Untitled

saxelmwifo enis swavlebis sakiTxebi:
problemebi da gamowvevebi
Issues of State Language Teaching;
Problems and Challenges
random phenomenon. Informational text has its specific characteristics, which make it difficult to understand,
and negatively influence the reader's motivation.
In this regard, the second language learner is faced with the task even more difficult. Lack of vocabulary
resources is added to the linguistic and structural aspects that make informational texts incomprehensible to
the majority of second language learners. The most crucial of the factors that impede processing of informational
texts are: Legibility, vocabulary, background knowledge, concepts and terminology, and syntax.
Low Level of Legibility
One of the most important and striking aspects that impede comprehension of the informational text is related
to its legibility. A second language learner has difficulty to understand and comprehend texts if they are
printed in very low font, are overcrowded with typos and include irrelevant elements.
Unknown Words
Affluence of unknown words within the text makes informational texts also difficult to read and comprehend.
Below is given an example, which shows that even the simple instruction, which contains unknown
words, may lack clarity for a second language learner:
Draw a Venn diagram and compare to each other the protagonist and his/her friend.
Lack of Background Subject Matter knowledge
An informational text is difficult to comprehend when a student lacks background knowledge. For example,
if students do not have a basic knowledge of genetics, presumably, giving thorough explanation of concepts
cannot be a big help in understanding the text below.
Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is a biopolymer and its monomeric units are called nucleotides. DNA is
the main constituent of chromosomes, which make the genetic material of living. The main functions of DNA
are to store information and transmit it hereditarily.
Monomers and nucleotides of DNA contain saccharine deoxyribose, remainder of the phosphoric acid
and a Nitrogen-based molecule: Adenine (A), Guanine (G), Cytosine (C) or Thymine (T) (Source: Wikipedia).
Complex Concepts / Terms
Complex concepts/terms make informational texts difficult to understand. The example given above
could serve as a vivid evidence to illustrate this fact.
Complex Syntax
In general, a long, compound sentences are more difficult to understand than concise, simple ones. Complex
sentences with multiple independent and dependent clauses, of course, increase the complexity of the
text.
For example:
Proselytism is the intention of converting others to one's own religion, which may include any kind of direct
or indirect interference in an individual's religious belief in order to undermine person's beliefs through
any kind of temptation, moral or material assistance, fraudulent means, or inexperience, trust, need, low intellect
or naivety.
This is an example of a single sentence, which is perceived as difficult to understand, due to the complex
construction. If we decompose the same sentence into several simple sentences, problem with its understanding
would be easily solved.
How to help students to understand texts in the textbook?
Most of the materials for students come from textbooks. Also, the number of available materials accessible
through internet is increasing day by day. If a teacher assumes that informational texts available are very
complex and majority of students are frustrated, something must be done. Teacher may generally reject to use
the text. On the other hand, it is possible to adapt the same text.
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