CONTEMPORARY SONGS AS A MEANS OF REPRESENTING THE SOCIO-CULTURAL SPHERE AND TEACHING THE UKRAINIAN LANGUAGE TO FOREIGNERS (using the song “The Old Tram” by the band “Pikkardiiska Tertsiya” as an example)

Abstract

The article demonstrates the value of using contemporary Ukrainian songs as a tool for teaching the Ukrainian language to foreign learners and as a key factor in representing the socio-cultural sphere. The main advantages of song material in the educational process are identified: the development of listening skills, the improvement of pronunciation, the enrichment of vocabulary, the acquisition of grammatical structures, the stimulation of speech activity, and the creation of a positive emotional atmosphere in the classroom. It has been established that contemporary songs contribute to the development of communicative, linguistic and cultural, and intercultural competences, stimulate students’ cognitive activity, increase their motivation to learn, and facilitate the acquisition of linguistic material. It is emphasised that the combination of linguistic and cultural components in the structure of song lyrics ensures a comprehensive impact on the development of students’ language skills and sociocultural awareness. Attention is drawn to the criteria for selecting contemporary songs for Ukrainian as a foreign language classes, and their significance in creating an authentic language environment is highlighted.
Taking the song ‘The Old Tram’ by the band ‘Pikkardiiska Tertsiya’ as an example, this paper analyses its linguistic and educational potential. It identifies ways in which this piece can be used to develop the phonetic, lexical, grammatical and sociocultural skills of international students. It has been demonstrated that the song’s subject matter, the performers’ clear diction, moderate tempo and vivid imagery make it suitable for use at various levels of teaching Ukrainian as a foreign language. The methodological implementation of work with the song ‘The Old Tram’ involves a phased organisation of the teaching process, encompassing preparatory, main and concluding stages. This structure ensures a gradual transition from the activation of background knowledge to the formation of language skills and the development of foreign students’ communicative and sociocultural competences. The practical value of the study lies in the possibility of applying the proposed phased model for working with the song and the system of learning tasks in the teaching of Ukrainian as a foreign language.