Методическое содержание теоретикопознавательных текстов в учебниках русского языка для 5, 6, 7 и 8 классов начальной школы «Орбита»
METHODOLOGICAL CONTENT OF THEORETICAL-COGNITIVE TEXTS IN RUSSIAN LANGUAGE TEXTBOOKS “OРБИТА” FOR 5TH, 6Th, 7TH AND 8TH GRADE OF PRIMARY SCHOOL

Summary/Abstract: In modern foreign language teaching, the text has a unique and irreplaceable role. It comprises rich and varied content that ensures practical and theoretical mastery of foreign language structure, acquisition of knowledge, skills and habits in the spheres of vocabulary and grammar, building the student’s speaking competence. In addition to the above, the text also strives to achieve general educational goals and objectives, to present language material that will encourage the development of intellectualization, provide the opportunity to get to know the culture and the way of life of the nation whose language is studied. For this reason, it is especially important for any textbook to have an appropriate library of texts in its structure, and this means that it is necessary to take into account the type, i.e. sort, content of the text, as well as the language in which the given text was written (Brajković 2011). In foreign language teaching, language material is traditionally given and presented through the text, and it is further adopted and established through a system of exercises. The text structure should include linguistic phenomena and elements that are studied, and as such they are present to a certain extent, depending on the objectives of the lesson. Therefore, the language is initially learned with the help of constructed (specially composed) and later adapted texts as well. These texts abound with examples of the phenomena being treated, and as such, are devoid of other difficulties. During the process of acquiring a foreign language, there is a transition from constructed to adapted texts, but during the entire initial and basic stage, the requirement that the text be oriented to specific linguistic material dominates. This requirement is present in “neutral”, but also professional, literary and informative texts (Končarević 2004). Dealing with the issue of relevance of the typology of teaching texts, we will primarily refer to the classification presented to us representatively by K. Končarević (2004), distinguishing: a) texts with a dominant communicative function, i.e. instrumental-practical texts (they present systematized, didactically shaped facts and representations related to the functioning of a foreign language and as such perform the function of a unit that presents language and speech material and serve as a means of building communicative abilities in all forms of speech activity. These texts possess informative and linguoculturologicаl value, and also have certain educational potentials), b) texts with a dominant educational function, i.e. theoretical-cognitive texts(they contribute to building communicative abilities in all forms of speech activity) and c) texts with a dominant developing function, i.e. instructional texts (they form an algorithm of speaking and thinking activities and practical operations aimed at building students’ habits for independent work with the material or for self-control of knowledge and abilities). In the aforementioned rich and varied library of texts, a special place and significance belongs to texts with a dominant educational function, i.e. theoretical-cognitive texts. In a foreign language textbook, these textual structures represent the key concepts of the science of language and their definitions show systematized, didactically shaped facts and representations related to the functioning of the foreign language system. In this paper, our intentions are reflected in the aspiration to look at the methodological content of the theoretical-cognitive texts in the analysed Russian language textbooks for primary school as adequately and validly as possible, as well as to draw attention to the importance and significance of their application in textbook structures. The main focus of the analysis in this research is to determine the degree of implementation of theoretical-cognitive texts in the analysed Russian language textbooks for primary school. Working to analyse the aforementioned issue, we made a selection of a series of cognitive and communicative textbooks of Russian as a foreign language for primary school that were used for a long period of time in the Montenegrin speaking environment. Therefore, the main goal of this paper is to perform an analysis and description of four Russian language textbooks for primary school from the textbook set “Орбита” (authors P. Piper, M. Petković, and S. Mirković), which (along with the textbook corpus “Давайте дружить!” and “Диалог”) have been used in primary schools of Montenegro in the last twenty years, i.e. to present and review the methodological content of the theoretical-cognitive texts present in the mentioned textbooks of the Russian language for the 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th grade of primary school as objectively as possible, as well as to determine the level of implementation of these