Learning German grammar after English: Let us give Ukrainian students a chance

Abstract

The problem of developing grammatical competence of pre-service philologists, teachers, interpreters, and translators while learning German after English is quite urgent nowadays as it is a typical second foreign language after English. The reasons for students’ unacceptable level of German are examined by analyzing the results of the survey of 437 students and 37 academics from nine Ukrainian universities and singling out the five groups of factors. The study is based on the following research methods: critical analysis of local and foreign scientific works; generalizing the teaching experience of German as a foreign language after English, scientific observation of teaching process; analysis of local and authentic programs and courses/textbooks, and survey of students and academics. This research reveals the main problems of teaching German as a second foreign language: the insufficient amount of modern local methodological research projects for higher education; improper methodological, psychological, and pedagogical preparation of teachers; lack of teaching and learning materials; low level of students’ learning autonomy, language, and metalinguistic awareness, and motivation. The aim of the article is to study the possibilities and ways of solving the given problems.   The main aspects of interaction and mutual influence between the two foreign languages and native language are considered. The solutions for the singled out problems of teaching and learning German after English are suggested. The article presents and justifies the hierarchy of teaching principles: general methodological principles of teaching any foreign language, special principles of teaching second foreign languages, and particular principles of German grammatical competence development. The study offers the means for applying the last group of principles into practice.