Abstract:

The paper deals with the techniques that can be applied in teaching the aspects of the English language connected with learning new lexis and traditionally called Home Reading in the curriculum of institutions of higher education. The paper is based on the students workbook titled Reading English Literature: Agatha Christie “Death on the Nile”: Home Reading Workbook and published by Kazan University Publishing House as the result of teaching reading skills on the basis of English fiction to the university students, who study English as their core subject.

Taking into consideration the difficulties students face while reading unadapted and unabridged classical English literature the author of the home reading workbook has tried to provide better understanding of the novel by students and their gradual immersion into the narration. That is why the structure of the workbook implies a set of assignments given as separate units for certain number of chapters of the novel. Every unit begins with questions to several (from two to six) chapters in accordance with the text divided into approximately equal parts.

All the units contain active and recognition vocabulary. The choice of words and word combinations is motivated by certain lexical minimum, which is expected to be learnt by the students of intermediate and/ or upper-intermediate and advanced levels. The only exception implies expressions typical for the language of the novel. The recognition vocabulary suggests words and word combinations which are used less often and are of lower communicative value within the novel. The active vocabulary is to be studied as necessary minimum while the recognition vocabulary should be remembered and recognized in the text of the book.

The tasks are aimed at making use of the vocabulary for students to apply it in speech performing their speaking skills in particularly. The assignments are given in such a way that they help to understand the events in Agatha Christie’s writing, its main characters and the idea of the novel in general. Besides, there are exercises for translation from Russian into English, which are focused on the active vocabulary and provide control of students’ knowledge of the vocabulary. Every unit ends with the task for translation. Some exercises such as transcribe the following words from the novel and explain their meaning in English are of general character and are intended to correct transcription and pronunciation of words which can be unfamiliar as well as further improvement of students’ speaking skills (exercises give synonyms to the following English words). Classroom activity may also include the tasks of writing a story based on the active vocabulary of certain chapters.

The main objective of the students’ workbook is to show possible ways and technique that can be used when working with classical fiction at the lessons of the English language, developing skills of fluent speaking.

Keywords:

Speaking skills development, vocabulary enrichment, English literature reading.