On the problem of foreign language phonetic competence formation in preschool children

The article analyzes the issue of foreign language competence formation in senior preschoolers in English lessons, in particular the issue of phonetic competence formation; the formation of correct foreign language sound pronunciation in preschool children. It is noted that teaching preschool children a foreign language should take into account the age and individual characteristics of children. The essence of the key concepts of the study is clarified in the article: «competence», «foreign language competence», «phonetic competence». The importance of phonetic game as a means of phonetic competence in senior preschoolers formation is theoretically justified in the article too. Scientific psychological and pedagogical researches on this problem is analyzed; it is scientifically justified that the senior preschool age is sensitive for learning the foreign languages; the features of the development of the articulatory apparatus in the process of reproduction of sounds of native and foreign languages by senior preschool children are considered. It is determined that foreign-language phonetic competence of senior preschool children is the ability of children correctly to pronounce all sounds and sound combinations of speech in accordance with orthoepic norms, accents; the presence of a well-developed phonemic hearing, which helps differentiate phonemes; the possession of intonation means of speech expressiveness (tempo, timbre, voice strength, logical accents, etc.). The components of phonetic competence are clear articulation of native language sounds, phonetic correctness or correct sound pronunciation, orthoepic correctness of speech, speech breathing, diction, voice strength, speech tempo, timbre, phonetic hearing, means of intonation expressiveness. Examples of phonetic games that can be used in English lessons, at the stage of phonetic charging, in order to form foreign-language phonetic competence in senior preschool children are given