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

153 as well as by second signal links (Beljaev 1963: 190). Beljaev describes the function correlation between v.-. first and ttie second signal system as ttie process of encoding ni decoding hol in vi nur. Wiien ttie (tearing of a word evokes an imago of a cot responding object, nervous stimulation muves from the first signal verbal complex, first to ttie second signal complex (as we understand the word) and then to the first signal complex associated with an object (as we imagine an object after understanding the word). And, conversely, on naming an apprehended object we include it within the range of a corresponding concept, i. e, nervous excitement goes in the opposite direction, once more passing through the second signal system (Beljaev 1963: 200). Beljaev, however, admits that not all pupils will have the same results with his method, liiere will be some who will be better at the receptive use of language, while others will be better as far a productive skills are concerned. There will be a third goup ol pupils who will be much more interested in the study of theory and a fourth group who will have aquired the practical habits and skills letter. As far as teaching lexis is concerned Beljaev "s const;ious-pratical method is partly acceptable, partly too much ol a requirement. While I can just about agree with Beljaev when he emphasizes that besides ttie denotative meaning the connotative meanings of a foreign word shoulii also be taught with the one precondition that the principle of gradation c'nnuld ho observed, but it does not seem to me acceptable to over-estimate the importance of definiton as a means of semantisizing to such an extent and to neglect visual and direct association especially at a beginner's level. Mono-lingual semantisizing, however, may well be of great importance to teach the pupils to think in ttie foreign language but it should be used only if it is not time consuming and occasional}- the mother tongue could be pernaps more reasonable.