SWOT analysis as a tool for selecting text materials for the formation of English communicative competence of students of non-linguistic specialties

Abstract

The study is devoted to the implementation of SWOT analysis as an auxiliary criterion for the selection of text material in the formation of English communicative competence for students of non-linguistic specialties. The article examines the concept of communicative competence, as a complex phenomenon of students’ availability of appropriate abilities and skills for high-quality foreign language communication. The main groups of criteria for the selection of text material have been outlined, including 1) subject-scientific ones; 2) linguistic stylistic; 3) methodological; 4) person-oriented. The concept of SWOT analysis has been summarized and the components of the matrix of this analysis have been analyzed, namely: the factors of positive influence of the internal environment are – Strengths, the negative factors – Weaknesses, and the factors of external influence are Opportunities, and the negative ones are Threats. The use of SWOT analysis, based on the classic qualitative criteria for text selection has been proposed as follows: Strengths – linguistic stylistic criteria of variety of types and genres and professionally oriented lexical units; Weaknesses – methodological criteria of authenticity, accessibility, adaptability, etc.; Opportunities – subject-scientific criteria of novelty, informational value and the presence of paralinguistic components; Threats are person-oriented criteria of relevance and practical value. An analysis of the English-language text has been carried out according to the proposed SWOT-analysis model and qualitative criteria for the selection of text material have been highlighted as well.