Models of professional training of teachers of ukrainian as a foreign language in the national education system

The relevance of the problem under study is due to the growing interest among foreigners in learning Ukrainian and the lack of appropriate teaching staff. The purpose of the article is to summarize the national experience of professional training of teachers of Ukrainian as a foreign language (UFL) and outline the prospects for the development of this area. Using the methods of analysis, comparison, systematization and pedagogical observation, five models of training of specialists in teaching UFL are identified. The first of them – within the framework of a elective block of disciplines – is outlined on the basis of the experience of teaching domestic philologists of Ukrainian studies in the elective block at the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv (until 2020), as well as foreign citizens who receive higher education at the program ‘Ukrainian Language and Literature (for Foreigners)’ (2018-2024). The history of the formation of the specialization ‘UFL’ and then the elective block is outlined; the system of academic disciplines and the methodological algorithm for the formation of professional competence of the UFL teacher are described. The second model of training specialists in UFL – a special educational program – is analysed on the example of Ivan Franko National University of Lviv and V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University. The third model involves one or more elective educational components that introduce philology students to the methods of teaching UFL. The training of teachers of Ukrainian as a non-native language within pedagogical education programs is the fourth model. Finally, training in non-formal education (advanced training) is defined as the fifth model. The article presents the certificate program ‘Methods of teaching UFL’ of the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, outlines the system of academic disciplines, forms and methods of work. The author notes the growing interest in teaching children Ukrainian as an inherited language and as a foreign language and notes the lack of such professional development programs for teachers. The conclusion is made about the need to create postgraduate education programs (of different duration, according to specific aspects, for different contingents – teachers of high education, secondary schools, Saturday schools, etc.).