How to improve literacy in a foreign language?Language and consciousness are inseparable concepts. (I recommend the book of the same name by A.R. Luria for reading to those who are deeply interested in this subject.) Therefore, linguistic psychology, working at the intersection of two sciences, for its part helps people master foreign languages. The topic of today’s article is speech literacy in foreign languages. Many of us have been studying languages ​​for many years, but are still embarrassed to speak these languages ​​for fear of looking illiterate. While literacy is quite amenable to development. Literacy depends to the greatest extent on the following things: 1. On the kind of speech that surrounds you. This is fundamentally important at any stage of learning a foreign language, from beginner to advanced. Therefore, despite the fact that learning a foreign language from scratch is easier with a Russian teacher than with a foreign teacher, we recommend listening to native speakers from the very beginning. Your ear will become accustomed to the sound of foreign speech, and after this, the speech apparatus will begin to prepare for proper functioning. Let it be at least songs in the language you are learning or news - even if you only understand a few words so far. 2. From reading. Regular reading of authentic (native) texts constantly develops and improves your speech. This is not always easy right away, and the result is not always quickly noticeable, but this activity step by step increases your literacy in a foreign language. 3. From studying the structure of the language, that is, grammar itself. Grammar can be approached in different ways, and everyone is looking for the most convenient option for themselves. Many people find it convenient to approach grammar from a practical perspective, when they already have some speaking skills. Various language teaching methods use early approaches to grammar.4.From writing. Yes, you need to write, and it’s better to do it with a pen or pencil than with a keyboard or sensor. Why? Because this is how the brain works: the areas of the cerebral cortex associated with the work of the fingers are also directly related to speech and thinking. Of course, when typing on the keyboard, your fingers also work, but in a completely different way. And now a little more about listening and reading. Correctly sounding speech in a foreign language is the key to everything, the foundation of the system. This is consistent with the natural mechanism of speech development. The sounds of our native language surround us from the moment we are born. Their perception precedes the rest of our linguistic capabilities. Moreover, it launches them. The better your listening comprehension is, the better your speaking will be. However, the opposite is also true: the more correctly you speak, the better you perceive and understand by ear. This mechanism is again based on psychophysiology. We do not have a separate auditory system, a separate speech system, but we have an auditory-speech system. Reading is the key to writing and to literacy in general. Generations that read and write more literately than generations that have not been read. In other words, until you develop the habit of reading, you won’t be able to write correctly either. And here psychophysiology is “to blame”: the areas of the cerebral cortex responsible for written speech (reading + writing) are located too close to each other and are closely interconnected. When starting the practice of reading in a foreign language, it is very important to follow some rules: - start with the simplest and short texts. Let it be comics, recipes, headlines, short descriptions from guidebooks - the main thing is that you can understand this text! Complicate tasks for yourself gradually, move from simple to complex. Additional difficulties on the path to mastering a foreign language are not always necessary. -Read only authentic literature. That is, literature written by native speakers. Then, simultaneously with literacy, you will develop an equally important element - a sense of language. - Do not rush to translate every unfamiliar word! Make an effort, read at least the entire sentence, or better yet, the entire paragraph. Understand the context, that is, what it’s about/ .