Review
of the M.A. thesis byTatyana Dmitrievna Makarova on the topic
“Musicological approach to teaching English intonation to senior schoolchildren using computer technology”
Direction 45.04.02 “Linguistics”
M.A. Programme 5625.2022 “Theory of teaching foreign languages and intercultural communication”

  The final qualifying work presented for defense by master's student Tatyana Makarova is devoted to the study of methods and techniques for teaching English intonation to high school students in Russia. The problems of this study are due to the fact that intonation, being a universal linguistic means of conveying communicative meaning and nuances of the meaning of a statement, does not find a worthy place in teaching foreign languages in secondary school. The master's student examines this problem not only from a theoretical perspective, but also proves its relevance through diagnostic testing of schoolchildren and questioning of teachers and students, in particular, regarding the use of a musicological approach in teaching intonation.
Music is the strongest means of influencing auditory perception, the emotional sphere, and a mnemonic tool. In addition, for the age group of the experimental study, musical intelligence is leading according to the results of our research (Pavlovskaya 2004).
The goals, objectives and results of the study comply with the requirements of the educational standard of St. Petersburg State University and the educational program in terms of mastering established competencies.
The paper contains 93 pages of main text and two appendices, is illustrated with 2 tables and 27 figures, the bibliography includes 57 titles in Russian and English, including dictionaries, reference books and Internet sources. The structure of the main text of the work consists of an introduction, 2 chapters with conclusions, and a resume. The introduction contains all the necessary qualifying characteristics of the research project (goals, objectives, subject, object, practical value, novelty, methodological basis). The content is presented logically, is accessible, despite the special terminology, and contains a small number of typos and stylistic errors.
 The author devotes the first chapter, “Fundamentals of the theory of teaching intonation skills using a musicological approach,” to the analysis of scientific literature, relying on the works of domestic and foreign linguists and methodologists (L.R. Zinder, N.D. Svetozarova, I.A. Bryzgunova, O’Connor and Arnold, etc.). A comparative analysis of the intonation systems of the Russian and English languages is carried out, the goals and objectives of teaching intonation skills in high school are determined, and approaches to teaching the prosodic characteristics of speech are compared.
In the second chapter, “Practical aspects of using the musicological approach in teaching English intonation to senior schoolchildren,” the author conducts a diagnostic experiment on the perception and implementation of intonation contours of English speech based on 30 examples of the use of 10 tone groups. The implementation of intonation contours by 10 subjects is checked not only by auditory analysis, but also with the help of instrumental analysis, namely, using the PRAAT program to isolate the frequency curve of the fundamental tone of the speakers' voice. I would like to especially emphasize that the author absolutely independently chose and mastered this difficult technique for a novice researcher. In addition, the author conducted a survey of two groups of respondents (teachers and students) about the needs and difficulties of teaching English intonation and the possibilities of using a musicological approach. Having received compelling reasons for developing an innovative methodology for teaching intonation using song material selected in such a way that the melody of musical phrases coincides with the melody of intonation patterns, the author offers exercises based on chanting speech and singing spoken phrases of a similar rhythm and intonation pattern. The effectiveness of this method has not yet been tested, but the master’s student hopes to continue her research.
 The work meets all the requirements for the thesis of Master's students at St. Petersburg State University, including its design. I think that the M.A. paper by T.D. Makarova can be admitted to the defense and deserves an “Excellent” (A) rating with a recommendation to continue research and study at postgraduate programme at St. Petersburg State University.
Scientific adviser,
  Doctor of Philology, prof. I.Yu. Pavlovskaya
  05/27/2024.