FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHING TO LINGUISTICALLY GIFTED STUDENTS: COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE

Purpose of the Study: The urgency of the problem under investigation is due to the fact that the issue of gifted students’ education is one of the most difficult and interesting aspects of contemporary pedagogy. The purpose of the article is to comprehensively characterize the components of foreign language teaching to linguistically gifted students. Methodology: New directions of teaching linguistically gifted students of non-linguistic directions, based on the communicative and personal-activity approach, are analyzed. Results: In this article, the concept of foreign language competence of students is defined and the content, forms, methods and means of pedagogical interaction in the process of foreign language teaching to gifted students are considered. The authors pay special attention to foreign language teaching to linguistically gifted students. Applications: The materials of the article can be useful for teachers, students and a wide range of readers interested in the problems of gifted students’ education.


INTRODUCTION
In modern domestic and foreign pedagogical science and educational practice, training and education of gifted students are often viewed as a global pedagogical task. Today, the problem of teaching gifted students is directly connected with the new conditions and requirements of a rapidly changing world. The new information society puts forward new challenges for the education system, as intellect and creativity become the main productive and creative force of civilization (Gali, Shakhnina, Zagladina, Belyaeva, Dulmukhametova, & Ibragimova, 2018). It is obvious that in modern conditions it is necessary to solve the problem of developing of the educational content for gifted students, which promotes the development of creative individuality of students. It should be noted that the educational content for gifted students has a number of differences from the educational content of the majority of their "normal" peers. According to the domestic researcher R. Sagitova, "it is necessary to improve the content of education to solve the problem of the individualization of education" (Sagitova, R.R. (2014).
It is important to note that training gifted students implies, first of all, scientifically grounded training of teachers who are ready to solve the whole complex of issues related to this field. Teachers face a problem while identifying students with outstanding mental capabilities: what and how to teach, how to contribute to their optimal development (Davis & Rimm, 2004;Taylor, 2000). Of course, the success of training and development of gifted students implies that the teacher has his own concept of activity oriented towards the intellectual and creative development of such students. It is obvious that the work specific of a teacher who educates gifted students determines higher demands on him or her than an ordinary teacher (Callahan, 2001). It cannot be denied that there are some problematic moments in the education of the gifted students -the weakening of scientific and methodological support for teachers working with this category of students, lack of preparation of teachers for individualizing education, psychological and pedagogical support for gifted ones, and also helping gifted parents (Robinson, Shore, & Enersen, 2007;Watts & Watts, 1993).
The aim of the article is to reveal the work specifics in the process of foreign language teaching to linguistically gifted students of non-linguistic directions.

METHODOLOGY
The objects of our investigation are: 1) to define the concept of foreign language competence of students; 2) to determine the content, forms, methods and means of pedagogical interaction in the process of foreign language teaching to gifted students; 3) to study the international experience of working with gifted students to enhance the effectiveness of gifted students' education. The usage of the methodology and methods of existing research contributes to the development of scientific thought in education for gifted students. It provides the opportunity to comprehensively address the problem of gifted students' education.

