Co-learning of languages and cultures in the mirror of world tendencies in developing modern language education

The article focuses on a number of questions facing the 21 century language education owing to new sociocultural changes in human communication, interaction, and co-operation (including the Internet-based multicultural communication and co-operation). The author discusses major ways and principles of developing the individual as a successful bilingual or trilingual communicator in the modern multicultural environment and she gives an insight into multiculturally-oriented language pedagogy in the context of sociocultural approach to the development of language learners' communicative, cognitive, and multicultural powers through their co-learning of the mother tongue and foreign / second languages. The special attention is given to the interpretation of such terms as «multiculturally-oriented language pedagogy», «multicultural education», «intercultural education», «intercultural dialogue», «intercultural communication», «languages teaching in the context of the dialogue of cultures and civilisations», «multilevelled co-teaching and co-learning of languages and cultures». The author outlines not only the positive tendencies in developing modern language education, she also draws the reader's attention to some negative tendencies in educational environments that may destroy educationalists efforts of developing appropriate theoretical basis and language practices aiming at learners' cultural and intercultural development.

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