Irina V. Khairova
Kazan (Volga region) Federal University, Kazan, Russia. E-mail: [email protected]
Abstract. In the modern conditions of socio-cultural situation characterized by active processes of interaction between nations and cultures the linguoculturological competence which provides the effective intercultural communication of a person becomes highly demanded. The formation of linguoculturological knowledge at the primary school age is possible through addressing to texts of riddles as a minor folklore genre with high linguoculturological value. However, the analysis of school courseware allows drawing the conclusion that the linguoculturological potential implicated into texts of riddles does not become the subject for consideration on the lessons of the Russian language. In this regard the article is aimed to develop the method of teaching texts of riddles as complete literary works on lessons of the Russian language in primary school. In the article the method of work with riddles based on the dialogic principle is presented. The principle allows schoolchildren to study Russian language and culture in the system of dialogues between other cultures. Also methodological recommendations are given to primary school teachers on how to improve the work with texts of riddles in linguoculturological aspect. The material presented in the article has practical value for primary school teachers and students of pedagogical and philological specializations.
Keywords: linguoculturological approach, linguoculturological knowledge, dialogic principle, riddle, primary school children.
Introduction
Relevance of the issue
In the modern world the process of globalization which intensifies interrelations and interdependence of different countries, nations, and cultures is actively developing. This process actualizes the problem of intercultural communication (Yusupova, Podgorecki& Markova, 2015). The solution of
this problem in Russian language teaching is possible through the realization of the linguoculturological approach. Scientists determine this approach as one of the most effective in formation and mastering of skills and abilities necessary for the intercultural communication by learning the language as a phenomenon of culture (Alifrenko, 2010, Sudakova, 2010). The requirement for the realization of the linguoculturological approach in the Russian language teaching is the reference to the text. In this respect, the text should be considered as a holistic piece of the language, speech and culture (Levushkina, 2014). For the primary school it is suggested to use texts of riddles as a minor folklore genre, familiar to the primary school children from the preschool age.
Methodological Framework
In this part the specificity and meaning of the linguoculturological approach in the Russian language teaching and possibilities of its realization in primary school are studied.
The role of linguoculturological approach in the Russian language teaching
In the modern methodology on the Russian language teaching the linguoculturological approach is rather new and actively developing. The approach is characterized not only by the cultural component, but also personality-forming orientation. In this approach language and culture are considered in tight interrelation (language learning in culture and culture learning in language), a man – language-speaker being a part of society in which the language functions is: on the one hand, a mouthpiece (creator) of the culture, on the other hand, a user who influences the development of the culture (Nosova, 2008).
The linguoculturological approach in the Russian language teaching is determined as a set of methods which allow formation of student`s linguistic identity in the cultural context during their studies (Levushkina, 2014). The most effective way is through the text. Text-oriented learning is one of strategic approaches of modern methodics which is expressed by the widespread use of a text as a linguistic, communicative or didactic unite (Deikina, 2005). The linguoculturological approach in the Russian language teaching also supposes
special way of work with texts. The formation of modern schoolchild’s integrated personality becomes possible only on condition that the text is considered as a holistic work. Consequently, the work with a text should be forwarded not only on the analysis of its linguistic and spoken form, but also on the work with it as a culture masterpiece, on the revelation of its linguoculturological potential.
The tern of linguoculturological competence is closely connected with the
linguoculturological approach. The linguoculturological competence is determined as a unity of skills and knowledge which allow a child to perceive and interpret linguistic facts as facts of culture on verbal and semantic, thesaurus and motivation-pragmatic levels.
In the primary school the above mentioned competence is not stated, however, it is noted that by the end of the course on the Russian language primary school students will have learnt to recognize the language as the basic means of communication and a national culture phenomenon (Alekseeva, 2009; Parfilova & Kalimullin, 2014).
We consider it possible to form the linguoculturological knowledge of primary school children. The linguoculturological knowledge includes knowledge about the culture expressed in the national language.
The linguoculturological knowledge formation of primary school children
The most effective way to realize the linguoculturological knowledge formation of primary school children is during the work with texts. It is known, that to deepen the teaching and developing effect of the text work the content should awake student`s empathy (emotive, expressive and modal functions of text).
In this regard, texts of riddles are quite effective, because primary school children are familiar with riddles from the pre-school age. Riddles produce student`s emotional response, genuine interest, refresh the cause of the lesson, activate the attention and mental activity of children. Many scientists have studied the educating potential of riddles. K.D. Ushinskiy stated that “riddle is a useful exercise for the intellect, a material for conversation in class and for pictorial description of an object” (Ushinskiy, 1989). Modern methodologist O.V. Sosnovskaya notes that through riddles primary school students can be given the first idea about the imagery of the Russian language, familiarize with allegoric expressions (Sosnovskaya, 2004).
