Socio cultural and sociolinguistic component was and is a unique component of the process of learning
foreign languages. Nowadays the importance of socio cultural and sociolinguistic component grows
because it is a time of democratic transformation; a time of perception of human values on the way of
the formation of the model of the modern European country. This component influences on the process
of learning in different ways.
1. It is a motivating factor.
2. It is a factor of national and international identification.
3. It helps to choose modern means of studying (learning).
4. It forms key competences of a personality.
5. It is a part of the communicative competence.
The socio linguistic component runs through the whole process of communication between the
representatives of different cultures, even when the participants do not realize its influence. These two terms
“sociolinguistic” “socio cultural” are closely connected (mutually supplementing and determinative).
 A person needs speech norms of communication (socio linguistic component) for his social
identification and realization (socio cultural component).
 Every speech community has its peculiarities of existence (socio cultural component) which
determine its speech differences and norms (socio linguistic component).
Pupils get to know about linguistic differences and norms, regional studies of the foreign language together
with the identical information of the native language. It develops in students a virtual dialogue of cultures.
That’s why the Conception of learning foreign languages in the secondary school of general education says
“The main aim of learning foreign languages is the formation of pupils’ communicative competence.” I
want to add that communicative competence includes the sociolinguistic competence and the socio cultural
one. The social cultural competence:
 is a system of knowledge of main traditions and custom of the country, the language of which is
studied.
 is a system of skills and abilities to conduct correctly in this or that situation.
The social linguistic competence is an ability to use the linguistic means of communication according to
the communicative situation.
On this basis the formation of the students’ communicative competence means the usage of a foreign
language as the means of international communication; the development of skills to use a foreign language
as a tool in a dialogue of cultures and civilizations of the modern world. The term “the dialogue of cultures”
is a purpose-oriented aim in the process of learning foreign languages. In this situation pupils have an
opportunity to compare the ways and styles of life in both countries. So the social linguistic component
gives the opportunities to learn not only the country the language of which is studied but also the native
country. The realization of this principle at school helps to form in pupils such cultural communicative
qualities as:
 cultural tolerance and socio cultural observation;
 readiness to speak , to cooperate with foreigners;
 linguistic and socio cultural politeness.
Socio cultural component is a distinct feature of learning foreign languages for the students in comparison
with other school subjects. That’s why text materials of socio cultural content, the learning of
sociolinguistic peculiarities, the knowledge of traditions and custom of the country the language of which is
studied of course are the additional motivating factors to involve students in the process of learning.
Emotionally motivated and interesting in content material of country study is not only the informational
source but also the motivating factor of cognitive and linguistic activity of students in the process of learning
and achievement of a high level of the communicative competence as the main aim of students’ activity.
Socio cultural material has to:
 be authentic
 be feasible at every stage of learning.
 This table presents us the examples of authentic texts which can be used as training material in
different spheres.
Spheres
Texts
Personal
recipes
instructions
newspapers
mail ads
Public
greeting cards
graphite
tickets
agreement
anthems
the Bible
Professional
business letters
advertising notes
road signs
business (visiting) cards
business instructions
Educational
authentic texts
reference books
video texts
dictionaries
resumes
Now I like to move on to a question how can a social linguistic component be used?
learning foreign languages at the lesson
a social linguistic component in:
 reading
 writing
 speaking
 oral comprehension
intensification of lingual and linguistic students’
project works
skills at the extra school activities
celebration of holidays
optional lessons
special courses
effective means of learning
authentic materials (video, texts, programmes)
visual hands out and audio records
communication with native speakers in any possible international projects
situation
correspondence with friends(of the same age)
real situation of communication
And the last point We can form our pupils’ sociolinguistic competence by:
 the selection and structuring of authentic texts within the program theme of communication;
 the usage of linguistic markers of social relationships in the training activities to improve
communicative competencies of students;
 the usage of expressions of folk wisdom, courtesy and rules of conduct as the motivating factor for
training activities for students;
 the introduction and development of dialectical samples for the development and stimulation of
students articulation, their phonetic and phonemic hearing.
So, I must say a teacher should systematically use the socio linguistic component for practical mastery of the
foreign language by his students.