Between Tradition and Sustainable Education in Foreign Language Education

On the Importance of Intercultural Competence in Russian Language Teaching

Abstract

Given ongoing social debates, migration-related diversity, and global political developments, democracy education, critical thinking, and sustainable development are increasingly central to educational discourse. Especially since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, teaching Russian in schools has taken on particular significance. Due to the high degree of heterogeneity in learning groups, Russian language teaching offers considerable potential for promoting intercultural communicative competence (ICC) as a basis for education for sustainable development (ESD) and political education.
This article examines the importance of ICC in Russian language teaching from the perspective of Russian teachers in Germany. It is based on an exploratory study using Q methodology that captures the subjective attitudes and interpretative patterns of 15 teachers. The results identify four different approaches to ICC: a knowledge-oriented and critically reflective approach, an everyday life-oriented approach, a politically and socially critical reflective approach, and a conflict-avoiding and apolitical, experience- and knowledge-oriented approach. Overall, ICC is viewed positively and perceived as already present in Russian lessons, although different understandings and priorities underlie these convictions. The study provides insights into current attitudes and teaching practices, and highlights the potential of Russian language teaching to promote sustainable and intercultural learning as well as the professional development of foreign language teachers.