Basic principles of preparing foreign students for the “Writing” subtest TORFL-I

Abstract

The study is devoted to the relevant topic - the search for the most optimal ways to prepare students for the Writing subtest (TORFL-I) based on the principles, forming in the examinee a complex of knowledge, skills and expertise, embedded in the state educational standard in the Russian language as a foreign language of the appropriate level. The purpose of the research is to present, summarize and demonstrate on the example of the developed test tasks the principles of preparing foreigners for the Writing subtest in the system of International State Examination in the Russian Language (TORFL-I). The research materials include tasks, texts, test materials of a training nature in writing. The authors used methods of theoretical research: axiomatic, hypothetical, analytical, systemic. Empirical methods of observation, description, comparison were used when fixing the specific features of the components in the system of preparation for linguodidactic testing in Russian as a foreign language, which is carried out at Transbaikal State University at the Local Center for Testing Foreign Citizens (Chita, Russia). The results of the study show that preparation for testing should be based on certain principles - integrity, continuity, unity of control and self-control. The article emphasizes the principle of integrity as fundamental. Integrity in preparation for test in writing has several manifestations and implies the development of linguistic, communicative, sociocultural, discursive competencies among students; development of knowledge, skills and expertise in the field of writing with simultaneous development of writing techniques; considering the lexical minimum and requirements of the State Educational Standards for the first level of general proficiency in Russian as a foreign language. We also consider the principle of continuity to be important, which implies consistency in preparation for the Writing subtest - making skills and expertise automatic by repeating, looping; considering the material learned at previous levels of proficiency in Russian as a foreign language - elementary and basic. The principle of unity of control and self-control is considered in the content-functional aspect: a system of test tasks has been developed and presented, which allows to increase the effectiveness of the control and self-control process and the effectiveness of forming the competencies - linguistic, communicative, sociocultural and discursive. The methodology, based on these principles, allows foreign students to quickly adapt to passing tests and the necessary material in full.