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MODEL OF MASTERING A FOREIGN LANGUAGE WRITTEN STATEMENT
K. Ivanova, Senior Lecturer
Peoples' Friendship University of Russia
(Russia, Moscow)
DOI: 10.24411/2500-1000-2020-11352
Abstract. The article is devoted to the characteristics andfeatures of a foreign language written statement. The paper substantiates methodological potential of model of mastering a foreign language written statement in developing students' writing skills in learning foreign language writing.
Keywords: a foreign language written statement, writing skills, model of mastering a foreign language written statement, foreign language writing, thesis statement, arguments.
Nowadays the ability to express one's point of view and convince the audience of a certain point is necessary for every person. Unfortunately, the results of recent researches and students' academic performances show that adolescents don't have proper writing skills [2, p. 284]. So one of the most relevant purposes of English lessons is to teach students to produce a foreign language statement.
A foreign language statement is a piece of writing that presents and supports one's position to convince the audience of a certain point of view [3, p. 670]. To make a logical statement a student must be able to structure information, distinguish a thesis that summarizes their point of view, use sufficient arguments to defend one's position. Un-
fortunately students' written works show that adolescents face difficulties structuring their statement, defining the arguments and they can't connect the structure components of a statement. So we created a model of mastering a foreign language statement (pic. 1) that will help students overcome these difficulties.
The model shows the structure and the main components of a foreign language statement. The structure is not only important for the author, but also lets a reader follow the writer's track of thoughts. A good foreign language statement has several paragraphs that help develop the topic. So students must learn the main function, purpose and peculiarities of the main structure components. Let us take a look at the structure of the model.
Introduction
General Idea (Attract Attention)
•1-
Supporting Idea 4-
v THESIS
1-3 Paragraphs
1. Argument (Topic Sentence) *
2. Supporting Idea 3. Example 4. Conclusion
Conclusion
Pic. 1. Model of mastering a foreign language statement International Journal of Humanities and Natural Sciences, vol. 11-1 (50), 2020
First students must learn the main features of first paragraph of the essay - the introduction. The introduction might have some background information including some general statements about the topic. The main aims of the introduction are to draw readers' attention and convince them to continue reading the article [4, p. 171]. A successful introduction also prepares readers for the information they'll gain from the article.
A hook is an effective way to draw readers' attention. There are some effective hooks one can use in essays create readers' interest: an interesting fact, quotation, statistics, personal experience and anecdote. Also, a very important function of the introduction is to explain why the essay is worth reading. So the second part of the introduction is supporting idea. Supporting idea is an idea that expands, explains or otherwise confirms the main idea of the paragraph.
The most important part of the introduction is the thesis statement, which comes at the end of the introduction. Thesis statement is the key idea of an essay, the main statement that the author is supposed to prove. Thesis statement tells the reader the point of the essay. And each body paragraph is a supporting argument for that thesis statement [4, p. 175]. So, the introduction shows the relevance of the topic and create readers' interest. The last sentence of the first paragraph is a thesis statement that is the main idea of an essay.
Next students have to study the second component of an essay - the main body. The main body consists of 3-5 paragraphs. Each paragraph starts with an argument, and then an author should have supporting idea(s), examples and a conclusion sentence. It is very important to explain students the main function and peculiarities of the main body. The purpose of the main body is to support the thesis statement. Arguments are proofs that
support a thesis statement: facts, statements, explanations. So it's very important to teach students how to write convincing arguments.
Each argument from the main body must support the thesis statement. So it is very important to teach students to use sufficient arguments that are related with the thesis statement and provide coherence by using linkers. The correlation between the thesis statement and the arguments are created by repeating keywords from the thesis statement in the arguments, so nouns are used instead of pronouns. This will help a reader follow along with the main point of the essay.
The next important component of an essay is the supporting idea that proves the argument. The purpose of the supporting ideas is to show what the author means by the argument, and the purpose of the examples is to show what the author means by the supports. That's why they get more specific because each detail and example have to support the thesis statement. And then there is a conclusion sentence at the end of each body paragraph [4, p. 178].
The last structure component of an essay is the conclusion. A conclusion wraps up the essay. So students must be able to summarize their main points of view by repeating their main ideas (the thesis statement and arguments). So students must be taught how to write the conclusion correctly to make their essay completed and logical.
To sum it up, we have considered the model of mastering a foreign language written statement and its main structure components. To write a successful essay a student must learn the main functions, peculiarities and correlation between the essay's structure components: the introduction, the thesis statement, the argument, the supporting idea, example, conclusion sentences, the conclusion.
References
1. Pantier T.F. A comparison of writing performance of fifth grade students using the process writing approach and the Shurley Method. - Oklahoma State University, 1999. - 44-46 pp.
2. Calkins L.M. The art of teaching writing. - Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 1994. - 284 p.
3. Boud D. Rethinking models of feedback for learning: the challenge of design / D. Boud, E. Molloy // Assessment & Evaluation in higher education. - 2013. - № 38 (6).
4. Eemeren F. van. Fundamentals of Argumentation Theory / F. van Eemeren, R. Grootendorst, F. Henkeman. - New Jersey, 1996. - 171-178 pp.
МОДЕЛЬ ОВЛАДЕНИЯ ИНОЯЗЫЧНЫМ ПИСЬМЕННЫМ ВЫСКАЗЫВАНИЕМ
К.Ю. Иванова, старший педагог дополнительного образования Российский университет дружбы народов (Россия, г. Москва)
Аннотация. Статья посвящена определению основных особенностей и функций иноязычного аргументированного письменного высказывания. Работа рассматривает методический потенциал использования модели овладения иноязычным аргументированным письменным высказыванием для формирования иноязычных письменных умений учащихся на уроках английского языка.
Ключевые слова: иноязычное аргументированное письменное высказывание, модель овладения иноязычным аргументированным письменным высказыванием, иноязычные письменные умения, иноязычная письменная речь, тезис, аргумент.
