Study of humanitarian high school students’ readiness for intercultural communication formation

Abstract

© 2015 by the authors. The scope of the international activity of Russia has increased today. This fact demands a good knowledge of foreign languages. Foreign languages are used by high schools graduates in foreign offices of Russian companies, in foreign companies abroad and for communication in all sorts of professional conferences. Modern high school graduates’ competitive advantage, career and success in life is determined along with qualifying characteristics by their following abilities: to adapt to the new information space in the international environment; to be professionally trained to participate in international business communications; to be able to adapt all personal qualities in a particular labor market. Adequate verbal behavior in any profession requires the development of not only the language skills, but also knowledge of the laws, customs, and national mentality of the studied country language. All this requires a qualitatively new approach to foreign language teaching. The article reveals the essence and the basic characteristics of readiness for intercultural communication, the principles of readiness for intercultural communication formation and educational potential of the discipline “Foreign Language” in the formation of this readiness. The study found levels of the students’ readiness for intercultural communication development , defined criteria and proposed diagnostic tools, and complex problem-communicative methods of social and functional competencies formation, providing professional orientation and substantial basis in the course of students’ foreign language activities. The results of experimental work suggest the viability and validity of pedagogical conditions of humanitarian high school students’ readiness for intercultural communication formation.