Abstract:

The main task of general and higher school reformation is to improve the quality of teaching and educational process which is directly connected with the choice of means of education, such as textbooks and manuals being not only the source of information, but also the instrument of education. Thus, textbooks should be aimed at mastering the subject knowledge, abilities, skills, the experience of self-study, and the possibility of finding exact information.

The article under consideration deals with the problem of distinguishing the theoretical concepts of textbook writing using mass media texts, analyzing the key aspects of textbook compiling, and development of the basis for foreign language speaking abilities. The use of authentic mass media texts at foreign language (FL) lessons is justified as it helps to solve educational tasks and makes learning process similar to natural communication.

While selecting the authentic material from the periodical press, the authors take into consideration the fact that the written text should be the example of ready- made phrases and the source of factual and linguistic information. Moreover, newspaper being a collection of texts created by different authors offers the reader a special opinion on the world and forms world outlook. The criteria of text selection are the following: completeness, integrity, purposefulness, functionality, relevance, the motivation of learning activity. The use of mass media texts at FL lessons is one of the most efficient ways of complex achievement of educational, pedagogical aims.

The authors of this work suggest that relevant mass media texts help FL students to develop linguistic guess and communication abilities. To teach FL means to teach culture taking into consideration social cultural development of students. The process of FL teaching should be based on authentic texts that possess the features of other language culture.

Thus, the authors define the following criteria of textbook writing as the main ones. First, the text is the incentive and basis of development of all kinds of speech. Second, students should improve their speaking skills using authentic mass media texts.

Keywords:

General and higher school reformation, teaching and educational process, mass media texts, textbook writing, foreign language lessons, educational tasks.