The article is devoted to a topical issue in modern methods of foreign language teaching at university, i.e. the development of critical thinking among students within the framework of the subject “Media Languageˮ. The authors present an analysis of the views of Russian and foreign researchers on such concepts as critical tolerance, cultural identity, cross-cultural competence, etc. Students of linguistic areas of training today experience particular difficulties in overcoming language and cultural barriers when analyzing information from foreign-language media. The study substantiates the ways in which the teacher organizes the student's cognitive activity in practical foreign language classes, which helps to gain experience in working with a foreign-language journalistic text in the conditions of intolerant behavior of foreign-language media in relation to Russia. The article summarizes the practical experience of teachers and proposes an algorithm of text analysis, consisting of several steps. This type of work involves the analysis of the text in accordance with certain tactical guidelines, which allows you to formulate your own point of view according to a given speech situation. The authors give proof of the educational value of this algorithm of work, underlining that such approach to learning helps to form a tolerant position towards representatives of other cultures and the skill of respectful dialogue within a multicultural community.