Riddles also have linguoculturological potential. As a text of folklore riddles directly translate national culture traditions without distorting them by the author`s individual interference, they are created in the context of national linguistic world-image.
However, the linguoculturological potential implicated in the texts of riddles is not adequately unfolded on the lessons of the Russian language. Generally the texts of riddles are used to do some grammar and orthographic exercises. The case study analysis of linguoculturological approach in the work with riddles
texts in primary school
In the course of the research the sampling analysis of the Russian language workbooks for the second form students was held. The books were studied from the point of realized approaches to the work with texts of riddles. It was necessary to determine to what extent the methodic support of the exercises allow schoolchildren to form their linguoculturological knowledge.
The number of exercises based on the texts of different genres forms 42% of all the exercises in the coursebooks. Riddles are 1, 92% of total amount of texts. The analysis of exercises based on the riddles material showed the following. The majority of exercises (48%) are dedicated to the formation of orthographic skills. For example, the riddles: “Without hands, without legs, but paints. It is not a tailor, but goes with needles all the time. Cloud walked in the sky, cloud lost it string of beads.” are followed by the task: “Read the riddles. Write them down with verification words in brackets. Write down the answers. Underline letters at the end of answer-words. Explain the reason of the flexion. Write the highlighted words, underline the orthograms in them.” The other exercise suggests the following task: “Read the riddles. Explain the spelling of the words with gaps.” One of the most spread tasks is to give only an answer (20, 5%). The tasks of the grammar character involve 12, 5% of the exercises with riddles. For example, for the riddles “All winter rested, but in spring ran away” (Snow) and “Which road is half a year driven and half a year walked?” (Across the river) the task is: “Read the riddles. Guess the answers. Circle the verbs.” There are some tasks of creative character, for example: “Remember riddles about a watermelon and write them down.” Such exercises are rare – 6, 5%. There are also exercises in which attention is paid to the imagery of the language in which the riddle is written. These are tasks of the following type: “Read the riddle. What words are used in figurative meaning? How did you understand it?” These tasks are used in 12, 5% of exercises.
As a result conclusion can be drawn that the Russian language coursebooks for the second form students contain enough exercises based on the textual material. This accounts for the idea of text-oriented approach in the Russian language teaching. Among the used texts there also were riddles (1, 92% of all texts). However, the work with this texts suggested in the Russian language teaching materials for the second form schoolchildren is focused only on the formation of knowledge, skills and abilities connected with the subject. The capabilities of riddles for the linguoculturological knowledge formation among primary school children are not used.
A stage of our research was a quiz for primary school teachers aimed to study how they understand the role of texts in the Russian language teaching in primary school. Teachers were asked to answer the questions of the quiz. More than 200 primary school teachers of the Tatarstan Republic participated in the questionnaire. The following questions were included: 1.
Why is the work with texts used in the Russian language teaching; 2. What is the most frequent way you use texts in the Russian language teaching; 3. What are the riddles used for in teaching of the Russian language. The majority of the teachers (76%) answered the first question: “to present the grammar theme on the examples from the text”. 92% of the teachers stated “to improve the speech, teach how to retell and write summaries”. 32% of the questioned chose the answer “to teach how to understand texts”. “To teach how to find expressive means” selected 12%. Only 7% of the teacher answered “to teach culture, customs and traditions of Russian nation”. The most common answers on the second question were: “as a starting material for a grammar theme learning” (78%), “as a material for control dictations” (98%). Only 9% answered “as a material for teaching national culture and its specificity”. The third question proved that the most spread opinion about the role of riddles in the Russian language teaching was the idea that riddles enhance the brain functions (96%); activate attention (82%); work with texts of riddles contribute the formation of skills, abilities and knowledge about the subject (48%). Only 12% of the questioned selected the answer “allows learning the Russian language imagery”. 5% of the teachers pointed that riddles contribute the formation of the idea about the Russian language world-image among primary school children.
According to the results of the questionnaire the following conclusions may be drawn. The attitude of primary school teachers towards the text is traditional for the Russian language teaching methodology. A text is considered to be the didactic material for the speech development and the course grammar themes learning; the controlling function of text is also valued. However, despite of the stated in the Federal State Educational Standard priorities in the Russian language learning – “in the end of the Russian language course primary school students will have understood the language as the basic means of communication and a phenomenon of the national culture; they will have been taught the fundamentals of the civil personal identity through the idea “I am a citizen of Russia”, proud for the Motherland, nation and history, understanding of their ethnic background.” (Alekseeva, 2009), not all the teachers realize the necessity of treating the text as a cultural phenomenon, a unit of speech. In the context of these ideas about the role of text in the Russian language teaching to the primary school children the attitude of the teachers towards the organization of work with riddles on the lessons of the Russian language were formed. The most part of them are not motivated to reveal the linguoculturological potential of riddles. It is due to the lack of necessary methodological instruments, methodological recommendations for the organization of the work with riddles.
