Professionally oriented reading assignments for teaching English to prospective theologians

Knowledge of a foreign language is considered as a means of intercultural communicationand as a tool for learning about another culture and spreading own, which contributes to spiritual mutualenrichment. The article is based on the results of the analysis of works of Ukrainian scientists, devoted to theproblems of forming of English professionally oriented reading competence, as well as the development ofa system of tasks to increase the level of forming of this competence. Purpose. The purpose of the article isto design a system of exercises and tasks aimed at forming English professionally oriented reading competenceof prospective theologians. Methods. Review of research in Ukraine to analyze the typology of exercises forthe forming of English professionally oriented reading competence of prospective theologians. Results. It is notedthat the methodology of work of prospective theologians with professionally oriented texts involves pre-text,text and post-text stages. The concepts of “exercise” (organized repeated performance of certain operations,actions or activities in order to master foreign language skills and abilities, and for their improvement) and“system of exercises” (a set of necessary types, kinds and varieties of exercises performed in such a sequence andquantity that take into account the patterns of skills formation and skills development in different types of speechactivities in their interaction and provide the highest level of foreign language proficiency in given conditions) aredefined. The typology of exercises is described. Conclusion. Exercises for the forming of English professionallyoriented reading competence of prospected theologians at the pre-text and text stages, as well as communicativetasks for the forming of English professionally oriented competence in reading of prospected theologians atthe post-text stage are designed. The prospects of further scientific research is determined.