Foreign Language in the System of Continuous Education: Corporate Language Learning (the Cognitive-Discursive Approach)

Kulikova Olga V.

The article deals with the potential of the cognitive-discursive approach in teaching foreign-language professional communication in the system of corporate language learning. The present study is based on the initial assumption that within the context of linguodidactics, the cognitive-discursive approach implies the synthesis of both processual and cognitive aspects of speech activity. It is underlined that to ensure efficiency of the given approach in the framework of linguodidactics it is necessary to identify the students’ cognitive and psychological particular qualities, which are to be taken into account in the foreign-language teaching process. The cognitive-discursive approach implies the leading role of such a teaching technique as imitation of the real professional communication situation, which means activisation and replenishment of the students’ latent knowledge thesaurus as well as their making autonomous decisions in the course of foreign-language discursive activity. The application of the cognitive-discursive approach also means teaching the basic discursive genres of professional communication including teaching the topical as well as genre language repertoires. It is pointed out that teaching professional genres helps to eliminate cognitive gaps developed by the new generation representatives as a consequence of their over-involvement in the digital reality. The article also raises the issue of the foreign-language teacher’s professional competence given his/her role as a peer participant of professional communication in the foreign language.

Keywords:continuous education; corporate language learning; professional communication; teaching; foreign-language communication; cognitive-discursive approach; cognitive and psychological particular qualities; latent knowledge; discursive genres.