RESULTS
It should be noted that nowadays the specifics of teaching in universities have changed due to the requirements for the formation of the level of practice-oriented knowledge, foreign language communicative skills, professional and personal qualities of future specialists (Fakhrutdinova & Kondrateva, 2016). In addition, students' proficiency in a foreign language implies a level of knowledge of a foreign language that allows them to use it to meet their professional needs, realize personal business contacts and further professional self-education that are in demand in the context of the integration of the international educational space.
The interest of researchers to the study of foreign language competence is associated with the transition of higher education from a qualifying approach to a competence-based one, with a reorientation of the evaluation of the educational result from the concepts of "knowledge and skills" to the concepts of "competence". It is also associated with a transition from the qualification model of a specialist focused on the object and the subject of labor to competence-oriented subject of labor (Winebrenner, 2000;Betts & Kerscher, 1999).
Having analyzed the scientific literature on the research problem, we came to the conclusion that along with the term "foreign language competence," the synonymous concept "foreign language communicative competence" is widely used. So, according to N. Proschyants, foreign language competence is understood as "a set of sociocultural, linguistic knowledge, skills and abilities, implemented by the subject adequately communicative task in a foreign language environment. As a basic concept, foreign language competence can be considered as a system of interacting elements, such as linguistic, linguocultural, sociocultural, professional foreign language, and communicative competence " (Proshyants, 2010).
According to G. Bogin, N. Gez, there are levels of development of foreign language competence, which reflect the actual linguistic component of foreign language competence:  The level of correctness (the ability of a person to use the existing active vocabulary in combination with the correct application of the word);  The level of interiorization (the communicator has a holistic view of the utterance being made);  The level of saturation (involves the wide use of a variety of language tools, the absence of primitive vocabulary and syntax in use);  The level of adequate choice (assurance of a variety of linguistic means in accordance with the context and the specific situation);  The level of adequate synthesis (which reflects the development of a single linguistic personality) (Bogin, 1984;Gez, 1985).
A foreign researcher J. Raven expands this concept, including a number of components in its composition:  Linguistic (knowledge of vocabulary, phonetics, grammar and corresponding skills);  Sociolinguistic (reflects the sociocultural conditions of language use);  Pragmatic (involves the implementation of the communicative function, the generation of speech acts) (Raven, 2002). learning a foreign language);  Reflective component (mastering methods of self-analysis, self-esteem in the process of foreign language professionally oriented communication);  Emotional-volitional component (the ability to self-regulate in the field of professional activity and foreign language professional communication, the ability to overcome the psychological barrier in foreign language communication) (Galustyan, 2008).
In this regard, the interest of foreign language teachers in new areas of study for linguistically gifted students in nonlinguistic areas based on the communicative and personal-activity approach is justified. According to M. Rumyantseva, linguistic talent is defined as an increased level of abilities for accelerated thinking processes in a foreign language, for active cognitive activity in the theory and history of a language, for creativity in choosing ways of communicating in a foreign language, for sustainable motivation in learning a language (Rumyantseva, 2006, p. 15).
Speaking about the linguistic talent of students, it is necessary to single out such a component as linguistic creativity. The linguistic creativity of students is understood as "a set of abilities to create objectively and subjectively new ideal products using native and / or foreign language, producing oral and written statements based on divergent thinking with students' desire for creative speech activity" (Tyuleneva, 2012, p. 5).
According to research V. Panfilova, linguistic giftedness is understood as individual psychological personality, characterized by an increased level of intellectual, linguistic and communicative abilities, providing sustainable motivation in learning a foreign language, speed and ease of acquiring linguistic knowledge, speed of a language learning, creativity in the choice of communication methods in a foreign language, the effectiveness of using a foreign language in the process of professionally oriented foreign language communication (Panfilova, 2015).
Therefore, forming foreign language competence of linguistically gifted students implies the choice and realization of the possibilities of content, forms, methods and means of pedagogical interaction in the process of a foreign language teaching. It is building of a didactic developing environment. The content, forms and methods of work should include an optimal educational space for active, free and creative self-development of linguistically gifted students, ensuring the variability and openness of the educational process, which allows the students the freedom to choose educational and professional foreign language activities (Panfilova, 2015).
Speaking of linguistically gifted students, it should be noted that educational and professional foreign language activities aim at the formation of foreign language competence of linguistically gifted students and implemented in both, classroom and extracurricular forms of education. In the classroom form of education for linguistically gifted students, active group forms of study are used in combination with individual search and research activities in a foreign language. They are such forms as projects, role-playing games, working with electronic dictionaries, using ICT (including working with Internet resources and working in phono laboratories), presentations, contests, quizzes, web quests, problem situations, discussions.
Interactive forms allow a teacher to organize active interaction of all participants in the educational process, the exchange of authentic professionally important information in a foreign language and acquire the skills of professional communication, during which the students improve their skills of unprepared speech, the ability to listen to the opinions of others, offer solutions to problems and develop instructions for new creative tasks. Integration of forms and methods of work allows a teacher to simultaneously develop various types of speech activities: speaking, reading, writing and listening. This provides a solution to communication problems in the use of grammar, lexical forms, which allows the students to master linguistic material and speech activity, thereby ensuring the development of various types of foreign language competence.
The most interesting for linguistically gifted students are assignments including the method of "round table" and discussions, since these methods are a kind of dialogue, which includes the principle of collective discussion of the problem, the ability to combine elements of evidence and convictions in the course of the discussion. The students learn to accurately express their thoughts during the discussion, actively defend their point of view in reports and speeches, reasonably express or refute the erroneous position of the opponent (Clasen & Clasen, 1995).
Out-of-class forms of education, ensuring the formation of foreign language competence, are implemented through creative and intellectual competitions and scientific conferences.