ISSN 0798 1015

Vol. 39 (# 10) Year 2018. Page 31

Inculturation of student youth in mastering a foreign language as a factor in optimizing the international activity of HEIs

Inculturação da juventude estudantil no domínio de uma língua estrangeira como fator na otimização da atividade internacional das IES

Lyudmila Petrovna MERKULOVA 1; Elena Vladimirovna SMIRNOVA 2; Svetlana Khanmagomedovna KAZIAKHMEDOVA 3; Irina Anatolyevna KIREEVA 4

Received: 12/10/2017 • Approved: 24/11/2017

Contents

1. Introduction

2. Methodology

3. Results

4. Discussion

5. Conclusion

Bibliographic references

1. Introduction

The problem of the inculturation of student youth in mastering a foreign language as a factor in optimizing the international activity of universities requires the search for new pedagogical tools (Grishaeva and Tsurikiva, 2007; Leontev, 1977; Razumovskaya et al., 2017). As we know, young people occupy an important place in the socio-demographic and publican-political structure of the state; they are a resource for modernizing and reforming modern society (Phan, 2015; Schreiter, 2015; Shorter, 2015).

In accordance with the objectives of the study in the article, a number of problems are solved: the results of the process of inculturation in the mastery of a foreign language are identified; the essence of the inculturation phenomenon in the interaction of languages ​​is revealed; Sociological and culturological approaches to the problem of language are demonstrated; the notion of "culture of the daily life of youth is singled out; the interrelation of the concepts "language-culture" is shown; the inculturation methods of students in the course of mastering a foreign language, which allows to optimize the international activity of higher educational institutions, are revealed; an analysis of the inculturation process of student youth in mastering a foreign language is presented on the basis of a methodology for studying changes in general cultural competence.

It is established that the term inculturation refers to the products of the socialization process – the subjective internal psychological aspects of culture that are assimilated in the process of human development, and that the difference and similarity of the terms "initiation to culture" and "socialization" are related to the difference and similarity of the terms "culture" and "society".

It is revealed that inculturation is the entry of a man into the culture of own people. The end result of the process is a person competent in his own culture (language, rituals, values). Inculturation involves the process of learning the following skills: professional activity (van Klinken, 2015), personal development (Schineller, 1990), social activity (Benoit, 2013) and social communication (Waliggo, 1986).

In the article, the inculturation of student youth is viewed through the prism of mastering the culture of the studied language country.

In the context of globalization, the interaction of languages is not only a prerequisite for multiculturalism, but often is the cause of the culture crisis, since a language is a sign of belonging of its bearers to a particular culture, society. In this sense, methodologically, the study of changes in the general cultural comprehension.

2. Methodology

2.1. The structure of the methodology of inculturation of the student youth in mastering a foreign language and key concepts

During the research in Russian universities (FSBEII of HE "Moscow State University of Humanities and Economics", FSAEI of HE "Samara National Research University named after SP Korolev", FSBEI of HE "Togliatti State University"), a methodology for the inculturation of student youth in mastering a foreign Language, allowing to optimize the international activity of universities, in the structure of which the following components are distinguished: methodological (base basis), meaningful (foreign language), process flax (priority learning technology), efficient (training Quality Score).

The inculcation process of student youth in mastering a foreign language involves teaching a person the traditions and norms of behavior in a specific interculture. Culture in different countries is more specific than the social structure. It is more difficult to adapt, to fully engage and get used to it. Adaptation to the social order of life in a foreign country is faster than inculturation – adaptation to other people's values, traditions and customs. Adaptation occurs both in socialization and in inculturation. First, the individual adapts to the social conditions of life, and then to the cultural. With socialization, adaptation it is easy and fast, with inculturation – heavy and slow.

Inculturation or training in interculture occurs in several ways. "Inculturation" implies a wider impact, namely, the person's involvement in the cultural heritage of the country of the studied language. So, not only to their national culture, but also to the culture of other peoples. The article is about mastering foreign languages, forming a broad outlook, knowledge of world history. So, inculturation means "the acquisition of a broad humanitarian culture." (Razumovskaya ,Kaziahmedova & Kireeva ,2017).

Now consider the concept of "general cultural competence" as the final result of inculturation. By "competence" is meant "an actual, formed personal quality as knowledge-based, intellectually and personally-conditioned social and professional characteristics of a person, his personal quality". (Razumovskaya ,Kaziahmedova & Kireeva ,2017)

However, within the framework of the article, the general cultural competence of students is examined on the basis of the sociological analysis of the everyday life in the country of the language being studied, while mastering a foreign language.

Everyday life is positioned by us as "a special sociocultural reality, which reflects the daily way of life (spatio-temporal organization, activity), as well as the everyday way of thinking (aimed at solving certain tasks)." (Razumovskaya ,Kaziahmedova & Kireeva ,2017).

