DEVELOPMENT OF ENGLISH-SPEAKING PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE OF TEACHERS AND STUDENTS OF HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTES

Abstract

The relevance of the study is determined by the requirements of the society for the professionalism of teachers at higher education institutions who have a sufficient level of English-speaking professional competence through the convergence of European professional education and practice that has developed  with foreign language trainings of future specialists in   these higher education institutions.

The article emphasized that in Ukraine the English-speaking trainings  of psychology  students  is based on the concept  of foreign education, the basis of which is integrated in the language and culture education.  The purpose of such an education, in our opinion, is to teach language through culture, and culture through language. “Foreign language course for professional purpose” at higher education institutions acquires special motivation , subject to the professional interests of the students as future specialists. Through the interconnection of academic disciplines on the basis of inter-subject coordination of the English language makes it possible to form a whole picture of perception of prospective professional activity.

It proved that the content component of English-speaking competence in training of students at higher education institutions is aimed primarily at increasing a part of interactive forms of training – thematic discussions, practical exercises, including interactive ones. In the course of experimental studies (2018-2019) to determine the levels of development of English-speaking professional competence of future psycologists a complex of English classes was developped  with second-year psycology students at the Department of Social Psycology of Zaporizhzhia national university.

It was shown that the total average English-speaking professional competence of the respondents was 9.13 points from possible 20 points. This indicates the urgent need for improvement of English trainings in higher education institutions. Thus, in response to increased English proficiency requirements by graduates of higher education institutions, increased competition in the European market, the global crisis in pedagogical science occurs the process of an intensive search for such approaches and methods of teaching English to students that would ensure the formation of personality of future specialists in a competitive environment on the Eropean labor market.

We see the further studies in modelling the process of professional and personal development of students at higher education institutions by means of the English  anguage.

Key words: English-speaking professional competence; teacher; higher education institution; future specialists; professional trainings; development.