The article analyzes the role of the literary text in the foreign language learning process and focuses on the Polish experience in the area of teaching aborad. Apart from the methodological questions related to the uses of literary texts in foreign language teaching, the article presents different propositions about the canon of Polish literature in its teaching abroad. Analyzing a recent coursebook on the history of Polish literature for foreigners (2023) as an example, the article argues that the literary tradition still has a strong influence on the canon, while forming a representative list of works of contemporary literature for the foreign student of Polish language and culture is much more challenging.

The following paper scrutinizes M. Yourcenar’s interpretation of T. Mann’s literary contributions and its profound influence on her own artistic philosophy, as articulated in her essay, “Humanism and Hermeticism in Thomas Mann” (1955). Yourcenar’s appreciation for Mann’s work is examined through five key perspectives: manic realism and myth, time complexity, the isotopic continuum between the microcosm and macrocosm, principles of hermeticism and initiation, and the concept of nigredo. Yourcenar perceives Mann’s oeuvre as a catalyst for contemplating the alchemical transformations of modern humanism, a form of humanism that has ‘passed through the abyss’, acknowledging and surpassing the antihumanistic tendencies of the era. This philosophical exploration is further reflected in her novel, “The Abyss” (1968), underscoring the profound impact of Mann’s ideas on her literary journey. The article explores how modern humanism bridges the gap between dissolution and crystallization of the human concept.

In the first half of the 20th century, the output of D. Madzharov Publishing House in Sofia was of great importance for the development of linguodidactology in Bulgaria. This publishing house was able to successfully publish educational and teaching-aid literature that was of great use for national foreign language teaching. Part of this literature was the German-Bulgarian language learning phrasebook “A Bulgarian in Germany” by Nora Eftimova, whose linguodidactologic aim was to teach basic skills of expression in German. The phrasebook sought to arouse interest in the German language among the Bulgarians of the time and to create conditions for a more successful introduction not only to foreign languages, but also to foreign cultures in Bulgaria. Although in a small volume of only 48 pages, the phrasebook became popular among Bulgarian learners due to the highly simplified presentation of linguistic phenomena in line with the tenets of Bulgarian linguodidactology of the time.

The article explores some of the most frequently encountered challenges in teaching Persian to university students. It considers the global status of the Persian language, its geographical distribution, and its standardized national varieties (Farsi, Dari, and Tajik). Special attention is given to linguistic features that complicate the learning process across the three dialects—at phonetic, grammatical, and lexical levels—as well as to potential strategies for addressing these difficulties. The study also touches upon specific issues related to the transcription of Persian into Bulgarian. The subject matter represents a novel contribution not only to Bulgarian Iranian studies but also to the broader field of international Persian language pedagogy.

This article explores the interconnected development of soft skills and foreign language learning, emphasizing the importance of communicative competence, intercultural understanding, empathy, and critical thinking. Through a comparative analysis of traditional and communicative teaching methodologies, as well as the impact of project-based and group work, the study highlights effective approaches for fostering essential soft skills alongside language proficiency. Practical insights are drawn from case studies, interviews with educators, and content analysis of language curricula and materials. The findings demonstrate the significant role of interactive and collaborative learning in enhancing students’ personal and professional competencies, ultimately preparing them for successful participation in globalized environments.

This article focuses on the transformation of reading practices in the context of digital culture, with a particular emphasis on the social networks BookTok and Bookstagram. It explores how reading communities are formed, the unique visual and linguistic ways in which literature is discussed, and emerging models of cultural mediation. The article analyses the role of literary influencers as mediators between texts, platform algorithms and reader identities. It also explores the characteristics of digital reading, such as affectivity, visualisation and social visibility, that distinguish it from the traditional view of reading as a slow, linear process. The article argues that BookTok and Bookstagram represent a significant cultural and educational resource that can be used to develop reading and media literacy, and to create a more effective dialogue with young readers.

The study offers an analysis of one emblematic name for the European educational discourse – Erasmus – as the title of the most famous mobility program through the lens of modern conceptual frameworks: The Theory of Precedent Phenomena (V. V. Krasnykh, I. V. Zakharenko, D. B. Gudkov), The Theory of Cultural Memory (J. Assmann), leading cognitive theories such as the Conceptual Metaphor/Metonymy Theory (G. Lakoff & M. Johnson) and Frame Theory (M. Minsky). The functioning of this precedent name in the mental space of academic youth is illustrated using a rich palette of examples. Based on empirical material, relevant frames for the described discourse are constructed. The interaction between them is analyzed, as well as the dynamics and underlying causes. Two main metonymic models are proposed, outlining the conceptualization of the examined precedent name, supported by a variety of examples of grammatical and derivational “reincarnations” of the lexeme. It is shown that the name Erasmus (without the attribute “program”) and all its transformations become a marker of the macroframe european program and thus – an indisputable constituent of the cultural memory of the young generation of Europeans.

This paper explores a noteworthy phenomenon in contemporary spoken and written communication in Bulgarian from a linguodidactological perspective (Veselinov 2025), namely, the substitution of the imperfect tense with the aorist in contexts where the imperfect should be used. Taking into account the specifics of imperfect usage, as well as the verb’s aspect, person, and number, the study investigates four typical contexts in which this substitution is observed. Expounding these deviations is essential for both native and foreign/second language teaching of Bulgarian, as it allows learners to recognize, control, and successfully overcome them in their speech. The paper focuses primarily on the teaching and learning of Bulgarian as a foreign/second language.