Results and discussions
The methodics of the work with riddles in the linguoculturological aspect
Let`s consider the work with riddles in the linguoculturological aspect on the lessons of the Russian language in primary school. First of all, the organization of the work with riddles based on the peculiarities of linguoculturologucal potential implicated in riddles. The potential is expressed in its constructive principle – metaphor. Metaphors of ancient riddles reflect cultural meanings important for the previous generations. Therefore, the central principle of the work with riddles should be the analysis of the metaphor used in the text. The procedure of the work consists of 4 stages. On the first stage (stage of perception) schoolchildren read or listen to the riddle and make a guess. It is important make the children express their emotional attitude towards the text. The next stage – the analysis of the metaphor the riddle is built on. Students specify what things are compared; determine the basis for the development of the figurative meaning reflected in the riddle; discover the culturological reasons for the development of this hidden comparison, metaphor. Here is the example how this stage of the work with riddle may be organized: “I’m riding on top,
Don’t know of what, When I meet a friend, I jump off to greet.” (A hat)
Name the verbs used in the riddle (riding, don’t know, meet, jump off, greet) Who can make these actions? ( a man)
Who makes these actions in the riddle?
Note that in each line there are only 2 words, and every second one is a verb. What do verbs express? (action)
What peculiarity of the hat is expressed by the verbs (unusual mobility, liveliness, it is not a coincidence that the hat is something alive!). Indeed, Russian people usually had their hat on the head, or in their hands, or in the pocket, or again on the head.
Does the riddle explain when was the hat put off? (Yes, when I meet a friend. I jumpofftogreet)
How do you understand the word “to greet”?
Is the tradition to take off the hat to greet an unknown person preserved?
When else do we put off the hat? (When entering a building men take off their hats). In this very moment the hat is in the hand or in the pocket. When you are back on the street it is again on the head. It is difficult to find more “mobile”
clothes.
So, what rule of behavior (rule of ancient Russian etiquette) is the riddle about? (People took off the heat when they met their friend).
On the stage of reflection students express their position to the process and the result of the metaphor guess. On the final stage students are suggested to make a creative project, for example, to write a small composition on the topic “What did the riddle tell us”. Organizing this stage the difference of children abilities should be taken into consideration. For some children it is enough to name the theme, the others should be provided the prepared plan of the composition; and the latest may be suggested to continue the composition “We studied riddles on the lesson today. I liked one of them most of all. The riddle is about…” The creative task may be of the other kind. For example, to illustrate the riddle. The picture has to depict, if possible, the realia of the time the riddle was composed (clothes, utensils, streets, houses, etc.).
It should be noted that some ancient riddles are difficult to solve due to the change of the life realia. However, this makes them more interesting to involve students into national and cultural context. For example:
Round, but not the Moon, Yellow, but not butter, Sweet, but not sugar,
Has a tail, but not a mouse. (Turnip)
Modern children give the answer “melon”. What should the teacher do? Insist on it being incorrect? In this case – to accept the answer, because it corresponds to all the characteristics, given in the riddle, even the feminine form of the adjectives used in the riddle does not contradict the answer. Then it should be explained that the riddle was composed long time ago. Russian people did not grow, nether tasted, nor knew about melons at that time. But there was another plant. Before the spread of potato (from the 2nd half of the XIX century) the principal vegetable in Russia was turnip. It is likely that children themselves give the correct answer after having remembered the well-known from the pre-school age fairytale “The Turnip”.
What characteristics of the turnip are enumerated? What part of speech is used for it? (adjective) What is the gender form of the adjectives?
Can we suppose what part of speech is the answer? (noun) What gender is it? (feminine)
Is it possible to say that turnip was delicious for a Russian man?
Whatcharacteristicprovesit?
After that the teacher (or a prepared student) can tell how the turnip was cooked and eaten in Ancient Russia, what were its benefits.
The realization of dialogic principle in the work with riddles
It is also supposed that the work with riddles should be arranged in accordance with the dialogic principle which is important for the modern methodology of the Russian language teaching. The principle gives students the opportunity to learn Russian language and culture in the system of the dialogue between native and world culture. For this reason it is suggested to study on the lessons riddles not only in Russian language. Children may remember or find riddles with the same solution in their native language (in Russia multiethnic classes are common) or in the foreign language they are studying at school, for instance, in English. If other students do not know the language of the riddle, the translation should be provided. Henceforth, the work on the comparison of riddles in different languages should be organized. Here is the example of the work. Compare riddles about the sun and the moon. English riddle: «Two sisters are fair and bright, they always run, but never meet». Russian variant: “Sister goes to see her brother, but