Keyword: «intercultural competence»

Currently, the formation of intercultural competence of students at professional non-linguistic colleges as part of studying a foreign language is becoming an important aspect in the development of the system of secondary vocational education. Intercultural competence is a key skill in the modern world, where the demand for a specialist depends not only on his professional qualities, but also on the ability to socially adapt through interaction with representatives of different cultures, partners and clients. In modern education, training must expand beyond narrow specialization and include a comprehensive approach to student development. The orientation of educational programs to the needs of industrial labor markets also involves the development of pedagogical conditions for the formation of intercultural competence within the framework of learning a foreign language. The aim of this study was to specify the content of intercultural competence of students at a non-linguistic vocational college. The implementation of this goal was carried out based on the provisions of the systemic, competency-based, personality-oriented approaches. The author used such methods of theoretical research as analysis of scientific pedagogical literature; terminological analysis; comparison, systematization and generalization of scientific views and ideas of modern domestic and foreign researchers. Despite the diversity of points of view of domestic and foreign researchers in determining the essence of the phenomenon under consideration, they all note the need to integrate the cultural context into the process of teaching foreign languages, which will allow future specialists and graduates of secondary vocational educational institutions to effectively interact with representatives of other cultures. As a result of the theoretical research, a definition of intercultural competence of students at non-linguistic secondary vocational educational institutions in the context of learning a foreign language was formulated. The development of this competence presupposes that students have specific knowledge, skills and abilities that allow them to successfully function in conditions of cultural diversity, find a common language with representatives of other cultures and build constructive interaction with them. As a result of the analysis of domestic and foreign scientific literature, the content of intercultural competence of students at a non-linguistic vocational college was determined. The theoretical significance of the study consists in clarifying the content of intercultural competence of students in secondary vocational education programs. The practical significance consists in verifying the directions for adjusting foreign language curricula taking into account the content of intercultural competence highlighted in this article. The scientific novelty consists in the fact that the author has identified and substantiated the structural components of the phenomenon under study, the focus on which in the process of developing foreign language curricula for students of a non-linguistic professional college will allow a systematic approach to the issue of developing intercultural competence.

The English language has ceased to be just the language of the culture of the United Kingdom and the USA and has become the language of international communication. The aim of the research was to identify how sociocultural competence is implemented in teaching English as a language of international communication within the school educational and methodological complex "English in Focus" for the 9th grade. An overview of scientific article databases shows that teaching English as a language of international communication is a relevant topic for research. The literature analysis revealed that, in the context of this study, the most significant component of foreign language communicative competence is sociocultural competence, which familiarizes learners with the peculiarities of communication within a specific cultural context. Approaches to teaching English as a foreign language and as a language of international communication were identified. Requirements for educational materials for teaching English as a language of international communication were defined: the presence of materials about local/native culture, the culture of the target language, and world/global culture in approximately equal proportions. The literature review showed that modern educational materials in various countries do not meet these requirements. An analysis of the "English in Focus" educational complex for the 9th grade of general education schools was conducted during the study. The results indicated that the materials predominantly focus on the UK and the USA (66-77%), while materials about native culture are almost absent (3-4%), and materials on world culture are insufficiently represented (4-20%). The new concept of English as a language of international communication and lingua franca has its own characteristics, as it implies a greater significance of the sociocultural component as a basis for forming not only foreign language communicative competence but also intercultural competence. The study substantiated the necessity of using additional materials with sociocultural content in English lessons at school, as they are one of the means for developing target competences. The research practically proved that for the successful development of these competences, it is essential to introduce a greater variety of materials related to both native/local/regional culture and world culture without the predominant influence of any specific culture.

The relevance of the study is determined by changes in global approaches to English language teaching, where there is a paradigm shift from teaching English as a foreign language to teaching English as a language of international communication. In light of the global transition to a new concept, it is necessary to reconsider key principles, particularly the need to form and develop intercultural competence through the medium of English, which can be achieved by selecting appropriate intercultural materials. One significant drawback of school educational and methodological complexes is the lack of supplementary video materials that could update the content of English language textbooks. The aim of the study was to justify the necessity of developing intercultural and regional video materials to complement existing educational and methodological complexes for English language teaching and to examine the effectiveness of their use in order to update the content of these complexes. During the study, a set of video materials consisting of 7 videos with methodological materials was worked out and tested with the participation of international students from Petrozavodsk State University. The trial involved 110 students from grades 9–11 and 8 English language teachers from district schools in the Republic of Karelia. The results of the study showed that the video materials are interesting and in demand among students and teachers. The findings indicated that 98% of students learned a lot about the cultures of other countries and noted their significant differences from their native culture. 100% of teachers stated that the tested video materials have the potential to foster a positive attitude towards their native culture, the culture of other countries, and the study of English. The theoretical significance of the research lies in justifying the necessity for developing and utilizing intercultural video materials in addition to school English language textbooks. The results of the study are practically relevant as they can be used for further development of a set of video materials for school textbooks.

The article examines methods and strategies aimed at improving high school students' speaking skills in English. It describes a comprehensive approach that includes the use of traditional techniques and modern digital technologies. Special attention is paid to engaging students through collaborative tasks, modeling communication situations, and working with audio-visual materials in preparation for the oral part of the Unified State Exam.

This article explores the role of foreign-language historical and cultural texts as a tool for enhancing cultural literacy within foreign language lessons. The author emphasizes the methodological value of such texts, outlines the stages of working with them, and provides examples and tasks. A universal model for analyzing texts is presented, aimed at fostering respect for cultural diversity, developing critical thinking, and building student’s intercultural competence in students.