Keyword: «growth mindset»

The relevance of the research problem is driven by several factors, including the need to adapt to new realities in the rapidly changing modern world, as well as the importance of fostering psychological resilience to such changes. In the context of foreign language teaching, the development of flexible thinking also takes center stage. In this way, cognitive flexibility influences one’s ability to sustain communication in daily life, successfully overcome barriers in interaction, perceive learning as a process where mistakes serve as opportunities for professional growth, lay the foundation for a growth mindset, and rely on critical thinking to understand the logic of a foreign language. Of particular importance is the study of cognitive flexibility in relation to English language teaching at a non-linguistic university, where students learn both general English and English for specific purposes. The latter involves simulating real workplace scenarios, analyzing professional case studies, and engaging in specialized discussions. Accordingly, the aim of this article is to outline the psychological and pedagogical aspects of developing cognitive flexibility in non-linguistic university students by identifying its key characteristics and proposing targeted exercises. The study is grounded in cognitive flexibility theory and constructivist theory of learning. The findings reveal the following features of cognitive flexibility: the ability to adapt to changing conditions, the capacity to generate novel and creative solutions, the application of existing knowledge in new contexts, the analysis of problems or situations from multiple perspectives, the ability to switch between different rules and tasks, and the demonstration of a growth mindset. Based on these characteristics, the paper describes task types that facilitate the acquisition of essential skills for adapting to the demands of the modern world. The theoretical significance of the study lies in its comprehensive examination of cognitive flexibility, enriching the understanding of executive brain functions and their application in foreign language learning. The practical significance of the research is twofold: it expands the methodological repertoire of creative exercises for English language instructors and it demonstrates the potential for applying the proposed techniques in other educational contexts, tailored to learners' needs.