Foreign language Acquisition: Communicative and Cognitive Paradigm.

Abstract

This article propounds a conceptual framework of teaching a foreign language (FL) to University students. The study arises out of a need to introduce cognizing subjects to a reasonable approach to teaching English as a FL (EFL) that can become an invaluable tool in acquiring sought-for expertise. Specifically, the study encompasses a number of issues which question the conventional wisdom that teaching a FL should be done primarily on the communicative ground. Respectively, the maintained idea is at variance with the existing assumption that a FL acquisition is aimed mainly at developing communicative competence of students. At this rate the cognitive aspect of learning that incorporates interrelation of speech and intellection remains either ignored or deficient in support. With this in mind, it seems relevant to identify a current target of learning EFL, to elicit the basic principles of its teaching, and to devise an appropriate model which will facilitate achieving a set target.