EDUCATIONAL CONDITIONS FOR THE FORMATION OF INTERCULTURAL COMPETENCE OF STUDENTS AT THE FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

Abstract

The article is devoted to the development of intercultural competence as one of the main competencies of language training of higher education students at the Faculty of Foreign Languages of Pavlo Tychyna Uman State Pedagogical University. The author considers the theoretical foundations of intercultural competence in the educational environment, which are outlined in the basic document in the field of language education “Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment”. The article considers the model of formation of intercultural competence and its components: knowledge, skills, attitudes, and education. Based on this model, the educational conditions for the formation of intercultural competence at the Faculty of Foreign Languages of Pavlo Tychyna Uman State Pedagogical University, where foreign citizens from Turkmenistan study, are analyzed. As part of the study, a survey of 4th year students of the Faculty of Foreign Languages was conducted, in which both foreign citizens of Turkmenistan and Ukrainians became respondents. It was found that none of them had any previous knowledge of each other’s country, except for general information about the country from geography and world history lessons at school. The article finds that by teaching English as a language of intercultural communication, the conditions for students are created, regardless of nationality, to realize themselves as representatives of culture; involvement of students in cultural events of different levels dedicated to folk traditions, national holidays, and anniversaries promotes an effective dialogue of cultures, critical analysis of cultural similarities and differences, and acceptance of the culture of another country; awareness of current globalization trends shows that the importance of establishing ties with all countries of the world is growing, as all countries unite for a common future. Keywords: culture; communication; intercultural competence; learning English; language of international communication; intercultural bias; model of intercultural competence; educational conditions; prerequisites for effective intercultural competence.