USING PROVERBS IN
TEACHING ENGLISH
To promote interest in studying
the English language, I actively use English proverbs. Knowledge of proverbs
helps the students know the life, the history and the culture of English people
better. They reflect national characteristics, the way of living as well as its
language.
Proverbs are defined as short
expressions of popular wisdom.
A "proverb" is a short,
traditional saying in general use.
The meaning or interpretation
shown for each saying is believed to be the generally accepted interpretation
of the saying, though for some sayings the interpretation may be more
subjective than for others.
The meaning or interpretation
can be different
A big tree attracts the
woodsman's axe.
Meaning: Great people will
attract great criticism.
Possible interpretation: The rich
make good targets for thieves and burglars.
Do you remember any English
proverbs?
Fingers were invented before
knives and forks.
First come, first served.
First deserve, then desire.
The first step to health is to
know that we are sick.
Meaning: Do more important things
before other things.
Don't put all your eggs in one
basket.
Meaning: Do not rest all your
hopes on one eventuality; plan for several cases.
Many proverbs are built on
consonance and rhyme, therefore they are easy to be remembered for many years
and have a strong emotional impact on learners.
A friend in need is a
friend indeed.
An apple a day keeps the
doctor away.
Eat at pleasure, drink
with measure.
Better one small fish than
an empty dish.
The aims of using proverbs:
-improving phonetic skills of
students;
-explanation of some grammatical
phenomena;
-extension of vocabulary;
-promoting speech activity.
Improving phonetic skills of
students:
Губно губной звук w: Where there is a will there is a way.
Носовой звук ŋ: The
proof of the pudding is in the eating.
Межзубные звуки θ ð:
Wealth is nothing without health. Birds of a feather flock together. He was
born with a silver spoon in his mouth.
Explanation of some grammatical
phenomena:
Imperative mood: Never say die.
Don’t teach your grandmother to suck eggs.
Degrees of comparison: The more,
the merrier. A good name is better than riches.
Modal verbs: A man can do no more
than he can. A child must first creep, then go. A cat may look at a king.
Present Simple: Tastes differ.
Bad news flies fast. Every bird likes his own nest.
Passive Voice: Rome was not built
in a day. Much is expected where much is given.
Extension of vocabulary:
Live and learn. It is never too
late to learn. To know everything is to know nothing. Knowledge is power.
Repetition is the mother of learning. Before you choose a friend eat a bushel
of salt with him. Be slow in choosing a friend, but slower in changing him. A
friend to all is a friend to none.
Promoting speech activity:
A proverb can be a theme for a
composition. It can be a material for a dialogue. Students can draw the
pictures to let their classmates guess the proverbs. They can illustrate the
proverbs using their body language or gestures. They can also think of an
advertisement with the help of a proverb or comment on the proverb.
There are several phases while
working with proverbs:
-presentation. During the
presentation, the proverb is written on the blackboard and the students read it
aloud.
-work on content. If you work on
content, explain some difficult words using synonyms and translations into
Russian together with the students.
-work on pronunciation. Start
with focusing on difficult sounds. First students read a single word with these
sounds, then the whole proverb. They do it together and individually.
-usage of proverbs in the spoken
language.
Working with proverbs, have
the following steps:
-match the Russian equivalent to
the English proverbs;
-insert antonym to the bold word
;
-write the last word of the
proverb;
-connect fragments of 1 and 2
column to get famous proverbs;
-explain the meaning of proverbs;
-write a story, the proverb can
be the headline
Match the first half of the
proverb to its ending.
Don't look a
gift horse 1) gets the bone.
A friend in
need 2) less speed.
Don't put off
until tomorrow 3) is worth two in the bush.
The early
bird 4) has
a silver lining.
Where there is
a will 5) catches the worm.
The patient
dog 6) is a friend indeed.
Every cloud 7)
there is always a way.
It is better to
have loved and lost 8) what you can do today.
A
disappointment 9) by its cover.
A bird in hand
10) in the mouth.
More haste 11)
than never to have loved at all.
Don't judge a
book 12) is a blessing.
Match the Russian equivalent
to the English proverbs
|
Deeds, not words
|
Ворон ворону глаз не выклюет
|
|
Diligence
is the mother of success (good luck)
|
Терпенье и труд всё перетрут
|
|
Divide and rule
|
Человек человеку волк
|
|
Do as you
would be done by
|
Когда хочешь себе добра, то никому не делай зла.
Чего себе не желаешь, того и другому не твори
|
|
Do unto
others as you would have them do unto you
|
Поступай с другими так, как ты бы хотел, чтобы они поступали с тобой
|
|
Dog does
not eat dog
|
(Нужны) дела, а не слова
|
|
Dog eats dog
|
Разделяй и властвуй
|
Using the
right proverb at the right moment gives students a tremendous sense of
competency and fluency in English – something that students often struggle to
achieve. “No pain, no gain.”
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