Improving Professional Competencies of Foreign Language Teachers in the Context of Continuous Teacher Education

Abstract

Pedagogy is currently a priority area of Russian higher education. The authors analyzed research publications, regulatory documents, and international foreign language assessment standards to determine professional competencies of a foreign language teacher. Pedagogical qualifications were studied in the context of pedagogical education as a structure. Any complete level of pedagogical education allows for professional activity; however, each level has a different pedagogical trajectory. Bachelor’s degree is the basic level of teacher education while Master’s degree provides a universal pedagogical trajectory for any education level. Competence is defined as a set of competencies that allow the teacher to organize an effective academic process. Pedagogical competence is a combination of professional and methodological competencies, which are of utmost importance for any teacher. The article introduces a number of ways to improve these competencies in line with formal and informal models. For a foreign language teacher, foreign language communication is the core competence. Its improvement is effective if it follows the system of international exams, e.g., the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) for Languages. Higher pedagogical education provides a foundation for continuous professional development in an informal learning model, i.e., advanced training programs based on international exams.