texts in them as validly as possible. After that, we will offer a number of possible structural solutions regarding the higher degree of presence of the mentioned type of library of texts, which as such, with active use, would contribute to a better and higher quality design of all future textbook structures and a more permanent and easier acquisition of knowledge in the domain of Russian as a foreign language. Analysing the aforementioned Russian language textbooks for primary school, we primarily focused on reconstructing and analysing six relevant segments through which the theoretical-cognitive texts were presented: Грамматика (Повторяем грамматику); Звуки и буквы; Обрати внимание, Внимание, Не забудь; Посмотри как переводится; Запомни, Вспомни, Запомнили ли вы, Это неплохо запомнить, Это полезно запомнить; Смотри, не ошибись! “Орбита”, Russian language textbooks for primary school (5th, 6th, 7th and 8 th grade), which are used in the Montenegrin linguistic and sociocultural environment, are designed in accordance with the settings of the modern conscious-practical, cognitive and communicative approach in the teaching of the Russian language and modern didactic-methodical criteria. The authors of the mentioned textbooks tried to present the textbook material by maintaining the thematic-lexical linguoculturological continuity from class to class according to the principle of “small” steps, i.e. from easier to harder. In designing the indicated textbook structures, they treated numerous topics from everyday life, and the vocabulary presented and interpreted in them is useful for practical life. Grammar is validly and skilfully interwoven with tasks and phraseology, close and interesting to students. The texts are enriched with meaningful and rich drawings, pictures, photographs. They represent the contemporary state of the Russian language and Russian sociocultural and social reality (Brajković). Texts with a dominant educational function (theoretical-cognitive texts) contribute to building communicative abilities in all forms of speech activity. On the basis of the conducted expertise, we ascertained that the Russian language textbooks “Орбита” for the 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th grade of primary school are highly valuable in terms of the variety and degree of presence of theoretical-cognitive textsin them. So, based on the analysis of the mentioned 4 textbook structures, we found that the total number of theoretical-cognitive texts in them is 269, and that in O-5 we come across 58 texts of this type, in O-6 93, in O-7 64, and in O-8 54 texts. The highest degree of frequency is achieved by theoretical-cognitive texts called Грамматика (Повторяем грамматику) (their total number in the analysed textbooks of the Russian language is 91 or 33.83%), while theoretical-cognitive texts called Запомни, Вспомни, Это надо запомнить; Запомнили ли вы are represented in a slightly smaller number (their total frequency index in the analysed textbook structures is 62 or 23.05%). Then, according to the degree of presence, the segments named Посмотри, как переводится stand out (44 or 16.36%), followed by those named Обрати внимание, Внимание, Не забудь (37 or 13.75%), texts under the name Звуки и буквы are somewhat less frequent (26 or 9.67%), and finally, theoretical-cognitive texts called Смотри, не ошибись! have the lowest degree of implementation (9 or 3.34%). In the analysed textbooks, Грамматика is written exclusively in Russian (often the authors, along with the explanation of a particular grammatical unit, offer the students an illustration, scheme, table, visually designed text structure, use of more colours in the service of highlighting suffixes in linguistic forms, etc.). This type of theoretical-cognitive texts is most represented in textbook O-6 (26 items), then in O-7 and O-8 (24 items each), while it is least represented in O-5 (17). In the analysed textbook O-8, the student also receives certain clarifications in the field of syntax in the segment of theoreticalcognitive texts called “Синтаксис“. Dealing with this aspect, we will also look at the question whether and to what extent the analysed textbooks direct students to the use of the “Russian Language Grammar for Primary School” (authors B. Stanković, Lj. Nestorov)? In connection with this, dealing with the analysis of the given issue, we can state that we noticed that nowhere in O-5 is the student referred to the use of the mentioned grammar of the Russian language (and neither the workbook nor the dictionary). What we could notice in the analysed textbook (O-5) is that due to the assignment of grammar tasks and the general design of the exercises, students were given constructions that explain what they need to do in both Russian and Serbian, by which the team of authors contributes to the building of the degree of independence of students in their work, learning and language activities, because with this segment they can more easily use the content of the textbook at home in performing their own autonomous activities. Furthermore, we could see that also in the textbook O-6 there is not a single place where the student is