Transition from passive to active vocabulary in the context of teaching by communicative methods

Abstract

In the learning process of any foreign language the most important factor is to learn the vocabulary of the language. Learners first form the passive knowledge of the lexis and after this they put it into practice through communicative speech functions. In order to make any passive vocabulary active, stable and fast, communicative teaching methodology is based on speaking skills, developing knowledge realization process. This problem is connected with attaining the second foreign language intensively. Besides methodological attitudes, opinions differ about defining a daily amount of vocabulary to be leant by language learners:

1. The first issue is how many new words should be appropriate to be learned in the case of 1 or 2 days of
2. To determine whether there is a methodological necessity to strictly define the amount of new words , taking into account context and phrasal

Considering language level competences (A1 C 2) we should determine the most used language environment (bank, public service hall….), appropriate amount of vocabulary and divide it into a monthly, semester or annual index. We should also take into account the time set for learning and objectives of the curriculum: what time is allotted to language learners to fulfill their aims: a) crash course for language learners; b) ordinary course unfolding during  the semester. For the first case the amount of words to learn can be 20 - 25 to be given every other day over 16 weeks. In other words this can be distributed over 4 months. As for the second case, students should be given 10 - 12 words each day and this course will last 8 months. In order to make this vocabulary active swiftly, the amount of new words and lesson material should be appropriate to the learner’s competences. The most important here should be oral practice and communicative approaches, dialogues and simulation situations. Very effective would be using the Callan Method, that is focused on learning language grammar and vocabulary to the B2 level. The objective of this work is a discussion of the formation of the active vocabulary process in the aspect of communicative methodology and working out recommendations for its methodological improvement as given below: a) Defining the most frequently used Georgian vocabulary according to the different levels , as well as the amount of new words and the content from lesson to lesson. b) Taking into account lexicological principles in creating textbooks for Georgian Language Learners and defining the amount of university (school) curriculum hours. c) Working out methodologically the possibility of putting into practice teaching Georgian similarly employing the Callan Method and its scientific principles. Conducting practical experiments and, if the results are efficient, considering it to be preferable.