Darya O. Lebedeva

The issue of ensuring a high-quality and effective process of teaching Russian as a foreign language (RFL) – the language of specialization – remains one of the central challenges in the context of modern geopolitical "shifts," which have led to an increase in the number of foreign medical students at Russian universities. The training of medical professionals requires the integration of specialized and language education, fostering not only communicative competence but also professional skills. Despite the existing interest in case technology as an interactive, "contextual" teaching method, its application in teaching RFL to future doctors remains underdeveloped, which underscores the relevance of this study. The aim of the research is to justify the feasibility of using the case-study method in RFL classes for medical students. The research methodology is based on an experimental approach, including the step-by-step development and testing of educational cases related to medicine. Based on a critical analysis of methodological approaches to designing RFL teaching tools, the authors created a portfolio of educational cases, a fragment of which is presented as an illustration of the potential for integrating case technology into the medical educational environment (the core of the case involves modeling a situation in Russian – studying a patient's medical history and its subsequent interpretation for medical practice). The study employed quantitative and qualitative data collection methods (student surveys, observation of their learning activities) and an assessment of communicative and professional achievements. It was proven that (1) cases actualize real communicative situations for medical professionals, fostering the development of professional reflection, critical thinking, and adaptive mobility among students; (2) the use of the case method increases the level of engagement for non-native speakers in the learning process and contributes to the acquisition of professional medical competences. The theoretical significance of the study lies in expanding the range of pedagogical technologies and introducing a new educational tool into RFL teaching methodology. The practical value is determined by the development of a portfolio of medicine-related educational cases that combine the traditional structure of RFL classes with innovative forms of presenting educational material, ensuring the implementation of an interdisciplinary approach to the development of communicative and professional skills among non-native speakers.