POLYLINGUAL EDUCATION IN NON-LINGUISTIC HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

Abstract

Background: Globalization processes directly affect the system of foreign language training in particular in non-linguistic higher education institutions and determine the need for its modernization. Such modernization requires both the theoretical and methodological substantiation of the strategic goal of foreign language training in Ukraine. We formulate this goal as formation of a polycultural professional linguistic personality, primarily, a secondary professional linguistic personality. Formation of the secondary linguistic personality is accompanied by acculturation i.e a person’s involvement in the secondary culture, its norms and traditions. Since acculturation is generally impossible without polylingualism, so raising the question of polylingualism in Ukrainian universities has become well-timed and expedient in the conditions of globalization and integration and determines the relevance of the article.

Purpose. The purpose of the article is to substantiate the feasibility of polylingual education in non-linguis­tic higher education institutions and outline the ways of its implementation.

Results. The introduction of polylingualism provides freedom of choice since it enables such an organization of the learning process where the use of more than one foreign language for instruction will becomes possible. It will primarily promote the diversification of professionally oriented foreign language training of students that will result in provision of personalized learning, particularly in the field of foreign language training, as well as freedom to choose languages for mastering, and, therefore, a student’s autonomy, which is relevant to the whole system of our higher education. The introduction of polylingualism also prompts the introduction of a pan-European stan­dardized level of foreign language proficiency, providing future language specialists with a foreign-language com­municative competence recognized in a broad European format. The introduction of polylingual education implies the need for effective innovative methods, compulsory teaching of foreign languages by their native speakers, structural improvement of foreign language training, etc. Though polylingualism has become the matter of re­search in some contemporary studies, however the theoretical foundations and technologies of its teaching have not yet been developed in the domestic and foreign pedagogical literature.

Discussion. The introduction of polylingualism into the educational process of non-linguistic higher educa­tional institutions is considered as means that will give the students freedom to choose the language of instruction; will facilitate the diversification of professionally oriented foreign language training; will form polylinguistic com­petence, updating the level approach to language learning and requiring further development of theoretical and methodological principles and relevant innovative techniques.