Enhancing understanding of A. S. Pushkin’s lyrics during testing and teaching activities using educational hypertext

Abstract

The article discusses the current issue of methodological support for a Russian language lesson designed in line with the linguoconceptocentric approach. The research aims to justify the feasibility and the way of employing the hypertext journey method in the language education of secondary school students. Understanding hypertext as a non-linear text with hyperlinks, the author indicates its didactic purpose, i. e. to create conditions for students to receive additional information, audiovisual materials that contribute to the understanding of the linguistic concept(s) of the source text. Based on the analysis of scientific, methodological, and philological experience, texts of different genres, students’ creative works in conjunction with empirical research, a hypertext journey model was developed. It is as follows: a linguistic concept – the main (source) text – reference materials characterising the semantic fields of the word-concept (such as comments, dictionary entries) – aphorisms, proverbs – conceptually (thematically, ideologically, axiologically) related texts – works of audiovisual arts – own text (a conceptocentric essay). The paper describes didactic material, i. e. hypertext. It is comprised of fragments of literary (prose and poetic) and non-fiction texts united ideologically, axiologically, and thematically (conceptually). Such texts are characterised by linguistic importance and philosophicality which are subjected to interpretive, philological, and conceptual analysis. Attention is given to the technique of hypertext composition. The research determines the stages in following the hypertext journey method in the classroom: from presenting a concept to writing a conceptocentric essay. Testing carried out on the example of the hypertext journey ‘Art’ shows that this method significantly enhances schoolchildren’s semantic basis. Moreover, it helps them structure their art knowledge system, provides material for students’ own creative works, teaches them to use what they read as an argument in an argumentative text, and promotes speech development. As a result, this method enriches schoolchildren’s conceptual sphere.