TEACHING FOREIGN LANGUAGES FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES IN THE CONTEXT OF MODERN CONCEPT OF PROFESSIONAL TRAINING

The article deals with soft skills development necessary for future specialists’ successful employment, career growth, self-realisation in different spheres of life. The research on interactive methods of foreign language teaching and their effectiveness in the development of soft skills and professionally oriented personal qualities is based on a survey conducted among teachers, IT specialists, civil servants who studied English to improve their professional competence.

The purpose of the article is to analyse relevant methods of soft skills development in ESP classroom.

Methodology of the research is the theoretical basis of the activity learning theory and competence oriented learning.

Scientific novelty of the research is to study efficient methods of soft skills and personal qualities development in ESP classroom.

Conclusions. Being a complex of cognitive and non-cognitive abilities, soft skills and professionally oriented personal abilities are successfully developed in the process of learning within any course. Thus, ESP classroom is considered to be a favourable learning environment. The data obtained during the survey allow us to conclude that all the methods offered (project method, case study, discussion method, game method, presentation method, cooperative method and computer assisted method) show the expediency of their use. The efficient application of the defined methods in the learning process of higher educational institutions, especially in ESP learning, will provide appropriate environment to acquire skills crucial for future specialists’ self-actualisation in any professional area.