Natalia N. Krivosheeva

This article addresses the issue of developing soft skills in students of various majors—humanities (creative) fields, engineering (technical) specialties, and IT disciplines. The relevance of this research is driven by the need to prepare competitive professionals who are capable not only of creating high-quality creative output but also of presenting it effectively, engaging in dialogue with colleagues and clients, and feeling confident in public spaces and foreign language environments. The aim of this work is to identify the level of awareness and proficiency in soft skills among students of different majors, to pinpoint gaps in their understanding of the structure and content of soft skills, and to justify the necessity of integrating these skills into higher education curricula across various fields. The article includes an analysis of scientific literature and an experimental study conducted together with students majoring in humanities, engineering and IT fields in the form of a survey during foreign (English) language classes. This provided extensive material for further developing a foreign language curriculum that incorporates soft skills into the learning process. The results confirm the authors' hypothesis regarding the insufficient level of soft skills proficiency among students, primarily those majoring in engineering fields. The study revealed significant differences in the perception of the importance of soft skills depending on the areas of training. Humanities majors demonstrate the highest level of such awareness and acknowledge the necessity of developing both skill categories (hard and soft). IT specialists take up an intermediate position, recognizing the significance of both categories. Technical specialists show the most pronounced focus on hard skills, reflecting the entrenched paradigm in technical education that prioritizes subject-specific knowledge. An important finding of the study was the identification of a systemic deficit in understanding the structure of soft skills: students exhibit an insufficiently complete and often distorted perception of their content. The research holds high theoretical significance, as the latest studies, including those by scholars, labor market researchers, and employers, indicate a critical decline in the level of soft skills among graduates of Russian universities. The practical significance of the study lies in the fact that the obtained data can be used to design curricula for various majors in accordance with the needs of the learners.

This article is devoted to the basic principles of teaching oral foreign language speech to students of creative specialties, in particular future artists, designers and teachers of fine arts. Given the specifics of their professional activities, special attention is paid to the application of the English for Specific Purposes (ESP) approach. Methodological approach allows us to build the learning process in such a way that the language training of students is directly related to their future professional field and ensures the formation of the necessary communication skills. The relevance of the research is due to the increasing role of the English language in the professional activities of representatives of creative professions. In the context of globalization and digitalization of art, foreign language proficiency is becoming not only a means of international communication, but also an important tool for professional growth, providing access to foreign educational programs, international competitions, and expanding employment opportunities. The scientific novelty of the work consists in a comprehensive analysis of the principles of teaching oral speech in a multilingual educational environment, taking into account the specifics of the professional training of students in creative fields. The article examines the features of the formation of oral communicative competence among students in the process of teaching English, provides the author's methodological solutions aimed at improving the effectiveness of the educational process. The methodological basis of the research includes pedagogical observation and questionnaires aimed at identifying the most successful principles and methods of teaching oral foreign language speech. In the course of the research, the author analyzes the degree of effectiveness of various methods, evaluates their practical significance and suggests principles that make it possible to adapt training to the professional needs of students. The survey results confirm the need to focus on professionally oriented communication, the use of visual and project-based teaching methods, as well as the inclusion of role-playing games and work with digital tools in the educational process. The author highlights the key principles of oral language teaching that contribute to the formation of stable communication skills, and offers recommendations for optimizing the methodology of teaching English to students of creative specialties.