instructed to expand his own language knowledge through the use of the grammar. However, we find a somewhat different situation in O-7, where the student is oriented in several places to “Russian Language Grammar for Primary School” (by the aforementioned team of authors), p.: 15, 35, 44, 94, 109, 117, 177. In the Russian language textbook for the 8th grade of the mentioned textbook series (O-8), we find a reference to the grammar of the Russian language for primary school only on p. 66. Theoretical-cognitive texts Звуки и буквы are most represented in textbook O-5 (19 items), then in O-7 (7 items), while in textbooks O-6 and O-8 they are not present anywhere. The mentioned texts in the given textbooks are accompanied by an interpretation in Russian and Serbian, a large number of illustrations, and bolding, which draws students’ attention to the specific Russian vocabulary. Let us note that the prominent team of authors used the 2nd person singular in addressing the students in the aforementioned textual contributions (using a variant in both the Serbian and Russian languages), thus themselves suggesting a mutual relationship of cooperation and immediacy, as well as the achievement of independent learning and student work. What should be emphasized is that the Звуки и буквы segment is not included in the two analysed textbook structures (O-6 and O-8), which we can consider a sort of omission and deficiency, given that we know how many positive effects this type of theoretical-cognitive texts produces and as such contributes to students’ faster, easier and more permanent mastering of a foreign language and building the habit of self-learning and self-work. Обрати внимание, Внимание, Не забудь – in the aforementioned theoretical-cognitive texts, important linguistic forms and specific and relevant suffixes are bolded and highlighted with a different font and colour of the letters (bigger-smaller letters, block capitals...). The textual content in this segment is given in Russian, and is often accompanied by a variety of rich and beautifully designed illustrations. This type of text is mostly present in textbook O-5 (12 items), while it is present in only 4 places in textbook O-8. Посмотри, как переводится - a segment in which the meaning of the Russian vocabulary which is not known and is more complex for students is clarified. Its content is in bold, which draws particular attention to its significance and importance. It is especially present in O-6 (29 items), while in textbook O-7 we do not come across any theoretical-cognitive texts of this type. Запомни, Вспомни, Это надо запомнить; Запомнили ли вы; Давай ещё раз вспомним!; Давай вспомним! Давайте вспомним и запомним, как это сказать по-русски – segments that represent relevant language material in the Russian language designed in a very interesting, attractive and provocative way, which with its rich colour, illustrative content and valid visually designed structure of the text attracts the student, draws his attention to everything that is necessary and important, as well as reminds and notes to forms, expressions, phrases and sentences that are important and necessary on the way to proper mastery of Russian as a foreign language. In the analysed textbook structure O-5, this type of theoretical-cognitive texts is present in only one (1) textual contribution, which we consider a certain omission and deficiency due to the previously mentioned significance and importance, while in the remaining three textbooks it is present in a much larger number (O-6 28; O-7 15; O-8 18). Смотри, не ошибись! – this segment of theoretical-cognitive texts highlights those specific and problematic language forms that hinder students on the way to proper mastery of the Russian language. Homonymicparonymous lexical pairs, lexical units of different genders in Serbian and Russian languages are often explained there. So, in this segment, the authors warn students about the formal similarities between the Russian and Serbian languages in terms of interlingual (Russian-Serbian) homonymy and paronymy, with the establishment of the opposition of certain Russian-Serbian lexical and grammatical meanings, with the aim of getting to know the differences and preventing the interference of the native (Serbian ) language and culture. In the Russian language textbooks for the 5th and 6th grades, these relevant aspects of theoretical and cognitive texts are not present anywhere, while in the remaining 2 textbooks (O-7 and O-8) they are present, but in a rather limited number (7 and 2 textual contributions). What needs to be emphasized is the importance of the warnings of the textbook authors on the formal similarities between the Russian and Serbian languages in terms of interlingual (RussianSerbian) homonymy and paronymy, both on the phonetic-phonological and prosodic, as well as on the lexical-semantic level, and in general putting in the opposition certain Russian-Serbian lexical and grammatical meanings and realities, in order to see the differentiation and prevent the interference of the native language and culture of the students.

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