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Introduction
The process of global integration imposes new requirements on the training of specialists who speak several foreign languages and to be able to use modern information technologies. Increasing the requirements for communicative competence in foreign languages requires the development of new methodological foundations and the provision of high-quality education. The special role of foreign language education is determined by the growth in the volume of information in foreign languages, and the intensive development of information technologies. “In connection with the development of global integration processes, the concept of multilingualism is becoming increasingly important and relevant. Mastering new ways of expressing thoughts contributes to the improvement of a person as a multilingual personality” (Kryuchkova & Moschinskaya, 2009, p. 8).
According to Yuldasheva and Kadirova (2020) the goal of incorporating new methods and techniques into the teaching and learning of languages is to make the process as convenient as possible for both teachers and students. This is consistent with education as a continuous process which includes new methods, approaches, techniques and means so as not to stay behind innovations or news. Languages experts are also aware that the process of teaching the language is participatory and that both the teacher and the students must cooperate in order to succeed. In addition, due to the growing use of computers and the internet, distance learning is now quicker and easier, and virtual colleges and universities now provide complete courses online. The world of education is undoubtedly changing quickly due to the newly employed methods and techniques, and the Russian language teaching system is no exception.
As pointed out by Abdualieva and Sharipova (2021), Russian is the language of the East Slavic group of the Slavic branch of the Indo-European language family, the national language of the Russian people. It is one of the most widespread languages in the world - the sixth among all languages in the world in terms of the total number of speakers and the eighth in terms of the number of native speakers. Russian is also the most spoken Slavic language and the most spoken language in Europe, geographically and in terms of the number of native speakers. Because of that, since the 17th century, scientists such as L.I. Zizaniy, M. Smotritsky, N.G. Kurganov, V.E. Adodurov, A.A. Barsov have addressed the topic of studying the Russian language, and its importance is equally valid today. In this sense, compliance with the key contributions of pedagogy, psychology, and linguodidactics, as well as students' intentional assimilation of the Russian language, are essential requirements for a high level of education (Bakhodir, 2022). Under these circumstances, communicative learning and orientation during training should be prioritized.
Communicative learning is an approach to language teaching that emphasizes the use of language in real-life situations and focuses on communication and interaction between learners. The communicative approach to language teaching is based on the idea that learners need to use the language in order to learn it effectively (Veselova et al., 2021). Therefore, the focus is on communication and interaction between learners, with an emphasis on context and meaning rather than just grammar rules and vocabulary. In this way, learners are encouraged to use the language in real-life situations, to express themselves, and to interact with others. In the context of learning Russian, the communicative approach is particularly important because Russian is considered a very difficult language to learn. Therefore, learners of Russian may need to emphasize different communicative strategies, such as reading and writing, in order to achieve the level of fluency and accuracy required. Then, in relation to the above, the objective of this work is to discuss some aspects of communicative learning in the lessons of Russian as a foreign language, specifically in Azerbaijani schools.
Development
Communicative learning in the lessons of Russian as a foreign language can involve a range of aspects, including developing language proficiency through real-life communication situations and activities, practicing listening and speaking skills, building vocabulary and grammar knowledge, and fostering cultural awareness and understanding. Teachers may use a communicative approach to language learning, which emphasizes in the importance of meaningful communication in the classroom and encourages students to practice using the language in authentic situations. This can involve a range of activities, such as role-plays, discussions, debates, and presentations, and usually is supported by the use of technology, multimedia resources, and other educational materials. Overall, the goal of communicative learning in Russian language lessons is to enable students to communicate effectively and confidently in real-life situations and to develop cultural competence and awareness.
As highlighted by Shagiyeva (2020), when information and communication technologies are used effectively in foreign language lessons, both the effectiveness of the lesson and the interest of the students in the foreign language grow. At the same time, the quality of the course is also in line with the demand. It is the teacher's obligation to correctly instruct students in a foreign language and pique their interest in learning it. Thus, the techniques and tools the teacher employs, as well as any visual aids or handouts, will guarantee that the lesson is engaging for the student and that it is at the required level. In addition, good teachers have to be able to absorb the unexpected and to use it to their and the students’ advantage. In other words, teachers need to be able to “think on their feet” and act quickly and decisively at various points in the lesson. When students see that they can do this, their confidence in their teachers is greatly enhanced (Yuldasheva & Kadirova, 2020).
It is known that when teaching any foreign language, speech is the only reality: the formation of students' communicative competencies is a priority in the process of teaching a foreign language. At the end of the course, students should be able to implement these competencies in various life situations. Therefore, increasing the requirements for communicative competence in foreign languages requires the development of new methodological foundations and the provision of high-quality education.
