DEVELOPING SPEAKING SKILLS THROUGH FAIRY TALES IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Manukyan A. M.; Durgaryan A. M.

doi:10.31435/rsglobal_sr/31032019/6384

Manukyan A. M. PhD, Associate Professor at the Chair of Foreign Language Teaching Methodology; Armenia, Yerevan, Armenian State Pedagogical University after Khachatur Abovian
Durgaryan A. M. MA Student at the Foreign Language Faculty; Armenia, Yerevan, Armenian State Pedagogical University after Khachatur Abovian

DOI: https://doi.org/10.31435/rsglobal_sr/31032019/6384

Keywords: Speaking skills, EFL teaching, Fairy Tales, Elementary school, lesson activities

Abstract

As the objective of EFL teaching is to help students to communicate fluently in the target language, teachers should provide authentic models of language use for every level and age. To hit the target we should focus not only on linguistic, but also on literary and cultural elements. Since fairy tales offer these elements, they are highly beneficial to use in EFL teaching programs, especially for young learners.
It should be taken into consideration that the selection of fairy tales should be done in reference to the course objective, the learners’ age and the story content. Since every teaching situation is unique, the use of every single piece of fairy tale varies from class to class and from teacher to teacher. But, anyhow, using fairy tales in Elementary English courses as literary works tends to improve communicative competence and provide a springboard for the development of critical thinking and aesthetic appreciation. It is advantageous for many benefits, like cultural enrichment, language advancement, higher-order thinking, and many more. To accomplish the following purpose, there is a great significance given to the methodology and strategies to teaching English through Fairy Tales.

References

Bagg, M. B. (1991). Folk Literature in the Foreign Language Classroom. Retrived from http://eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/contentdelivery/servlet/ERICServlet?accno=ED343432, accessed April 18, 2012

Brumfit, C. and Carter. R.1986. Literature and Language Teaching. Oxford: Oxford U. p. 290

Branett, M. A. (1988). Teaching Reading in a Foreign Language. ERIC Digest. Retrieved from http://www.ericdigests.org/pre-9211/reading.htm, accessed April 14, 2012

Cameron, L. 1994. “Organizing the World: Children’s Concepts and Categories, and Implications for the Teaching of English”. ELT Journal Volume 48 (1): 28-39.

Collie, J., Slater, S. (1987). Literature in the Language Classroom. A resource book of ideas and activities. Great Britain: Cambridge University Press.

Hunt, P. 1994. An Introduction to Children ́s Literature. Oxford, New York: Oxford University Press.

Lazar, G. 1993. Literature and Language Teaching. Great Britain: Cambridge University Press.

Ur, P. 1996. A Course in Language Teaching. Great Britain: Cambridge University Press.