TEACHING EXPERIENCE AT PEOPLES' FRIENDSHIP UNIVERSITY OF RUSSIA: CULTURAL COMPONENT IN TRAINING FOREIGN STUDENTS

The proposed article analyzes the cultural component in teaching the Russian language at the Faculty of Russian Language and General Education Disciplines at Peoples' Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), Moscow, Russia in multinational groups. The authors consider areas of frequent communicative errors implied by cultural differences of foreign students. The experience of teaching at Peoples' Friendship University of Russia made it possible to offer solutions to a number of typical difficulties that foreign students face in communication and in education in Russia. The article details difficulties caused by the following factors: 1 discrepancy of etiquette formulas, 2 interpretation of linguistic material in the coordinates of the native linguistic culture, 3 lack of basic knowledge of Russia, its traditions and culture. Thus, etiquette mismatch in addressing the teacher in one's native culture and Russian linguoculture causes considerable communicative difficulties for students. The lack of basic linguogeographic information about the Russian language is typical both for non-linguistic students and for those students who declare the Russian language and literature their future specialty, which undoubtedly affects the quality of their perception of the Russian language and culture. The article classifies cultural and historical lacunae in the notion of Russia, which impedes effective teaching of the language. At present, a significant amount of historical and literary material is presented in the methodological and educational materials, which allows students to adapt more quickly to learning and living in Russia. During the research we have interviewed students from Iraq, China, Senegal, Mongolia, who are taught the Russian language. The survey showed the need to develop training guidelines for overcoming the difficulties mentioned above. These recommendations, in our opinion, will allow foreign students to integrate more effectively into RUDN University training system, increase the knowledge of the host country's linguistic culture and eliminate psycholinguistic difficulties caused by cultural codes mismatch.