To achieve successful results, it is necessary to create all conditions for ensuring a communicative orientation and the formation of students' speech competence. The communicative aspect of learning involves mastering the skills and abilities of communication in various situations. To communicate in the target language, the student needs to master not only the necessary vocabulary, but also grammatical knowledge. Knowledge of grammatical rules will make it possible to correctly use speech constructions in various life situations. The communicative approach, which has become widespread, assumes the formation of communicative competence in the studied foreign language as the main goal.
The system of common European competencies distinguishes between general competencies and directly communicative language competencies. General competencies include knowledge about the physical world, society and culture, practical and intercultural skills and abilities, personal factors, general linguistic and cultural consciousness in combination with cognitive and heuristic skills and abilities. On the ther hand communicative language competencies include linguistic competencies, sociolinguistic competence, and practical competencies. To determine the levels of proficiency in foreign languages, descriptors of knowledge and skills in reading, listening, speaking and writing have been proposed (Trim, 2005, pp. 31-39):
A. Elementary knowledge (Basic User)
A1. Level of survival (Breakthrough)
A2. Pre-threshold level (Waystage)
B. Independent possession (Independent User)
В1. Threshold level
B2. Threshold Advanced Level (Vantage)
C. Proficiency (Proficient User)
C1. Level of professional knowledge (Effective Operational Proficiency)
С2. Mastery level
Currently, in general education schools in Azerbaijan, the learning process is carried out according to a new educational program (curriculum), which is considered the most effective model of education. According to this program, the object of education is not the content of education, but the results of education. The program determines the specifics of the subject, content lines, the basic principles for organizing the educational process, evaluating and monitoring the achievements of specific students. The Russian language curriculum is a conceptual document that defines the status, specifics of the subject, content lines, basic principles for organizing the educational process, evaluating and monitoring the achievements of specific students in the Russian language (Madjidov, 2013, p. 12).
The term curriculum is of Latin origin. It is a noun derived from the verb currere, which means "run", "circle", "path". In English, "curriculum" is a course of study. This way, the curriculum is a multidimensional and conceptual document in its content that covers the entire course of study, determines the content and scope of knowledge, skills and abilities that are subject to mandatory assimilation, as well as the content of sections and topics with their distribution by year of study, the implementation of which is aimed to achieve certain results.
Russian as the main foreign language is studied from grades I to XI. At the initial stage training (grades I-IV), students should be able to correctly express their thoughts in simple sentences consisting of 2-4 words; correctly, consciously freely read, demonstrating initial reading skills; write letters, words and learned phrases correctly; and understand the content of a short text (3-5 sentences). At an advanced stage learning (grades V-IX), students should be able to understand and convey the content of a small text, make sentences, answer questions, express their thoughts using various speech models, read correctly and expressively. Third stage learning (grades X-XI) can also be called creative. This stage involves the further development of speech skills, the transfer of acquired knowledge, skills and abilities to various situations of the educational and extracurricular process.
Raising the issue of teaching the Russian language as one of the foreign languages created in Azerbaijan the need to develop an educational complex in the Russian language based on new methodological principles. One of the most important tasks in the process of teaching Russian as a foreign language is to develop students' skills and abilities to talk in a coherent form about themselves, about their comrades, about what they read, about what they heard and saw. This can be achieved effectively using situational communication strategies, since it involve designing different kinds of speech situations during lessons, in order to help students acquire new knowledge and increase their motivation for foreign language learning (Drozdova et al., 2015). Also, situational communication can also help children learn Russian as a foreign language as a means of initiation to another culture (Zakirova & Kamalova, 2016). Overall, situational communication can be a useful tool for teaching Russian as a foreign language by providing students with real-life situations to practice their language skills and increase their motivation to learn.
It is important to highlight that in Azerbaijan, the modern concept of teaching Russian as a foreign language should be based on the methods of communicative learning. The main goal of teaching Russian as a foreign language is the formation of language competence as the ability to master the basic grammatical rules of the Russian language and the ability to use them in the process of verbal communication in various life situations. To achieve language competence, it is necessary to present such grammatical rules that help students develop the skills and abilities to build and use various speech structures. These rules would also help teaching normative speech at the lexical and grammatical levels of the language. Determination of the linguodidactic content of the presented material is a priority in teaching Russian as a foreign language because the selected material, based on the principles of consistency and accessibility, is crucial to give an effective result in teaching Russian as a foreign language and provide a communicative orientation of training. Then, in the process of studying Russian as a foreign language, students must master the educational minimum of language knowledge, acquire the communicative competencies necessary for communication; develop all kinds of memory, logical and creative thinking, the ability to perceive the culture of the Russian people.
