Challenges of teaching Kiswahili polysems and homonyms through translation in foreign language classes

In teaching a foreign language, certain language features (i.e. polysems and homonyms) are not introduced as issues or topics for discussion and therefore, they emerge as weeds in the discussion (Klepousniotou, 2002). When this occurs, instructors struggle to handle them differently. This article investigated the challenges of teaching Kiswahili polysems and homonyms through translation in foreign language classes. The data for this study was collected throughobservation and documentary review methods. Findings show that Kiswahili has a complex system of polysems than homonyms. It has been further observed that translation method alone may not be adequate in handling problematic issues such as polysems and homonyms. Since polysems and homonyms are characterized by multiple meanings, a combination of translation method and componential analysis (analysis of semantic features) works better. Lastly, instructors should teach them in context instead of treating them as isolated words and they should be introduced at the intermediate through advanced levels of foreign language proficiency.

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Linguocultural competence as a basis for foreign language proficiency

Revista EntreLinguas ◽

10.29051/el.v7iesp1.14878 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 105-125

Author(s):

Elena Antonovna Tulusina ◽

Aida Gumerovna Sadykova ◽

Zarema Mukhtarovna Zaripova ◽

Charles Frederic Carlson

Keyword(s):

Middle School ◽

Cultural Competence ◽

Foreign Language ◽

Language Proficiency ◽

Teaching Methods ◽

Linguistic Identity ◽

Valuable Source ◽

Language Classes ◽

Methods And Techniques ◽

Foreign Language Proficiency

The article is devoted to the problem of formation of linguistic and cultural competence during foreign language classes in the middle school. The influence of intercultural interference will be significantly offset by the inclusion of linguoculturological aspects in the content of teaching foreign language, which could serve as a system of unifying values that allow us to understand the boundaries of our own linguistic identity and the identity of a native speaker’s language. The article analyzes the results of a pedagogical experiment aimed at the formation of linguoculturological competences of students in middle school. All teaching methods and techniques were oriented to stimulate the students' creative speech activity, as well as cognitive aspects, which increased the efficiency of teaching the foreign language. The authors confirmed the hypothesis that the process of teaching foreign language will be more successful if the linguoculturological aspect is included in the content of what is taught, comprising the use of linguistic and cultural information as a valuable source of linguocultural material. For that reason, the conditions for successful assimilation of knowledge, the formation and improvement of linguocultural competence in the foreign language lesson in the middle school were created. The results of a pedagogical experiment could be used in a foreign language lesson in middle school.

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