FOREIGN LANGUAGE COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE DEVELOPMENT AS A MEANS OF INTERNATIONAL VOLUNTEERING COOPERATION

Abstract

The article is devoted to the description of opportunities for developing a foreign language communicative competence to establish international cooperation in the field of volunteering using the methods of teaching English for Specific Purposes (ESP). The relevance of the topic is determined by dissemination of ideas of volunteerism around the world. The programmes for the development of social policy in Russia state the need to establish international cooperation on volunteerism issues; there are plans for organizing some events with international participation. They require a high level of proficiency in English for communication in the field of volunteering. The purpose of the article is to substantiate the methodology of teaching English for establishing cooperation on volunteering from a theoretical point of view. The current policy of activating international volunteering is analysed, the possibilities of using the ESP concept as a method of short-term specialized teaching of English on a specific topic are discussed, and an approximate thematic planning of a language training course for participation in international volunteer projects is presented. The following methods are used to conduct the research: the analysis of Acts on volunteering at the international and Russian levels, an overview of the websites of Russian volunteer projects and foreign volunteer organizations, the analysis of scientific literature on the methods of teaching English, including ESP. The results of the study confirm the need to develop a foreign language communicative competence for establishing a professional and productive international cooperation on volunteering. An approximate thematic planning of English language classes within the framework of the ESP concept to establish such cooperation is proposed.

Keywords

• english for specific purposes (esp)
• volunteering
• international cooperation