The communicative orientation of the educational process, taking into account the specifics of the Russian language, requires a special organization of lessons, which is based on the principles of comprehensive language teaching. In order to ensure successful mastery of the Russian language, a methodologically justified system of work is needed that meets the requirements of linguodidactics - the communicative orientation of training and the gradual formation of skills. Communicativeness involves the organization of such educational material that would reflect the specifics of the selected language material in life situations that contain the implementation of one or another type of speech activity. In this sense, when organizing educational activities, various types of speech activities are implemented in such a sequence and in such a relationship as to sufficiently ensure the communicative orientation of training.
One of the necessary conditions for the formation of the ability to successfully communicate with people who speak Russian is the assimilation of the rules for constructing sentences and their understanding. To achieve successful results, it is necessary to create all conditions for ensuring a communicative orientation.
Communication can take place if the interlocutors share at least the same rules of the language in which verbal communication takes place. However, there are no absolutely precise parameters regarding how much linguistic knowledge is needed in order to make adequate speech communication possible in a particular language. It is the idea that any language is governed by rules that helps to understand the ability to produce an innumerable set of sentences, which is possessed by both native speakers and people who are not native speakers of this language but use it as a speech competence. Then, the speech orientation of teaching Russian as a foreign language requires the use of educational methods and techniques that are interconnected. (Alsaghiar, 2018).
It is known that it is impossible to teach the entire Russian language, that is, the language system, and there is not even such a need. It is necessary to teach speech, that is, speak Russian and particular importance within the framework of the communicative approach is given to practice as a way of developing communicative skills. Thus, the acquisition of theoretical knowledge should be reduced to the necessary minimum.
On the other hand, an important principle in the methodology of teaching Russian as a foreign language is the systematic organization of educational material. When selecting language material, one should consider the complexity of the material, its communicative significance, and the need for the formation of speech competence. The grammatical material must be presented in accordance with the lexical material and the text. At the same time, it is especially important to take into account the way the language material is presented, that is, the need to present the language material, observing the principles of consistency, and scientific character, which involve mastering communicative activity. A systematic presentation of language material, observing the principles of sequence from simple to complex, scientific character, will help students develop speech skills and abilities. When presenting language material, one should take into account its complexity and communicative significance, the need for the formation of speech competence. The systematic presentation of educational material contributes to its better perception and memorization and at the same time when submitting language material, it is necessary to determine the degree of ease or difficulty of this language material for a specific language audience. It is necessary to gradually expand the systematically presented topics and thereby implement the principle of sequence from simple to complex. (Tulkinovna, 2021).
In the modern educational process, new approaches are required: the use of innovative technology, various resources that help the assimilation of educational material. It must be remembered that innovations include those innovations that are the embodiment of the integrated use of new technology to increase its effectiveness. Under the intensification, it is necessary to understand the achievement of the goal of education with a minimum expenditure of effort by students and teachers, considering such indicators as the quality of education and saving time. At the present stage, active methods are used based on interactive learning, that is, the cooperation of a teacher and a student. In this context, the teacher is the organizer of the process, the student must be in the center of interest and take an active part in learning. It is learning through the exchange of information, discussion, search and discovery, problem solving.
Priority in modern education is given to interactive methods, as the most natural, creating an environment for demonstrating the skills and knowledge acquired by students in the learning process. Interactive methods allow you to use not only the consciousness of a person, but also his feelings, emotions, volitional qualities, that is, they include a “holistic person” in the learning process. Keeping the main content of the studied material, interactive learning changes the forms and methods of the lesson. Students independently conduct their own study of the educational problem, thereby developing the ability to find the best solution to the problem under study. Interactive learning changes the functions of the teacher. In the classroom, the teacher acts as a facilitator: organizes a lesson, creates a favorable atmosphere in the learning process, assists students in solving learning problems that are difficult for students, helps students to show criticality, independent thinking, and also removes a psychological barrier from students. With this form of education, the educational process is organized in such a way that students actively participate in the cognitive process and each of them is given a certain role-playing task, this allows you to increase the percentage of assimilation of educational material. (Madaminovna 2022).
The use of interactive methods makes the learning process more intense, creates the prerequisites for maximizing the activity of each student in the lesson, makes the lesson interesting, and all this enhances the developmental aspect of learning. The main goal and the main essence of interactive teaching methods is to achieve the maximum development of each student in each lesson. At the same time, the perception and assimilation of educational material largely depends on how actively the children themselves participate in the process of cognition, that is, they think independently. The systematic use of interactive methods and tools will help create an artificial language environment in which students feel confident, trying to show their knowledge, skills and abilities, therefore, a favorable condition is created for the development of speech.
