Проблемы преподавания иностранного языка для профессионального общения в аграрном вузе и пути их решения

Abstract

Foreign language teaching for professional communication in an agrarian university is carried out on the basis of one of two approaches: a) foreign language for specific purposes and b) content and language integrated learning. The purpose of foreign language teaching within the framework of a foreign language for specific purposes is the mastering of professional vocabulary by students and teaching translation of a professional orientation text. Content and language inte-grated learning aims at a) the development of students’ foreign language communicative compe-tence in the professional sphere of communication and b) teaching a profile discipline in a foreign language. Depending on the choice of a methodic approach to teaching, the content and methods of teaching, the requirements for teaching materials and the competence of the teacher of a foreign language will change. Based on the analysis and generalization of the experience of the Voronezh State Agrarian University named after Emperor Peter the Great, the main problems associated with foreign language teaching for professional purposes in an agrarian university are considered. We identify four such problems: 1) different levels of students’ proficiency in a foreign language; 2) teaching materials in a foreign language for professional communication are developed on the basis of a foreign language for special purposes; 3) the selection of the subject content of teaching is not carried out taking into account the intradisciplinary specialization of students of a specific training profile; 4) a foreign language teacher is not always competent in the field of the students’ profile specialty. We discuss each problem in detail and offer possible solutions.