PSYCHOLINGUISTIC ASPECTS OF THE ORGANIZATION OF TEACHING THE DISCIPLINE "INTRODUCTION TO THE THEORY OF INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION"«

Palkin A.D.

Moscow State Linguistic University
Moscow, Russia
e-mail: p-alexis@yandex.ru

Organizing the learning process is an important part of methodological work to develop student skills. This article will discuss the organization of student work during the course "Introduction to Intercultural Communication Theory," which currently occupies a prominent place in the curriculum for philology students in many linguistic fields. It should be noted that this course is particularly relevant to psycholinguistics, a discipline that, among other things, studies the worldviews of representatives of different cultures in comparative and descriptive contexts.

As E.F. Tarasov rightly notes, "there are no identical national cultures; moreover, there are no identical images of consciousness that reflect the same or even the same cultural object. Even if a cultural object were transferred from one national culture to another, then, consequently, the sensory image should be the same, but this does not happen, since its formation is based not only on perceptual data obtained through sensory perception of this object, but also on a priori knowledge (perceptual standards) containing conceptual knowledge, cultural in nature. The mental image of this object (transferred from one culture to another) always carries elements of national-cultural specificity" [5, p. 19]. From this it follows, the scholar continues, that "new knowledge in the comprehension of a foreign culture is formed by the learner only when they are motivated by the need to seek out differences between the images of their own and foreign cultures and to elucidate the essence of these differences. This occurs when the image being learned is perceived as foreign, still retaining something unknown. With this method of understanding a foreign culture, one must remember that new knowledge about it is formed (constructed) from the subject of analysis's previous knowledge" [Ibid.]. In these considerations, I would like to draw special attention to the need to motivate the learner to acquire new knowledge. In the pedagogical process, this is especially relevant in light of the fact that not every student recognizes the need to become familiar with another culture when studying the corresponding foreign language. The discipline under discussion is designed to guide such students toward active engagement with the theory of intercultural communication.

This focus on students' needs (even those not always recognized by them) is driven by new challenges facing contemporary Russian pedagogy. Here, one cannot but agree with E.S. Yarygina: "The teaching of philological disciplines in contemporary Russia faces serious problems. This is due not only to processes occurring in Russian culture (for example, its visualization), but also to changes in the field of university teaching: shifting priorities, driven by economic changes, have led to a situation where the primary goal of a university's functioning is not so much the transmission of scientific knowledge and its reproduction in future generations, but rather meeting the needs of those who have come to study" [6, p. 66]. Despite all the negative aspects of contemporary educational realities, one cannot help but acknowledge that the course "Introduction to the Theory of Intercultural Communication" is a subject designed to meet students' needs for conflict-free communication with representatives of other cultures, which is critically important for philology students studying foreign languages.

The fundamental motivation for introducing this discipline into the educational process was the understanding that foreign language teaching is intended not only to teach students to understand the target language but also to express their thoughts in it. Successful intercultural communication is possible when two conditions are met: the existence of a common communication code (i.e., proficiency in a common language) and the conformity of the foreign speaker's verbal behavior with the norms of communication in the target language.

At the same time, the teacher is expected to structure their course in such a way as to, on the one hand, develop students' skills in effective communicative behavior, and, on the other hand, teach them to "switch" between two cultures, acting—depending on the circumstances—as a representative of either their native or foreign culture. This thesis resonates with such an important goal of humanities disciplines aimed at training specialists with knowledge of a foreign language as the development of communication skills within the framework of another culture, understood as a system of values. In particular, E.I. Passov and N.E. Kuzovleva advocate "the development of the student's individuality to prepare him as a moral person for a dialogue of cultures, i.e., for mutual understanding between peoples" [3, pp. 18-19]. To achieve success in intercultural practice, it is important to inform students about the value system, the peculiarities of worldview and speech behavior of representatives of a particular community, which is one of the ways to eliminate the factors that hinder mutual understanding between people in the process of intercultural communication. From this it follows that foreign language teaching is most effective when language and culture are united. Behind a foreign word (as well as a gesture, behavioral pattern, etc.) lies a foreign world, a different culture. This must be taken into account when teaching foreign languages.

As E.V. Burina and L.A. Dunaeva rightly note, the socially determined needs of society and the changing paradigm of higher education are leading to an increased demand for specialists who speak foreign languages fluently and, at the same time, easily overcome the challenges of intercultural interaction. This necessitates increased attention to the teaching of intercultural communication in order to develop intercultural competence and all the skills necessary for intercultural interaction [7, p. 300]. Teaching intercultural communication theory fosters the formation of a secondary cultural and linguistic identity, which helps to eliminate communicative failures during intercultural communication.

