CLASSROOM BYLIGUALISM AS A FACTOR OF SUCCESS IN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE ACQUISITION IN BASIC GENERAL EDUCATION

Abstract

The article addresses the issue of analyzing the concept “classroom bilingualism” and its role in foreign language teaching in basic general education. The authors differentiate the terms “artificial” and “classroom” bilingualism, accentualize the link of classroom bilingualism with the principle of considering native language in terms of communicative approach, and introduce the term “bicognitivism” as an interim stage before incorporating a foreign language unit into the linguistic picture of the world and its corresponding meaning into the unified conceptual worldview. The authors of the research prepared a questionnaire for foreign language teachers about their attitude to applying a native language while teaching a foreign one, and a questionnaire for school students about the role of the native language in foreign language acquisition. The analysis of the questionnaires’ results and generalization of their own pedagogical experience enabled the authors to offer approximate time guidelines for applying a native language in foreign language teaching and the algorithm of actions a FL teacher can use for controlled and justified resorting to a native language in teaching.