Abstract
In the contemporary educational context, foreign language teaching is aimed not only at developing learners’ linguistic and communicative skills but also at preparing them for intercultural interaction. In this regard, integrating traditions into English language teaching represents an important pedagogical resource that helps learners understand their own and other cultures, compare cultural phenomena, and develop respect for cultural differences. The purpose of the article is to theoretically substantiate the pedagogical potential of using traditions in English language teaching to develop intercultural competence and to identify methodological approaches to its implementation. The study employs theoretical and comparative analysis of national and international scholarly works, content analysis, systematization, generalization, and pedagogical modelling. The theoretical analysis resulted in the systematization of five components of intercultural competence: cognitive, comparative-interpretive, communicative-activity-based, value-emotional, and reflective-critical. Based on their interrelationship, a methodological model for developing intercultural competence through traditions is proposed, comprising the stages of “knowing – comparing – interpreting – interacting – reflecting.” The main means of implementing the model include comparative analysis, situational tasks, role-playing activities, discussions, project-based learning, authentic materials, and reflective tasks. The proposed model provides for a gradual transition from learning traditions as ready-made cultural information to understanding cultural meanings, comparing one’s own and other cultures, engaging appropriately in intercultural communicative situations, and reflecting on one’s own experience. The findings can be applied to the development of interculturally oriented teaching materials and tasks for English language instruction in secondary schools.