Developing Students’ Intercultural Competence at the Tertiary Level

Abstract

The paper provides developing students’ intercultural competence as an actual world problem. As a key role in this process belongs to higher education, the mentioned phenomenon is considered at English classes. The goal of the paper is to allocate the stages of developing students’ intercultural competence for non-linguistic higher education. The study describes the authors’ positive experience of developing students’ intercultural competence for non-linguistic students at universities. During more than 15 years the authors have been observing nearly 2000 students. The methods of observation, analysis have been applied as well as the selection of the most successful ones to develop intercultural competence. The methodology and results of the work are the authors’ own contribution. As a result, four stages of the process of developing students’ intercultural competence are highlighted. They are based on the curriculum material logic mastering professional English. They are increasing motivation; acquiring subject-professional and cultural-specific knowledge; developing different intercultural competence skills; as well as developing some skills of independent usage in solving complex issues. The conclusion is drawn that intercultural competence facilitates the strengthening interdisciplinary relations, ensuring steady students’ interest in overcoming foreign language barriers, need awareness in professional activities, tolerant attitude towards representatives of another foreign languages and cultures.