2.2.  General cultural competence of students on the basis of a sociological analysis of everyday life in the target language country

When analyzing the events of everyday life in the country of the language being studied, some of its components: behavior, norms, values of social groups, individual individuals seem unusual. This is due to the fact that the cultural configurations here are different, have a complex original basis. Everyday life in the country of the studied language reflects the content of new cultural configurations in the form of certain styles of behavior, regulations, stereotypes, etc., which must be learned and used in international activities. Therefore, it is important to form a common cultural competence of students when mastering a foreign language.

Taking into account the above, the methodology for studying the changes in the general cultural competence of student youth is a set of procedures and methods that allows us to carry out a sociological analysis of language changes and to reveal the essence of the connection between culture and language, and also to continue to analyze the inculturation process of student youth in mastering a foreign language. It should be noted that the methodology for studying changes in the general cultural competence of student youth in mastering a foreign language is developed taking into account the methodological foundations of the inculturation process.

The methodological strategy of the empirical research consists in the integrated use of various methods at each stage of the study, which distinguishes the developed methodology from similar methods on language problems in linguistics, sociolinguistics, culturology and other fields of knowledge.

Methods are separated in the study according to the criteria:

-   objectivity / subjectivity (expert survey, content analysis / semantic differential method, questionnaire);

-   quantity / qualitative (content analysis / qualitative content analysis, method of semantic differential).

2.3. Application of complex of modern pedagogical technologies in the process of inculturation of the student youth in mastering a foreign language

In the inculturation process of student youth in mastering a foreign language, it is advisable to use the aggregate of the following modern pedagogical technologies:

1. Projective. Developed on the basis of the concept of projective education (projective pedagogy): the formation of projective competencies through the integration of the project method with information technology.
2. Reflective. A way of self-knowledge and self-evaluation of personality and professional growth. Implemented through the application of such forms: training of business communication, personal growth, communication skills, etc.
3. Communicative. Forms: virtual conferences, dialogue, polylogue, press conference, debates, discussions aimed at developing academic and research competencies, creative experience, etc.
4. Problem-searching. Forms: electronic seminar, problem video practice, Socratic dialogue, key methods, scientific serpentine, etc.

In general, the methodology for studying changes in general cultural competence should include substantive (subjective), technological, subject and general cultural components, as well as reflect the motivational, indicative, executive and monitoring stages of activity.

2.4. Application of the sociocultural approach in the development of the methodology changes in overall cultural competence.

The socio-cultural approach to mastering the methodology of changes in general cultural competence is used and expanded in the study.

It identifies the following stages-levels: a) the level of self-determination; b) the level of culturological training; c) the level of adaptation and habilitation; d) the level of inculturation. It can be said that for each interaction and dialogue in the country of the studied language, there is its own way of inculturation, determined by an adequate set of sociocultural tasks and regulatory ways of their implementation. On the other hand, for each inculturation type there is a static model of activity. In our study, we investigate inculturation in the context of international activity of higher education institutions and associate with self-analysis the subject of education of personal qualities and their results, which create pedagogical conditions of inculturation.

At the same time, we understand that inculturation lasts continuously. Determining the structure of the core of the research methodology, we relied on a competence-based approach as one of the inculturation foundations of student youth in mastering a foreign language.

To implement the research goal, the following mechanism of content analysis is proposed, in which the following categories are distinguished: analysis categories, analysis units, account units, characteristics of analysis units. The experts analyzed the problem of the inculturation influence in mastering a foreign language and, as a result, changes in the overall cultural competence of students.

3. Results

As a result of changes in general cultural competence, the content of key models of inculturation is mastered (Grushevitskaya , Popkov & Sadokhin ,2002).

Previously, the process of interiorization by the personality of the specific model of behavior that had taken shape in culture was realized. The mechanisms of this "appropriation" are the subject of scientific research by many authors. It is important to get acquainted with the model through mastering a foreign language, transferring a system of knowledge about the subject of interaction, methods adequate to the subject of activity, etc. The result of this process is the idea of the studied language country, its traditions and customs. Further, it is necessary to develop a model of behavior and intercultural dialogue through practical activities within the framework of this model, where the emphasis is on skills. In the inculturation context, the methodology for studying changes in general cultural competence requires the inclusion in the content of the last of all past experience of a person actualizing in a specific situation the interaction of the subject, object and means of activity that allows to carry out activities in accordance with the purpose.

The results of the empirical study inculturation influence of student youth in mastering a foreign language on the process of optimizing the international activity of universities allow us to draw the following conclusions:

-   the value of a foreign language will grow more and more due to its prevalence in the world, youth tourism, openness of borders in all areas of communication;

-   changes in the overall cultural competence of students are the result of effective inculturation of student youth.

