THE SOCIOCULTURAL ASPECT OF FORMING ENGLISH COMMUNICATIVE SKILLS OF THE TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

Abstract

Statement of the problem. The implementation of the principle of the communicative orientation in the process of teaching the students of non-linguistic universities a foreign language is associated with the preparation of them for foreign language communication in various spheres of public life, which involves the development of their communicative skills in the situations that imitate the real ones. Results. The research carried out shows that in the process of training the students’ English speech skills at the lessons of English they experience the difficulties associated with a lack of the sociocultural knowledge about the mentality of language speakers, their psychological characteristics, and the national and cultural scenarios of their speech behavior. In addition, some communicative situations, which are quite common in real life, are not widely reflected in educational literature. Conclusion. Improving the students’ sociocultural competency, forming their comrehensive view of the language speakers’ communicative culture, the differences between the English models of speech behavior and those that are common in their native language and culture, will allow the students to confidently choose the communication strategy which is correct for the certain specific speech situation, to spontaneously respond to the interlocutor's remarks in the process of communication, to actively use the etiquette formulas that are adequate to the speech situation.