At the same time, the pragmatic aspect of intercultural discourse, which is inseparable from the moral norms prevalent in the respective culture, must be considered. Students need to be informed about the moral attitudes, norms of verbal communication, and associative reactions of speakers of various languages and cultures, but primarily those associated with the countries of the studied language. As L.A. Artemyeva aptly noted, every foreign word reflects a foreign world and a foreign culture; behind every word and every linguistic structure lies a national, specific view of the world, reflected through language in the characteristics of lifestyle and mentality. "In other words, the same denotation within a compared pair of languages, in addition to a different plane of expression, also has a different plane of content, the so-called significator, which is more significant. Despite the denotational identity of linguistic units, their significative difference is quite real. "Therefore, successful speech production is largely determined by knowledge not only of the linguistic structure, but also of the socio-cultural environment" [1, p. 28]. The repeatedly formulated goal of instilling in students the ability to think in the language being studied and to perceive the world around them through the prism of another culture can only be realized if students are familiar with the characteristics of the corresponding culture, and not only with the linguistic material.

There is no doubt that a specialist directly involved in psycholinguistics will be able to present the course "Introduction to the Theory of Intercultural Communication" in the most professional manner, drawing on their knowledge of intercultural communication and speech theory, which every self-respecting psycholinguist should be familiar with. This article is based on many years of experience in organizing the educational process for teaching the course "Introduction to the Theory of Intercultural Communication" to philology students, dating back to the period when this course did not include seminars—only lectures were given. Currently, the curriculum includes seminars alongside lectures. The need to supplement the lecture course with seminars was discussed back in 2004 in an article written for a conference at the Moscow University of Social Sciences [2]. It was noted there that, along with imparting some theoretical information to students about the specifics of intercultural communication, it is necessary to practice the corresponding skills during practical classes. Even in the early 2000s, when seminars weren't included, attempts were made to give students the opportunity to consolidate their knowledge through practical role-playing during lectures, incorporating elements of seminars into lectures. This approach proved ineffective because seminar work requires some preparation on the part of the student. The instructor assigns assignments that students must work on in advance and then present at the seminar. As for a lecture-only course, the mere fact that the instructor lectures doesn't require students to prepare for them. Students are expected to understand and assimilate the lecture material. When the low level of practical skills among students who attended only lectures became apparent, the aforementioned article was written about the need to supplement the course with seminars. Later, changes to the curriculum were formalized: seminars were introduced alongside lectures, giving students time to practice practical skills based on the knowledge acquired during lectures, as well as through independent work in preparation for seminars.

What skills should students develop to make an intercultural communication course as effective as possible? These skills, of course, include practical skills for successful communication with representatives of both their own and other cultures. Although the course's title emphasizes the role of theory (it is an introduction to intercultural communication theory), it seems irrational to overlook the practical side of the issue and the opportunities afforded by properly organized seminars.

Successful communication skills in both monocultural and intercultural contexts can be developed primarily through students completing practical assignments. One effective technique is role-playing, in which students are asked to divide into groups, assume various roles, and within these groups, achieve objectives set by the instructor or find a solution to a problem posed by the instructor. It is crucial to assign students an assignment in advance that requires prior preparation for the material to be discussed or practiced during the role-play. The lack of adequate opportunities for such preparation was the main problem when seminars were not part of the curriculum. This was precisely the main problem in the early 2000s, when students were offered opportunities to develop communication skills without the necessary prior preparation. At that time, attempts to integrate full-fledged seminar assignments into a lecture-based course proved unsuccessful.

Now the situation is radically different: students not only can, but are required to prepare for seminars (how diligently they do so is a separate issue), and the instructor has every opportunity to provide students with material for independent study and ample time to consider the issues to be discussed. Later, during the seminar, the acquired knowledge will be reinforced through practical exercises.

If readers have a question about what kind of role-playing games can be conducted with students in intercultural communication classes, we would first like to refer them to the work of I.M. Rumyantseva [4], which lists possible plots for such role-playing games. True, I.M. Rumyantseva sees these plots as effective during group teaching of foreign languages, but they can equally be used to practice students' communication skills. At the same time, it is recommended to include in the assignment the need to use certain rhetorical devices or behavioral patterns (depending on the practical tasks set by the teacher). At a minimum, it makes sense to teach students the basic conditions of a productive debate, namely: a) the need to clearly define the subject of the dispute; b) the ability to understand the subject of the dispute; c) the ability to clearly define one's position in relation to the subject of the dispute; d) adherence to the culture of debate; d) the ability to listen to the interlocutor; e) the use of polemical techniques and tricks. Intercultural communication training can help you practice debate skills not only in real-life intercultural situations but also in simulated classroom settings. For example, by asking students to resolve a problematic situation by communicating with each other in the relevant foreign language.

In short, role-playing games are a productive means of preparing students for intercultural communication. They can be an important supplement that transforms the theoretical knowledge acquired during lectures into concrete practical skills that can be practiced in seminars or during the lectures themselves, if they incorporate elements of seminar-based activities.

Role-playing isn't the only method for developing students' communication skills. Another productive technique is discussion. It seems most effective to divide students into groups (teams), asking them to discuss a problematic situation within these groups and develop a common solution. After a representative of each group presents their solution, the discussion can proceed to an intergroup discussion, taking into account the positions already expressed.

