RESEARCH ON THE CHALLENGES OF TEACHING FOREIGN LANGUAGES FOR PROFESSIONAL PURPOSES IN PROFESSIONAL PRE-HIGHER AND VOCATIONAL EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.28925/2412-0774.2026.2.6Keywords:
artificial intelligence, digital technologies, foreign language competence, foreign language for professional purposes, professional pre-higher education, professional training, quality of education, stakeholders, vocational (vocational-technical) education.Abstract
The article investigates the current state and key challenges of teaching foreign languages for professional purposes in professional pre-higher and vocational education institutions of Ukraine in the context of educational system modernization and increasing requirements for foreign-language professional training of future specialists. The regulatory and legal framework of foreign language education as well as contemporary scientific approaches to the development of professionally oriented foreign language communicative competence are analyzed. The article presents the results of the first stage of the Pilot Project on studying foreign languages for professional purposes by students of professional pre-higher education in professional pre-higher and vocational (vocational-technical) education institutions, implemented by the State Service for Education Quality of Ukraine in cooperation with the State Institution «Scientific and Methodological Center for Higher and Professional Education». The study proves the existence of discrepancies between teachers’ assessments and students’ self-assessments regarding the level of their foreign language proficiency. It also identifies a number of systemic problems related to educational resource provision, the use of digital technologies and artificial intelligence tools, the organization of the educational process, and the integration of foreign language courses for professional purposes with specialized disciplines. The main trends in the development of foreign language training for students of professional pre-higher and vocational education are identified, including the growing role of digital tools, the need to update educational and methodological support, strengthen the practice-oriented nature of learning, and expand cooperation with stakeholders. The prospects for further research are outlined, including the development and testing of models for integrating foreign languages for professional purposes with specialized disciplines, studying the effectiveness of artificial intelligence technologies in the formation of professionally oriented foreign language competence, and developing modern educational and methodological resources adapted to the needs of various fields of professional training in professional pre-higher and vocational education institutions.
References
Scientific and Methodological Center for Higher and Professional Education (2026). Analitichni materiali pro rezultati anketuvannya provedenogo u ramkah pershogo etapu pilotnogo proyektu shodo vivchennya kursu inozemnoyi movi za profesijnim spryamuvannyam zdobuvachami fahovoyi peredvishoyi osviti u zakladah fahovoyi peredvishoyi, profesijnoyi (profesijno-tehnichnoyi) osviti [Analytical materials on the results of a survey conducted as part of the first stage of a pilot project on studying a foreign language course with a professional focus by applicants for professional pre-higher education in institutions of professional pre-higher, professional (vocational and technical) education]. https://nmc-vfpo.gov.ua/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/zvit_inozemna_mova_fpo-ppto_sqe-2026.pdf
Herasymchuk, H. A., Kovalchuk, O. M., Melnychuk, O. V. (2024). Osoblyvosti vykladannia inozemnoi movy profesiinoho spriamuvannia dlia studentiv nemovnykh spetsialnostei ZVO [Peculiarities of Teaching Students of Non-Linguistic Majors a Foreign Language for Professional Purposes Course]. Academic Studies. Series “Pedagogy”, 2, 1218. https://doi.org/10.52726/as.pedagogy/2024.2.2
Dubova, H. (2026). Psykholoho-pedahohichni umovy rozvytku anhlomovnoi komunikatyvnoi kompetentnosti studentiv zakladiv vyshchoi osvity [Psychological and pedagogical conditions for the development of english communicative competence of students of higher education institutions]. Continuing Professional Education: Theory and Practice, 1 (86), 99–112. https://doi.org/10.28925/2412-0774.2026.1.8
Zakon Ukrainy “Pro zastosuvannia anhliiskoi movy v Ukraini” [Law of Ukraine “On the Use of the English Language in Ukraine”] (2024). https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/3760-20#Text
Korolchuk, L. (2025). Osoblyvosti vykladannia inozemnoi movy za profesiinym spriamuvanniam dlia studentiv spetsialnosti “mizhnarodni ekonomichni vidnosyny” [Study of the Peculiarities of Teaching a Foreign Language for Professional Purposes for Students Majoring in “International Economic Relations”]. Modern Information Technologies and Innovation Methodologies of Education in Professional Training Methodology Theory Experience Problems, 75, 6980. https://doi.org/10.31652/2412-1142-2025-75-69-79
Kulish, I. M., Koroliuk, H. O. (2019). Do problemy vyvchennia inozemnoi movy profesiinoho spriamuvannia yak vazhlyvoi skladovoi profesiinoi pidhotovky fakhivtsia [To the problem of learning a foreign language for specific purposes as an important component of professional training]. Bulletin of the Cherkasy Bohdan Khmelnytsky National University. Series “Pedagogical_Sciences”, 1, 5561. https://doi.org/10.31651/2524-2660-2019-1-55-61
