to thinking in the language. He turns against ttie direct method because it cannot have lasting results as ttie pupils will forgot what they have learnt very quickly as soon as ttie intensive practice is over. That is why Beljaev suggests a third method which subordinates ttie study of theory i. e. conscious learning to practical linguistic tasks, this is how he determines his conscious-practical method: "Ttie most rational and only correct method nf leaching must obviously be one which differs from ttie grammar-translation method by throwing more weigtit on ttie side of linguistic practice, and from the direct method by encouraging the theoretical understanding of this practice. Such a method of teaching foreign languages might be called ttie conscious-practical method (Beljaev 1963: 213). What kind of a stand does Beljaev take in teaching lexis? In principle tie rejects translation as a means of semanticizing as ttie knowledge of a foreign language presupposes the formation of temporary nervous links and a dynamic stereotype on the level of ttie second signal system, and when translation is used, new temporary links are formed only in the primary signal system, which makes ttie practical command of a language impossible (Beljaev 1963: 38). Thus translation should be used