20Methodology and related sciences.

Previously, it was believed that the only basic tool a language teacher needed was a sound knowledge of the language. Now we know that linguistics is not the only area in which a teacher should be trained and use its results in the teaching/learning process. The importance of psychology and sociology, as well as more extensive teaching in pedagogy is being widely recognized. The relevance of each of these disciplines can easily be seen by numerous publications related to the topics under discussion. The methodology of FLT, as we have seen, is closely related to pedagogy, psychology, physiology, linguistics, logic and other sciences.

Methodology and Pedagogy

Pedagogy, which is a science of teaching, has much to contribute here. Teachers in every country are familiar with textbooks which teach "classroom language", a variety of the English language remote in several ways from the mother tongue.

The knowledge of pedagogy contributes to the whole teaching/learning process by providing the essential pedagogical techniques and classroom procedures: a framework of selection and organization of the items and materials that are being taught. The effective teaching techniques remain an important part in the teacher's preparation. It is the teacher's task to make the teaching/learning process enjoyable, fruitful and creative. The teacher must be sure that learnings are coordinate and not compound. He must adapt the materials at hand to the needs and progress of his pupils. He must have all available information about the common essential learnings his students have had in the past and are going to have in the future.

One branch of pedagogy is didactics which is primarily concerned with general ways of teaching. Methodology, as compared to didactics, studies specific ways of teaching a definite subject. Thus, it may be considered special didactics. In TEFL general principles of didactics (the principle of conscious approach, differentiated and integrated instruction, activity, visuality, accessibility, durability, individualization, novelty, and others) are applied, which in their turn, influence and enrich didactics. Some principles and techniques have stood the test of experience, and are recognized as standard principles by all those whose work is to design courses in foreign language teaching.

Methodology and Psychology

Teaching a FL means forming new and appropriate habits and skills and the utilizing previously acquired ones in four main types of activity: listening, speaking, reading and writing. Language study is essentially a habit-forming process, so we must learn to form habits. At present we have much material in the field of psychology which can be applied to TEFL. In learning a foreign language an essentially new code, another way of receiving and transmitting information is acquired. To understand this new code certain psychological factors, mental factors governing a situation or activity of teaching/learning process must be taken into consideration.

Effective learning of a foreign language largely depends on pupils' memory. So the teacher must know how he can help his students memorize and retain the language material they learn. P. Zinchenko, a prominent psychologist has proved that in learning a subject both voluntary and involuntary memory is of great importance. Consequently, in TEFL we should create favourable conditions for involuntary memorizing.

Psychology also helps methodology to determine the amount of material for the learners to assimilate at every stage of instruction: the role of the mother tongue; the sequence and ways in which various habits and skills should be developed; the methods and techniques most suitable for presentation, consolidation of the material and for ensuring its retention by the learners.

Methodology and Linguistics

Learning to speak a foreign language is acquiring the ability to express oneself in different sounds and words through the use of a different grammar. Some sounds, words as items of grammar may or may not have counterparts in the native language and these may have meanings or content which are similar to, or different from, those of the other tongue. It is thus important to know what they are and how they may be analyzed. Most methodologists agree that one of the cornerstones on which language teaching must be built is the science that deals with the nature of language itself: linguistics. Of the various branches of linguistics that the teachers are concerned with, at least at the elementary stage of instruction, are synchronic (descriptive) and diachronic (historical) linguistics. As we have said, methodology has direct bearing to linguistics, i.e. the study of languages in its widest sense, in every aspect and in all its varieties. Methodology successfully uses the results of linguistic investigation in the selection and arrangement of language material for teaching. Foreign language classrooms have been excellent laboratories to test, approve or refute new theories of language acquisition [cf. 57, p.9].