Cultivating Polyculturalism in Higher Education

The paper considers study areas for formation of the poly-/ multicultural personality of the future teacher who is ready to deliver high-class philological study and instructional value in the area of higher education. That is seen possible with application of reflexive approach as methodology for the educational process, accompanied as well by axiological, culturological, communicative, and environmental approaches for fostering high cultural and linguistic values with a future teacher of foreign languages in a poly- / multicultural classroom. Establishing, or fostering, or cultivating poly- / multiculturalism in higher education for foreign language teachers is inextricably linked with the processes of comprehension, awareness, and the formation of such teachers’ own personal values to knowledge and culture, their own activities, especially with the process of reflection (reflexion). In this regard, reflective thinking comes to the fore. Next, both formation and development of such reflective thinking become important tasks at all levels of (higher) education in general and instruction and acquisition of foreign languages, in particular. At the same time, it is critical to note that reflective thinking is at the foundation of applying coaching oriented technologies as a pool of highly efficient tools to achieve the set goals of the coach (classroom teacher, mentor, supervisor, foreign language instructor, trainer, or expert) and a coachee, student in a poly- / multicultural classroom. It is also recommended under the research to distinguish between the adjective terms reflexive’ and reflective’. To be more precise, reflective’ under the study results means natural / characteristic of something which reflects, or redirects back to the source’ while reflexive’ stipulates referring back to the subject, or having an object equal to the subject’. The latter is of prime value for the subject matter of the research inasmuch connects to coaching-based portfolio of methodology and ideology, largely speaking

Foreign language · Mathematics education · Multiculturalism · Pedagogy · Sociology · Computer Science · Educational Methods and Teacher Development · International Student and Expatriate Challenges · Psychology · Psychology of Development and Education

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