Conditions for the formation of professional identity of students — future foreign language teachers

Abstract

The authors of the article reveal the topic of the formation of the professional identity of students — future foreign language teachers — in the context of higher professional education system. The paper considers the elements of identity, which are goals, values, and beliefs. It presents the spheres in which identity is realized, namely profession, religion, politics, and social roles. The authors reflect the emotional and behavioral levels at which identity is expressed. They also reveal personal and professional needs according to A. Maslow’s hierarchical pyramid of needs, in which being satisfied brings a person closer to his self-actualization, selfrealization in his professional practice. The paper presents the characteristics of three components of professional identity (according to L.B. Schneider): cognitive, emotional, and behavioral; which form its structure. Besides these, the article presents the developed pedagogical conditions that contribute to the formation of professional identity of students — future foreign language teachers. The main emphasis of the developed conditions was made on the idea of transforming the academic process of future foreign language teachers which develops the three components of students’ professional identity, namely: raising high motivation for self-reflection and self-development, nourishing professional knowledge and beliefs that contribute to students’ self-determination as professionals, and modeling pedagogical situations that develop the ability to set professional goals, solve problems and tasks and elaborate their own style of interaction with others.