The Significance of Fostering and Developing Sociocultural Competence in Foreign Language Teaching From the Perspec- Tive of Foreign Language Teachers in Serbia

The emphasis on the sociocultural dimension of foreign language teaching and learn- ing has gradually grown over the years, leading to increasing expectations for contemporary educators to enhance learners’ acquisition of sociocultural competence. Accordingly, this study seeks to examine the perspectives and attitudes of Serbian foreign language teachers regarding sociocultural competence in language teaching and learning, and to investigate the extent and manner in which these teachers develop and integrate sociocultural competence within their teaching practices. Data were collected from 32 teachers through a questionnaire. The results indicate that these teachers regard sociocultural competence as an important aspect of foreign language learning and actively strive to incorporate and develop it in their classrooms. For the purpose of effectively developing sociocultural competence in foreign language teaching, they recommend: organising student exchange programmes and opportunities to travel outside Ser- bia, incorporating additional texts on sociocultural topics in textbooks and increasing the fre- quency of foreign language classes from two per week to a higher number.