An example of discussion within the discipline under consideration might be the discussion of auto- and/or hetero-stereotypes of certain cultures. One popular topic for discussion is Hofstede's cultural measurement parameters (e.g., [8]). Students are asked to conduct preliminary research on a given culture and then discuss, again in groups, the extent to which Hofstede's proposed parameters are manifested in the relevant culture. A competition among groups could also be organized, using Hofstede's own research or the instructor's opinion as a benchmark (with the caveat that this opinion is entirely subjective, yet authoritative).

Another effective method involves analyzing cultural values. Here, it's most reliable to rely on the students' native culture, although you can assign them to first study the characteristics of another culture and form an understanding of them. After this, students can be asked to work in groups to develop a consensus on the prevalence of certain values in the culture under discussion. After each group has presented their final thoughts, you can invite everyone to comment on their findings. These findings will likely vary to varying degrees for each group, so it seems logical to find a common denominator for final conclusions (again, taking into account the subjectivity of this approach). This type of technique not only helps develop students' communication skills but also introduces them to the fundamentals of sociological research, as it involves surveying the opinions of group (team) members.

The examples provided are not exhaustive. Their diversity, once again, depends on the imagination and creativity of the instructor, who will need to demonstrate their talent as an organizer and methodologist when developing the seminar plan. However, no matter how talented a person is, they need fundamental knowledge of the subject they teach. And here we return to the beginning of our article and assert that every instructor teaching "Introduction to Intercultural Communication Theory" should be familiar with the fundamental principles of psycholinguistics as a discipline, which enable them to effectively apply the practical implications of communication theory in the classroom.

Literature

1. Artemyeva L.A. Intercultural communication and precedent phenomena in the context of professional language training of students // Scientific opinion. 2019. No. 9. P. 26-31.
2. Palkin A.D. On the Peculiarities of Teaching the Basics of Intercultural Communication // Intercultural Communication and Translation: Proceedings of the Interuniversity Scientific Conference. Moscow, January 29, 2004. Moscow: MOSU, 2004. Pp. 259-263.
3. Passov E.I., Kuzovleva N.E. Fundamentals of Communicative Theory and Technology of Foreign Language Education. Moscow: Russian Language. Courses, 2010. 568 p.
4. Rumyantseva I.M. Psychology of speech and linguopedagogical psychology. Moscow: Per Se, 2004. 319 p.
5. Tarasov E.F. Intercultural communication – a new ontology for the analysis of linguistic consciousness // Ethnocultural specificity of linguistic consciousness / ed. N. V. Ufimtseva. Moscow: Institute of Linguistics of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 1996. Pp. 7-22.
6. Yarygina E.S. Features of modern pedagogical discourse (based on lectures from modern linguistic courses of the Russian language) // Organizational psycholinguistics. 2018. No. 4. P. 66-85.
7. Bourina HV, Dunaeva LA. The specificity of intercultural communication in the process of learning foreign languages in Russian universities. In: Herzen's Readings: Foreign Languages. SPb.: RGPU im. A. I. Herzen. 2020. pp. 294-301.
8. Hofstede G. Culture's consequences: Comparing values, behaviors, institutions, and organizations across nations. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications. 2001. 596 p.

References

1. Artem'eva LA. Intercultural communication and precedent phenomena in the context of students' professional linguistic training // Scientific opinion. 2019. No. 9. pp. 26-31.
2. Palkin AD. On the peculiarities of teaching the fundamentals of intercultural communication // Intercultural communication and translation: Materials of interuniversity scientific conference. Moscow, January 29, 2004. Moscow: MOSU, 2004. pp. 259-263.
3. Passov EI, Kuzovleva NE. Osnovy kommunikativnoj teorii i tehnologii inojazychnogo obrazovanija [Fundamentals of communication theory and foreign language education technology]. M.: Russian language. Kursy, 2010. 568 p.
4. Rumjanceva IM. Psihologija rechi i lingvopedagogicheskaja psihologija [Psychology of speech and linguistic-pedagogical psychology]. M.: Per Se, 2004. 319 p.
5. Tarasov EF. Mezhkul'turnoe obshhenie – novaja ontologija analiza jazykovogo soznanija [Intercultural communication as a new ontology of language consciousness analysis] // Jetnokul'turnaja specifika jazykovogo soznanija [Ethnocultural specificity of language consciousness] / Ed.: NV Ufimceva. M.: IJa RAN, 1996. Pp. 7-22.
6. Jarygina ES. Features of modern pedagogical discourse (based on lectures from modern linguistic courses of the Russian language) // Organizational psycholinguistics. 2018. No. 4. pp. 66-85.

7. Bourina HV, Dunaeva LA. The specificity of intercultural communication in the process of learning foreign languages in Russian universities. In: Herzen's Readings: Foreign Languages. SPb.: RGPU im. A. I. Herzen. 2020. pp. 294-301.
8. Hofstede G. Culture's consequences: Comparing values, behaviors, institutions, and organizations across nations. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications. 2001. 596 p.