Learning English: Language-nutrition method Olga Kozhunova Institute for the Informatics Problems, The Russian Academy of Sciences (Moscow, Russia) CML-2011, Corfu, Greece

Research interests Natural language processing (lexical and semantic aspects) Building problem-oriented dictionaries (e.g. Semantic dictionary of the Information Monitoring System) Parallel text comparison and analysis, extracting rules and transformations for translating (e.g. Patent sphere) Teaching English and analyzing teaching techniques

Analyzing: how we learn foreign languages? Native languages: three long years Then: improve our communication skills, composing thoughts into complex structures, and discover the changing world What if we are learning our native language not three but numerous years, the whole life? What if communicating with a baby we are only forming starting conditions, “Language-nutrition system” for further language skills and research, not teaching him the language?

Research: experimental data Seminars “Stylistics of the English language” and “Practical course of translation theory (English)”, (The Princess Ekaterina R. Dashkova Moscow Humanities Institute)

Goal: improve all basic language skills, get ready to State exams, and acquire new motivation for further studies Experimental data received from the seminars and lectures was arranged and classified: Subject (subject of the lectures, conversations, subject of language skills controlling measures) Knowledge skills distribution (speaking, listening, reading, writing, and ratio between basic language skills) Motivation (psychological barriers, reasons to learn language, future plans, spheres of probable application of language skills) Challenges (difficulties students experience when using language) Final goals (level students want to achieve by particular term, degree of applicability of their language skills, degree of challenges elimination)

1. Stage of analysis and assessment

2. Stage of language teaching approach construction and decision-making Unexpected results of informal conversation (qualitative and quantitative indicators, stage 1): Earlier characterized: deprived of motivation no desire to learn language possessing low level of language competences Persons striving for improving of their language comprehension in all spheres of communication and possessing intermediate language skills The reasons analyzed and taken into account: limits of the learning program difficulties not analyzed and included into the curriculum one-sided program – written translations and rare grammar exercises, etc.

2. Stage of language teaching approach construction and decision-making Development of all language skills (emphasis on social communications) Elimination of individual difficulties in using languages Usage of various texts for translations (different styles, interesting up-to-date topics, live words and expressions) Giving an opportunity and encouraging students to speak free (if such a wish arises) Listening to English speech, watching films in English and discussing them (urgent, exciting and provoke strong emotions) Approving and praising any individual successes and improvements with recommendations of what should be further corrected Cancellation of any intermediate marks (but recommendations and encouraging of further efforts instead) Banning to speak other languages except for English at the lessons

3. Assessment Evident improvements in basic language skills and socialize more confident and free of limitations

Language-nutrition method Maintaining informal communications Being open to feedback and needs of those who learn language Encouraging any language initiative

Thank You! Questions? Comments? Olga Kozhunova: