Methodological mastery of a foreign language teacher

Relevance. The relevance of the study is determined by the contradictions between the need for foreign language teachers to develop and enhance their professional skills and the conditions of their professional activity, which involve teaching the subject “Foreign Language” according to the ready-made methodological recommendations provided by the authors of educational and methodological complexes. The trend towards unification of educational practices in teaching foreign languages repeatedly actualizes the problem of developing the teacher’s methodological skills.Materials and Methods. The primary material for the study is the analysis results of the educational practice of teaching foreign languages and its theoretical reflection, as well as a generalization of the author’s experience of teaching English in an educational institution of secondary general education. The research methods are traditional, including the analysis of scientific and methodological literature, observations of the process of formation and improvement of the methodological skills of a foreign language teacher, teacher surveys, targeted discussions with colleagues.Results and Discussion. The study proved the interconnection between a foreign language teacher’s methodological mastery and their methodological creativity. The main factors contributing to the decline in methodological creativity among practicing teachers are identified, and the transitioning validity from teaching foreign languages according to pre-prepared methodological recipes to a variable – reflective methodology is substantiated. This transition involves the foreign language competencies formation in students based on the teacher’s individual methodological credo as a creator of the educational process.Conclusion. Methodological mastery of the teacher is the foundation of the effectiveness of their professional activities in developing students’ foreign language competencies. The formation and development of a teacher’s methodological mastery are hindered by both objective and subjective conditions of teaching the subject “Foreign Language”, including the unification of the foreign language learning process and the reliance on the methodological recommendations of textbook authors without considering specific pedagogical situations. The most acceptable way to resolve these contradictions is a systematic transition to a variable – reflective methodology for foreign language teaching.