Teaching methodology of Ukrainian as a foreign language at medical institutions of higher education

The author clarifies the content of the concept of “a method of teaching” and presents its interpretations in philosophy, psychology, and linguodidactics. The article contains an analysis of scientific research on the emergence of various methods of language teaching both in foreign and domestic didactics, as well as descriptions of the role that each method plays in the formation and establishment of the speech personality, including that of the foreign medical student. A method of teaching Ukrainian as a foreign language is a way of realization of educational, developmental and disciplinary aims of teaching that is intended for the organization of an effective educational process, the main task of which is the achievement of the desired result. The author defines the main methods of teaching of Ukrainian as a foreign language at medical institutions of higher education, namely: the direct method, conscious-comparative method, grammar translation method, suggestive method, audio-lingual method, and audio-visual method. It has been noticed, that none of the listed methods is universal, therefore only the totality of the above methods will promote the achievement of the aims and tasks of the educational process, in particular mastering of the Ukrainian language by foreign medical students. Selection of methods of teaching Ukrainian as a foreign language to foreign medical students depends on the selected approaches and principles for studying the discipline, the specificity of the theoretical and practical material, which must be mastered by a foreign student during studying at an institution of higher education, as well as on the pedagogical mastery and working experience of a teacher, conditions of implementation of the educational process, available means of teaching, etc. The teaching methods presented in the study are effective only subject to their integrated introduction in the educational process, as each appointed method is intended to form particular practical skills and abilities of a subject of study, which are key components of professional communicative competence of a foreign student as a future highly-qualified and competitive specialist of the medical branch.