M.R. VanyaginaThe influence of the educational environment of a military tertiary institution on teaching foreign languages

To monitor the effectiveness of arrangement and implementation of foreign language courses in military educational establishments, it is necessary to have integrated criteria for assessing the level of foreign language proficiency of the cadets and students. Foreign language teaching in higher education is professionally oriented and has specific purposes, which should be taken into account when assessing language proficiency. We analyze modern approaches to assessing the level of foreign language proficiency and to present arguments for the technology of assessing the level of professional foreign language communicative competence in higher military schools. There are different assessment systems in foreign languages teaching methods. They are: 5-point (4-point in reality) assessment system generally accepted in the state Russian educational establishments, 100-point assessment system for the Unified State Exam (USE), the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) with a scale of levels from A1 to C2, the English proficiency levels of military specialists according to the international treaty of NATO countries (STANAG 6001) and others. The method of comparative system analysis is applied in the article. The scales of foreign language proficiency levels significant for higher military education are matched. We develop a system of assessing the professional foreign-language communicative competence in higher military school. The system has five levels: low, elementary, basic, high and advanced. According to the modern trends in the development of the foreign language teaching methodology and testology, the assessment system includes self-evaluation and technology of language portfolio.

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To build a system of foreign language education in military universities using the modeling method, it is necessary to take into account all the key aspects of professionally-oriented subject training. A model of the system of foreign language education at the higher military school, including interrelated modules, is proposed: resource-normative (prerequisites, regulatory framework); axiological-target (concepts, goals, functions); theoretical-methodological (approaches and principles); content-technological (educational and professional communicative situations, content, technologies); procedural and evaluative (stages, levels of language proficiency, assessment indicators). The main structural elements of the model are described: functions (communicative, educational, ideological, informational, social, cultural, integrating, developing); approaches (competence, communicative, personal-activity, socio-cultural and others); content (language, speech, thematic and competence components); technologies (mnemonic circuits, design, gaming, problem-search, digital); language proficiency levels (low, elementary, basic, high advanced), etc. This model allows us to comprehensively consider the process of foreign language learning as a single set of interrelated elements and, based on this, manage the learning process.

Tertiary education pays much attention not only to the vocational training of students, but also to the development of universal cultural multidisciplinary competences, soft skills, emotional intelligence, the ability to study eff ectively and to deal with technologies. The development of individual culture contributes to the development of the whole society and the success of persons. Communication, collaboration, critical thinking and creativity are recognized as 21st century skills. The author’s approach is given about important areas in which the key qualities of a successful person are manifested: behavior, speech, time, information, self-understanding, erudition, expertise, health, money and law. These skills are important for the training of specialists in various fi elds: culture, art, economics, industry, military sphere. In order to find out the opinion of students of higher school about important qualities and skills of a successful person of the 21st century, a written survey of cadets of the military institute was conducted. The results of the survey showed that students seek to develop themselves and value in people determination, broad outlook, health, stress resistance and responsibility. Conclusions are drawn on the importance of developing communicativeness, ambition, initiative, erudition, self-organization and other universal skills that help to achieve success in learning, professional activity and life.