Linhvistychni ta metodolohichni aspekty vykladannia inozemnykh mov profesiinoho spriamuvannia: Materialy V Mizhnarodnoi naukovo-praktychnoi konferentsii 28–29 bereznia 2024 r. [Linguistic and Methodological Aspects of Teaching Foreign Languages for Professional Purposes: Proceedings of the 5th International Scientific and Practical Conference, March 28–29, 2024 / Edited by O. M. Akmaldinova] (2024). National Aviation University. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/403703852_Lingvisticni_ta_metodologicni_aspekti_vikladanna_inozemnih_mov_profesijnogo_spramuvanna
Metodychni rekomendatsii shchodo zabezpechennia yakisnoho vyvchennia, vykladannia ta vykorystannia anhliiskoi movy u zakladakh vyshchoi osvity Ukrainy. Nakaz Ministerstva osvity i nauky Ukrainy 25 lypnia 2023 roku № 898 [Methodological Recommendations for Ensuring the Quality Learning, Teaching, and Use of the English Language in Higher Education Institutions of Ukraine. Order of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, 898, July 25, 2023]. https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/rada/show/v0898729-23#Text
Scientific and Methodological Center for Higher and Professional Education (2026). Pilotnyi proiekt z vyvchennia inozemnoi movy za profesiinym spriamuvanniam zdobuvachamy fakhovoi peredvyshchoi osvity v zakladakh fakhovoi peredvyshchoi ta profesiinoi (profesiino-tekhnichnoi) osvity [Pilot Project on Teaching Foreign Languages for Professional Purposes to Students of Professional Pre-Higher Education in Institutions of Professional Pre-Higher and Vocational (Vocational-Technical) Education]. https://nmc-vfpo.gov.ua/pilotnyj-proyekt-shhodo-vyvchennya-kursu-inozemnoyi-movy-za-profesijnym-spryamuvannyam-zdobuvachamy-fahovoyi-peredvyshhoyi-osvity-u-zakladah-fahovoyi-peredvyshhoyi-profesijnoyi-profesijno-tehnichnoy/
State Service for Education Quality of Ukraine (2026). Rezultaty pershoho etapu Pilotnoho proiektu shchodo vyvchennia kursu inozemnoi movy za profesiinym spriamuvanniam [Results of the First Stage of the Pilot Project on Teaching the Course “Foreign Language for Professional Purposes”]. https://sqe.gov.ua/rezultaty-monitoryngu-vyvchennya-inozemnyh-mov-u-zakladah-fahovoyi-peredvyshhoyi-ta-profesijnoyi-osvity/
Stratehichnyi plan diialnosti Ministerstva osvity i nauky Ukrainy do 2027 roku [Strategic Plan for the Activities of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine until 2027] (2024). https://mon.gov.ua/strategichniy-plan-diyalnosti-mon-do-2027-roku
Al-khresheh, M. H., AL-Qadri, A. H., Alanazi, S. M., Abdelwahab D. (2026). Motivational Factors Influencing English Language Learning Among Saudi EFL Students: A Structural Equation Model of Internal Relationships. Journal of Psycholinguistic Research, 55, 66. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10936-026-10236-x
Ameri, M. (2020). The Use of Mobile Apps in Learning English Language. Budapest International Research and Critics in Linguistics and Education (BirLE) Journal, 3 (3), 13631370. https://doi.org/10.33258/birle.v3i3.1186
Durdas, A., Furmanchuk, N., Bondar, A., & Samar, O. (2024). Overcoming speech barriers at university foreign language classes. Continuing Professional Education: Theory and Practice, 4 (81), 55–61. https://doi.org/10.28925/2412-0774.2024.4.4
Fernández, S., Rodriguez, J. & Rodriguez, I. (2023). The Effectiveness of English Language Learning Apps for Bilingual Speakers. Research Studies in English Language Teaching and Learning, 1 (1), 25–32. https://doi.org/10.62583/rseltl.v1i1.3
Lafraya, S. (2011). Intercultural Learning in Non-Formal Education: Theoretical Frameworks and Starting Points. Council of Europe. https://www.youthpolicy.org/uploads/documents/2011_Intercultural_Learning_Non-Formal_Education_Frameworks_Eng1.pdf
Qushoy, M., Hartono, R., Fitriati, S. W., & Rukmini, D. (2025). How can Neuro-Linguistic Programming Influence English Language Teaching? A Systematic Literature Review. The Proceedings of English Language Teaching, Literature, and Translation (ELTLT), 14, 339–353. https://proceeding.unnes.ac.id/eltlt/article/view/4707
Shabani, K., Khatib, M., & Ebadi, S. (2010). Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development: Instructional Implications and Teachers’ Professional Development. English Language Teaching, 3, 237248. https://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v3n4p237
Solhi, M., Elahi Shirvan, M., Taherian, T. (2026). A dynamic bidirectional system of perceived teacher boredom, language learners’ boredom, and L2 writing motivation: a feedback loop system. Asian-Pacific Journal of Second and Foreign Language Education, 11, 14. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40862-026-00388-7
Vysotska, O., Gryshchenko, O., Tsapro, G. (2025). Motivation: does it make language learning more effective? Continuing Professional Education: Theory and Practice, 1 (82), 46–58. https://doi.org/10.28925/1609-8595.2025.1.4
Wang, Y. (2026). The Relationship between Teachers’ Character Strengths and Students’ Motivation and Well-Being in AI-Supported Classrooms. European Journal of Education, 61 (2), 70611. https://doi.org/10.1111/ejed.70611
Zhang, Xi, Wang, J. (2026). Teacher enthusiasm and EFL students' psychological well-being: the role of basic psychological needs and self-determined motivation. System, 139, 104006. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2026.104006
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Наталія Дівінська, Тарас Коваленко
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
