The role of background knowledge in enhancing the linguocultural competence of future English teachers

The article analyzes the significance of background knowledge in shaping a profound linguistic worldview of future English teachers. It is emphasized that one of the key objectives of foreign language instruction is to broaden students' linguistic outlook by enabling them to acquire country-specific and intercultural information. The paper argues that the concept of "linguistic outlook" is broader than "linguistic competence," as it encompasses not only the command of linguistic means but also readiness for foreign-language communication and the ability to effectively perform communicative tasks. Three key stages for forming the linguistic outlook through background knowledge are identified: the presentation-cognitive, the training-practical, and the creative-exploratory stage, with corresponding examples of exercises provided. The findings confirm that the development of background knowledge is an essential condition for a deeper understanding of the language and culture being studied. Keywords:language literacy, linguistic outlook, bac