Linguistic and methodological potential of educational and tourist routes in the formation of intercultural communicative competence of foreign students

This article examines the pressing issue of developing intercultural communicative competence (ICC) among foreign students learning Russian as a foreign language. Traditional teaching methods, which are often theoretical or mediated in nature, frequently fail to provide sufficient immersion in the target culture, which is a primary reason for the limited development of practical intercultural communication skills 1. The aim of this research is to provide a theoretical justification for the linguistic and methodological potential of educational routes as one of the most effective ways to develop ICC in foreign students studying Russian as a foreign language. Based on an in-depth analysis of scientific literature and articles (e.g., M. Byram, N.D. Galskova, A.P. Sadokhin), the structure of ICC was identified, encompassing cognitive, pragmatic, affective, and reflexive components. This work argues that educational-tourist routes integrate formal and informal education, thereby creating conditions for situational, authentic, and reflexive acquisition of both language and culture 2. The article also presents a typology of the content of educational-tourist routes, which is categorized as follows: culture-centric, linguo-centric, socio-interactive, and reflexive-analytical. Alongside this, the factors that determine their effectiveness are analyzed, including immersion in the environment and interaction with native speakers of the language and culture. Concurrently, systemic problems are identified that hinder the full realization of this potential, such as the lack of a unified methodological program, insufficient training for guide-instructors, and the fragmented nature of programs 3. In light of the above, the conclusion is drawn about the necessity to develop comprehensive methodologies for integrating educational-tourist routes into the curriculum for Teaching Russian as a Foreign Language (RFL) to achieve sustainable educational outcomes in the formation of intercultural communicative competence.