The main goal of teaching a foreign language in a non-linguistic university is to train a specialist who has not only professional skills, but speaking and communicative skills as well. Due to this, it becomes necessary to create professionally-oriented environment at the university that is linked with the information and technological support of the educational process.
The aim of the course “Foreign Language” at a non-linguistic university is to form an intercultural communicative professionally-oriented competence necessary for further self-education, professional communication and professional growth.
According to the specifics of the subject “Foreign Language” it is absolutely essential to provide each student with sufficient practice in various types of speaking activity, in different tasks to develop the required skills.
The task of the teacher of foreign languages in a non-linguistic university is to provide the students with information about the culture of the country of the learning foreign language, taking into account the importance of professionally oriented learning in the conditions of informatization of all spheres of our life. In this regard, a special place should be given to such forms of classes that ensure the active participation of each student, stimulate verbal communication and formation of sociolinguistic and sociocultural competencies.
Ideal conditions for mastering communicative competence in a foreign language are immersion in the language environment, communication with native speakers, which, in a non-linguistic university, is not always possible. Therefore, the task of the teacher is to create real and imaginary situations of communication, using various methods and techniques.
One of these methods is using authentic textbooks. According to some linguists, working with authentic textbooks increases communicative-cognitive motivation, forms linguistic and intercultural competence provides the possibility to learn language and culture simultaneously.
Recently, a lot of attention has been paid to the problem of authenticity in the methodology of teaching a foreign language. “Authentic” comes from the Latin word “authenticus” (true, genuine, genuine). Most often, this term is used to describe the texts used in the lesson. Authentic texts are the texts, borrowed from the communicative practice of native speakers, which are divided into two types:
- functional authentic texts - perform instructing, explaining, advertising functions (drawings, signs, road signs, diagrams, signs, etc .;
- informative authentic texts - perform information function and contain constantly updated information (opinions, articles, interviews, announcements, comments, reports, etc.).
Using such texts is quite functional, because they are focused on reality and put the learner closer to the real usage of language. Moreover, they help students to use their skills in everyday speech.
For modern society, teaching a natural, modern foreign language is important, but it is possible only using the materials, taken from authentic textbooks.
Authentic textbooks contain materials that:
- increase sustainable motivation to learn a foreign language;
- form social competence, i.e., the ability to participate in a dialogue on a professional topic, using appropriate means of speech;
- develop language skills based on a variety of forms of interactive work;
- form professional foreign language competence.
In addition, authentic textbooks provide the teacher and students with extensive professional actual material based on reliable information. Furthermore, they give information about intercultural interaction in various fields.
In conclusion, the use of authentic textbooks helps to satisfy the cognitive needs of students, allows them to increase motivation to learn a foreign language and, as a result, contributes to the further development of the professional competence of a future specialist.