Non-verbal communication as a means of forming communicative competences in language classes at the university

Abstract

The present educational structure of the Republic of Kazakhstan presupposes the training of a competitive polylingual graduate ready to realize communicative activity in Kazakh, Russian or English at the everyday, social, professional and intercultural level of communication. The article considers the functions of non-verbal means of communication in the conditions of multicultural groups in higher education institutions, describes their national and cultural specificity and defines the role of non-verbal signs that carry significant information and interpret the mentality of the people, their culture, moral and ethical attitudes.

The comparative analysis of means of gesture communication of Russian, Kazakh and English languages, reflecting the inner-psychological state of the communicant or indicating his attitude to the partner in communication, shows that they vividly reflect the historical experience of the people, ideas related to economic and labour activity, everyday life and culture of people. The ability to understand and use the means of nonverbal communication of representatives of other ethnic groups contributes to mutual understanding and mutual respect, strengthening interpersonal relations.

Non-verbal means of communication can be universal, when they reflect well-known concepts and ethical values of different cultures, and unique, specific, if they convey the national identity inherent in a particular ethnos, characterize only its philosophical understanding of the surrounding world. In this connection, the article analyses semantic features of nonverbal communication of the compared languages and determines their significance in the educational process in order to form in learners on the principles of the cultural code such value orientations as spirituality, morality, patriotism, internationalism, respect for elders, tolerance, and considers the formation of communicative behaviour, which is as important aspect of learning as reading, writing, speaking, understanding. The practical part of the study involved 250 students from U. Zhanibekov South Kazakhstan Pedagogical University.

Keywords: non-verbal semiotics, gesture communication, communicative behaviour, cultural code, national-cultural specificity, world picture.