TEACHING INTERCULTURAL COMPETENCE

Abstract

The article еnlightens some problems in the field of teaching culture withinthe frames of foreign language studies curricula. It is also stated that in accordance with the standards of basic foreign language competences this aspect is still neglected to some extent in the classroom. The article provides a concept of intercultural communicative competence though some researchers find it too vague. In addition, some discrepancies between the new approach to teaching culture and traditional methods, beliefs and discourses related to teaching culture have been analyzed and discussed. The authors have carried out a critical analysis of results of numerous studies of the cultural component of in the field of culture teaching so as to reveal their drawbacks and advantages and to propose possible ways of solving this issue. As some researchers claim in order to develop intercultural competence amidst students of foreign languages departments teachers are to broaden their knowledge of language and culture interaction to avoid stereotyped approaches. Because of new tendencies in teaching culture not only besides philological or literatural issues, they have to deal with such disciplines as semiotics, anthropology, history, sociology and other sciences in the process of discussing culture to master their skills and respond to new challenges.