Abstract:

Multilingualism can hardly ever be called an entirely new phenomenon. It has always been an essential part of communication throughout the history of civilization development. However, only recently, multilingualism has been the subject of intense study.

Primarily, the process of globalization has determined the need to find the universal tool of information dissemination that resulted in the dominance of the English language as a lingua franca in all spheres of human activity. But on the contrary, in the context of a multipolar world, the principle of cultural and linguistic diversity is seen as the main approach to achieve understanding and consent. Consequently, multilingualism is becoming a vital requirement for a person in almost every sphere of his/her professional activity.

It should also be noted that, due to increased mobility and strengthened migration processes, multilingual groups of students tend to emerge quite often. Such students face particular additional challenges while being socialized in the higher education institution; however, they in turn are able to enrich the educational environment with their own cultural experience.

Formation of multilingualism in the university environment will contribute to increase cultural awareness of students, their knowledge about the achievements of mankind, their involvement into protection and transfer of the world cultural heritage and experience. Moreover, multilingualism cultivates cooperation within the framework of cross-cultural interaction, serves as an impetus to develop creative abilities, provides socialization of the individual, increases professional competitiveness in the global labor market.

Promotion of multilingualism and subsequently, cultural diversity within the modern national research university can be achieved in various ways, namely content-based instruction, task-based learning, cooperative language learning, project-based learning, just to name a few.

The authors focus primarily on project-based learning as one of the most effective technologies to promote language diversity, aimed at developing communication skills, incorporating language learning and inter-cultural understanding, and connecting learning to the real-world. The projects are being held in South Ural State University (National Research University), in the Institute of Sport, Tourism and Service.

Project-based learning (PBL) methodology performs the following principal functions: that of research, analysis, prediction, transformation and regulation. The advantages of this method are obvious: students are actively involved into conducting comprehensive research, carrying out proper analysis, making hypotheses, discussing validity of results obtained. But presentation of the project results in different languages within the student group reinforces the effect of PBL, and contributes to the formation of foreign-language communication skills, as well as development of significant universal values.

Keywords:

Multilingualism, language diversity, cultural awareness, cross-cultural interaction, project-based learning.