The results of the experimental work are introduced into the practice of teaching a foreign language of student youth in Russian universities (FSBEI of HPE "Russian State Social University", FSBEII of HE "Moscow State University of Humanities and Economics", FSAEI of HE "Samara National Research University named after SP Korolev" FSBEI of HPE "Tolyatti State University") The following directions of the international activity of universities are optimized:

-   professional, information-technological and linguistic training and retraining of personnel, including for the management of international scientific and academic sources of financing;

-   attraction of additional financing sources;

-   institutional promotion (international accreditation of educational programs, raising the international prestige of the diploma, its recognition in partner universities, etc.);

-   creation of reputation through participation in conferences, publication in international scientific publications, publication of foreign scientists in scientific publications of the university;

-   extension of membership in international organizations;

-   election of representatives of the university to the governing bodies of scientific international organizations.

4. Discussion

Analysis of the concepts of global vocational education (Leontiev, 1977; Liferov, 1997;  Merkulova, 2011) shows that the inculturation process of university students is interest to researchers. However, many questions related to the inculturation influence of student youth in mastering a foreign language on the process of optimizing the international activity of universities are not resolved. Scientists (Grishaeva & Tsurikova, 2007; V.G. Zinchenko, 2008; Mankovskaya, 2002; Ter-Minasova, 2008) consider various aspects of intercultural dialogue and interaction.

In the theoretical plan (Kaziakhmedova, Kireeva, Razumovskaya, 2017), the problem lies in the inculturation of student youth in mastering a foreign language in the course of training in the system of higher education. In practical terms, the problem is to determine the inculturation structure and content of student youth in mastering a foreign language, the implementation of which ensures the process of optimizing the international activities of the institution as a whole.

In this regard, it is especially important to single out the socio-cultural approach to the problem of language and its differentiation from the standpoint of various factors of the linguistic personality. As the prerequisites for distinguishing this approach, one can name the works of Safonova (1996), Ter-Minasova (2008), Shchukin (2007) and others. In their view, "the study of the evolution of language, the more sociocultural consequences of linguistic changes for the society and the individual, is impossible without consideration of the factors of native speakers, since language and man are inseparable." (Grushevitskaya , Popkov & Sadokhin ,2002).

Scientists attribute membership to the society, the level of education, the position held, a certain lexical stock, social roles reflected in behavioral and communicative norms to social parameters of the language personality,

Among the cultural factors influencing language changes, researchers distinguish the type of socio-cultural situation of communication, spatial models of sociocultural conditions of the interactions course, and others.

Sociocultural factors are revealed in terms of key competences (in this case competence is considered synonymous with the notion of "knowledge"), which includes knowledge of the cultural and background features of the socium, socio-cultural norms of behavior, the level of education of native speakers, the organization of speech behavior in accordance with the linguistic picture of the world, the correspondence of speech behavior with the environment and the type of situation.

Thus, the application of a complex socio-cultural approach involves the consideration of the language, and hence the problems of language interaction, from the point of the person actively participating in all language processes. The approach brings together external and internal factors mediating language contacts, based on personality theory, makes it possible to compose speech types of speakers of various forms of language, describe the dependence of social activity on the type of language personality.

5. Conclusion

The main conclusions are formulated as a result of the work,

An analysis of the main theoretical provisions on the problem of the inculturation of student youth in mastering a foreign language as a factor in optimizing the international activity of higher education institutions, reveals the essence of the inculturation process. Conceptual approaches to the study of the linguistic space of the individual are concretized. The definitions of the key concept are identified and established: "Inculturation is the gradual development of human skills, manners, norms of behavior that are characteristic of a certain type of culture for a certain historical period." This is a long and gradual mastering of man's ways, norms, practical recommendations in everyday life.

1. It is noted that adaptation to the social order of life in a foreign country is faster than inculturation - adaptation to other people's values, traditions and customs.

2. The application of cultural, sociocultural and communicative approaches presupposes the consideration of language, and hence of the problems of linguistic interaction, from the point of a person (personality) actively participating in all linguistic processes. The approach brings together external and internal factors mediating language contacts, based on personality theory, makes it possible to compose speech types of speakers of various forms of language, describe the dependence of social activity on the type of language personality.

3. The changes in the general cultural competence of student youth in mastering a foreign language are revealed and substantiated.

