Regional identity of schoolchildren in foreign language communication

Importance . The issues of theory and methods of developing a schoolchildren's regional identity in foreign language communication are considered. In conditions of social global changes in modern Russia, the development of traditional social institutes that impact the process of a person’s regional identity is necessary. In modern Russian society, there is a need to prepare citizens for productive intercultural interaction, to form a core of values of national and regional culture, representing the basis of identity. The identity problem is the most relevant for Russia due to its diverse ethnic composition of the population and administrative-territorial division. Materials and Methods. A comprehensive approach is used to conduct the research in the field of schoolchildren’s foreign-language communication. At the first stage of the study, theoretical methods are used, involving the study of scientific literature on the research topic, analysis, generalization and classification of the obtained information. At the second stage of the study, empirical methods such as observation and description are applied. Two key concepts “identity” and “regional identity” are considered, and the components of regional identity in the process of teaching foreign languages to schoolchildren are identified. Results and Discussion. The concept of “regional identity of a student in the process of foreign language communication” has been highlighted and defined. Three levels of development of regional identity of schoolchildren in the process of foreign language communication are identified: basic level, main level, analytical level. As a result of the analysis of scientific works on the problem under consideration, components of regional identity are identified in the process of teaching foreign languages to schoolchildren: cognitive, affective, behavioral. Conclusion . The development of the student’ regional identity in the process of foreign-language communication is determined by the need for interaction with representatives of other cultures, a social order that determines the need for society to prepare a communicable personality focused on interpersonal productive cooperation in all spheres of social life, which implies the ability of the personality to present its own region to foreign-language communicators, as well as the requirements of federal state educational standards.