Methods and Tasks Used Within the Communicative Approach to Teach Vocabulary at Language Lessons (Using the Example of Chinese Lessons)

Abstract

The current approach to teaching foreign languages draws particular attention to the issues of multileveled linguistic competence, its building-up and teacher’s choice of teaching methods and educational materials. The article examined a number of tasks both situation-dependent and truly communicative aimed at introduction, drilling and learning vocabulary. Collaborative learning and interactive learning methods outline the tasks to be used at language lessons to teach various aspects of lexis. Different variants of tasks including the ones with projects, presentations in small groups are under consideration. We also provided some examples and tips of making language tasks an integrative part of a lesson. The particular attention is drawn to the organizational aspect of practical tasks. Both creativity in fulfilling exercises and play-and-train forms of learning are studied through the orientation at building-up learner’s compensative competence and perspective thinking. We analyzed a teacher’s role was analyzed as a tutor in educational process. The study provides a number of variants of interactive tasks to be implemented at practical lessons in Chinese as well as possibilities of making them a part of any language class.