The general cultural competence of student youth in mastering a foreign language as a result of inculturation includes:

-   respect for the dignity of another person and preservation of one's own dignity in various situations of social interaction (domestic, professional, social), i.e. culture of personality, self-regulation;

-   the adequacy of a person to situations of domestic, professional, social interaction;

-   observance of socio-cultural traditions, customs, norms, etiquette in cross-cultural interaction;

-   the readiness to use the general cultural individual knowledge fund (humanitarian, natural-science, economic, political, legal, etc.), formed by the content of higher education in the process of solving problems of social interaction, i.e. Culture of intellectual and objective activity, culture of intellect;

-   saturation of the need for satisfaction and continuation of personal socio-cultural development and self-development, i.e. culture of self-regulation, personal self-determination;

-   orientation in the main value-semantic pre-ministries of the modern world, the country, society; In the main directions of history and preservation of the cultural life of the world, the country, i.e, general civilization;

-   social responsibility for themselves, their behavior, responsibility for the welfare of others, i.e. culture of social life.

4. Delineating the notion of "adequacy" and "competence" on the basis of potential - actual, cognitive - personal, "competent" means "actual, formed personal quality as knowledge-based, intellectually and personally-conditioned social and professional characteristics Man, his personal quality".

The linguistic space of the individual can not be called a mirror image of the real world, it is a dynamic formation that, firstly, is affected by the situation of interaction of languages; secondly, the linguistic space is dependent on the wealth of the individual's life experience of the individual, Collective consciousness, mentality.

5. The analysis of methodological and practical provisions on the inculturation problem of student youth in mastering a foreign language on this basis, developed a methodology for studying the changes in general cultural competence, which allows to optimize the international activity of universities.

In the process of inculcation of student youth in mastering a foreign language, in our opinion, it is expedient to use the combination of the following pedagogical technologies: projective, reflexive, communicative, problem-searching.

In view of the foregoing, our methodology for studying changes in the general cultural competence of student youth is a set of procedures and methods that allows us to carry out a sociological analysis of language changes and to identify the essence of the relationship between culture and language, and also to continue to analyze and implement the inculturation process of student youth in mastering a foreign Language.

6. The inculturation of student youth in mastering a foreign language involves teaching a person the traditions and norms of behavior in the specific culture of the country of the language being studied. Culture in different countries is more specific than the social structure. It is more difficult to adapt to it, to fully engage and get used to it. Thus, adaptation to the social order of life in a foreign country is faster than inculturation - adaptation to other people's values, traditions and customs. Adaptation occurs both in socialization and in inculturation. First, the individual adapts to the social conditions of life, and then to the cultural. With socialization, adaptation is easy and fast, with inculturation - heavy and slow.

7. The following directions of optimizing the international activity of universities as a result of the inculturation of student youth in mastering a foreign language have been identified and established: professional, information-technological and linguistic training, retraining of personnel, including the management of international scientific and academic sources of funding; Attraction of additional sources of financing; Institutional promotion (international accreditation of educational programs, raising international prestige of the diploma, its recognition in partner universities, etc.); The creation of a reputation through participation in conferences, publication in international scientific publications, the publication of foreign scientists in the scientific publications of the university; Expansion of membership in international organizations; Election of representatives of the university to the governing bodies of scientific international organizations.

The authors continue research in this field of knowledge, in particular, in the development of methods for educating students of non-linguistic universities in the context of inculturation in mastering various languages ​​and intercultural interaction, and hope that the results of their research will be useful to postgraduate students and undergraduates studying social and humanitarian fields of knowledge.

The authors made a logical conclusion that the inculturation of students in the mastery of a foreign language involves teaching a person the traditions and norms of behavior in the specific culture of the country of the studied language. Culture in different countries is more specific than the social structure. It is more difficult to adapt to it, to fully engage and get used to it. Thus, adaptation to the social order of life in a foreign country is faster than inculturation - adaptation to other people's values, traditions and customs. Therefore, Russian higher education should be aimed at resolving contradictions in the organization of international activities. Consequently, one of the tasks of reforming higher education is the formation of the personality student who knows and is able to use foreign languages in the international activity of the university.

It seems that the strategy of the foreign language teacher's work can be to ensure the optimization of the international activity of universities on the basis of the inculturation of student youth. The predicted result (changes in the general cultural competence of students) is achieved by mastering the integrated content of a foreign language, based on the use of a complex of pedagogical technologies (projective, reflexive, communicative, problem-searching), established in accordance with the research objectives.

Bibliographic references

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1. Samara National Research University named after Academician, S.P. Korolyov, Russian Federation, 443086, Samara, Moscow  shosse, 34; lmerkulova@yahoo.com

2. Togliatti State University, Russian Federation, 445020, Togliatti, Belorusskaya str., 14, sevhome@yandex.ru

3. Moscow State University of Humanities and Economics, Russian Federation, 107150, Moscow, Losinoostrovskaya Str., 49, svet1470@mail.ru

4. Moscow State University of Humanities and Economics, Russian Federation, 107150, Moscow, Losinoostrovskaya Str., 49, arina_68@bk.ru