When teaching Russian as a foreign language, choosing the right forms and methods of teaching is very important. Among them, a special place is occupied by the communicative method, which helps to bring the process of language learning closer to the process of real communication: informative, etiquette speech acts in a certain situation; knowledge of the language system and the ability to correctly use language units for communication purposes (Aliev et al., 2020, p. 36). When organizing training, it is more efficient to use in the educational process such methods as role-playing, brainstorming, insertion, Venn diagram, word association, ZHU, clusters, round table, the main part of which is discussion, and debate. Now, let's look at some of these methods.
Cluster (branching). This method is more effective when studying the gender of nouns, as well as types of verbs. The use of this method gives the teacher the opportunity to systematize and consolidate the knowledge and skills acquired by students. A cluster is a graphical organization of material that clearly shows the thought processes that occur when a particular concept is brought to light. When studying the gender of nouns, the use of a cluster gives the desired results. For example: make a cluster to study the feminine gender of nouns.
A Venn diagram is a graphic illustration that is used to compare and identify similarities and differences between a particular grammatical concept or phenomenon. Students, comparing objects or phenomena, identify common and distinctive features, thereby developing the skills and abilities of analysis and comparison (a comparative technique is used, analysis is carried out). With the help of this method, the mental activity of students is activated. For example, students are asked to compare the verbs write and write. What they have in common is that these verbs of the first conjugation denote the same action, and what is distinctive is that they have different types. The verb to write is the perfective form, and the verb to write is the imperfective form. Another example is to compare the verbs look and read; common features of both verbs is that both are imperfective, in the form of an infinitive. (Comer 2012).
I know - I want to know - I found out (ZHU). ZHU method of active learning contributes to the development of critical thinking. This method makes it possible to establish a connection between the studied educational material and a new topic. First, students' knowledge on the topic covered is tested. The knowledge of students on this topic is generalized and systematized, revealing the level of their knowledge. Students' responses are recorded in the first column and after discussing the entries in the first column, students complete the second column. Here they write down all the questions they are interested in on this topic, hoping to get answers to them. At this stage, students can additionally write down questions of an individual nature. After the completion of the second stage, a discussion is held: students share the results of their research. The discussion can be conducted in the form of questions and answers. Students' answers and new knowledge are recorded in the third column. It is advisable to write down new knowledge opposite the questions from the second column in order to immediately find out which questions were answered, and which remained unanswered, this will help save time. However, it is important that students should write down the answers to the questions in their own words. An example of the application of this method is shown in Table 1.
Table 1 - Application of the ZHU method
| I know | I want to know | I found out |
|---|---|---|
| How many genders do nouns have? How is the gender of nouns determined? | What is the gender of the words lady, taxi, menu,subway, maestro, coffee, avenue, and how is their gender determined? | The nouns maestro, coffee are masculine, the words avenue, lady are feminine, and the words metro, menu, taxi are neuter. The gender of these nouns is determined by their lexical meaning. |
Source: owner elaboration
We have considered only some aspects of the formation of communicative competencies in teaching Russian as a foreign language, but as a main highlight it is important to remark that to achieve successful results, it is necessary in addition to the points addressed, to create all conditions for ensuring a communicative orientation and the formation of students' speech competence. In addition to the the above methods other strategies are the use of role-playing games, performing entertaining tasks like puzzles, rebuses, crossword puzzles, which cause cognitive activity in students, in Russian as in any other foreign language lessons.
Conclusions
Important aspects of communicative learning in Russian as a foreign language include the formation of a linguistic personality, the improvement of cognitive activity through a linguistic cultural approach, and the use of interactive teaching methods to improve communicative skills and intercultural competence. Thus, important elements to consider for an effective teaching of Russian as a foreign language are: 1) the focus on communication, 2) the use of communicative activities, 3) the teaching of grammar in context, and 4) the use of appropriate didactics materials.
Students must be taught how to communicate effectively in real situations, for which students must participate in activities that allow them to practice the language in authentic communicative contexts, such as role-playing, debates, interviews and discussions. The teaching of grammar must be carried out in the context of real communicative situations since students will learn it as they need it to communicate effectively. Regarding the use of appropriate materials, it is useful if these are authentic, such as newspapers, magazines, movies and songs, since these materials reflect the language as it is used in real life, which allows students to acquire communication skills. in non-fictional situations. All this, as a whole, favors the development of comprehensive communication skills. In this way, communicative learning allows the development of skills such as speaking, listening, reading and writing, pointing out the importance that students develop these skills in a balanced way so that they can communicate effectively in the Russian language.
