Work In Multicultural Environment Research Articles

Teaching Russian to Non-Native Speaking Students in the Multicultural Space of Russian and Moldova Universities

The article gives a comparative analysis of the factors promoting an increase of interest in learning Russian on the part of non-native speaking students. The research is based on the survey of 225 students carried out at MGIMO-University and Chisinau State Pedagogical University (Moldova). The authors revealed linguo-didactic and sociocultural factors defining students’ choice of language of communication at the university and promoting the building of cognitive interest to learning Russian and forming intercultural competence. The research has shown that 1) the foreign bachelor’s and master’s students have clear goals in learning Russian; 2) the majority of students express an apparent interest in learning Russian; 3) most of students are interested in receiving skills in professional communication in Russian. The professional training of specialists in international relations implies knowing of several languages, the ability to work in multicultural environment, the readiness to effective cross-cultural communication. The research showed that it is necessary to make adjustments in the educational environment and the content of educational programmes based on the labour market demands.

DEVELOPMENT OF CAREER MANAGEMENT SKILLS OF NEW PODOLOGISTS FOR WORK IN A MULTICULTURAL ENVIRONMENT

Because of the affections of globalization process and because of the changes in social-political situation in world, multicultural environment in Latvia is also changing. Latvia becomes more and more attractive for foreign citizens from Europe the same as for citizens from elsewhere, that choose to settle down here permanently or only for a period of time. That is considerable challenge for education and healthcare.
 Workers in field of medicine, and podologs as well, must guide their professional carreer development in mutable multicultural environment. That is why needs of joung specialists are changing too-with knowledge, skills and competencies necessary in proffession, specialists must develop creativity and critical thinking, insight of values and culture, humanism and citizenship, decision-making and problem- solving skills as well as entrepreneurial abilities and communication skills.
 In process of prepearing new podologs for work in multicultural environment more important becomes development of those personal attributes set, that are made of tact and diplomacy, as well as development of basic skill set, that includes learning skill and skill to make compromises, but career management skill set development is characterized by ability to collaborate, ability to notice changes in working environment and ability to give support.
 The goal of this article is to describe, theoreticaly and empyricaly, the development of necessary carreer management skills for work in multicultural environment to new podologs.
 Keywords: career management skills, study process, podologist, multicultural environment

TOWARDS THE LANGUAGE AWARENESS ACTIVITIES IN THE SCHOOL CURRICULUM OF EASTERN LATVIA

The present study discusses if the teachers who live and work in multicultural environment of Eastern Latvia and who are plurilingual themselves, are ready to use and integrate the new language awareness activities in the school curriculum. The paper reports on a survey carried out on over 30 teachers of the secondary school which is located in the rural territory called Malta, near the border with Russia. There are drawn the following conclusions: the teachers theoretically agree to the fact that the language awareness activities should be a part of the school curriculum. The activities should be integrated not only in the lessons of the foreign languages, but also in other subjects. However, the majority of the teachers are not ready to use the activities in their own lessons. In grades 5-12, the usage of the innovative activities could be prevented and often stopped by the necessity to prepare the students for passing the state examinations in Grades 9 and 12. The results of the state examinations are closely related to the teachers’ professional assessment, so many teachers have no motivation to use the activities, and possible the innovations, in the learning process.