DEVELOPING CRITICAL THINKING USING SEMIOTICS OF MEDIA CONTENT IN TEACHING ENGLISH WITHIN THE COMMUNICATIVE APPROACH

The paper deals with the challenge of using media content in teaching English within the communicative approach. It briefly characterises the traditional and the communicative approach in teaching foreign languages and summarises the major differences between them. At the same time, arising from the principles of the semiotic approach to language teaching and learning (as it is included in the communicative approach) and using the "index, icon, symbol" classification of signs it suggests lesson activities utilising technology and media content and challenging students' critical thinking. The paper attempts to inspire teachers of English and help them incorporate media content into their lessons and question it in order to embrace media education as a cross-cutting topic within an established compulsory subject.