Interdisciplinary Connections: An Integrative Foreign Language Learning Environment at a Civil Engineering University

At present, the interaction between different areas of knowledge is becoming an integral part of our life, which has resulted in the research interest in interdisciplinarity in the system of higher professional education. The interdisciplinary approach to teaching foreign languages in higher education makes it possible to combine knowledge and skills from various fields to solve complex problems that students will face in their future professional environment. The next factor that determines the relevance of the problem under study is the specific character of the “Foreign Language” discipline. Professionally oriented foreign language instruction involves close interaction between the participants of the educational process beyond linguistic aspects. The study represents a theoretical stage and considers the problem of creating an integrative foreign language learning environment at NR Moscow State University of Civil Engineering. An analysis of domestic and foreign pedagogical and methodological literature on the research topic has been carried out through theoretical (analysis of methodological literature, synthesis, generalization) and practical (questioning of students and teachers) methods. Identifying interdisciplinary connections is considered a necessary condition for creating an integrative foreign language learning environment. Domestic and foreign studies of the teachers and methodologists demonstrate the depth and sufficient elaboration of specific issues of the interdisciplinary approach. However, practical teaching experience shows that some theoretical aspects do not correspond to the real educational environment. This imbalance is based on the conditions that are considered in the study. Based on the analysis, recommendations for successful implementation of the interdisciplinary approach to professionally oriented language instruction at the civil engineering university have been developed: integration of educational materials on construction; project-based learning, cross-cultural learning; use of interactive technologies; cooperation with the teachers of engineering disciplines; educational and methodological seminars for teachers.