Межкультурное образование - предпосылки, практика, преподавательские компетенции

The aim of intercultural teaching is to help an individual or a group understand and accept what is foreign, form a tolerant attitude to other cultures, help to orient oneself in a multi-cultural environment. This is achieved by forming solidarity common to all mankind, which is ensured in the following way: 1) through understanding one’s own culture and roots; 2) by not shutting oneself up in the circle of one’s own culture; 3) through understanding another and knowing hoe to communicate, respect for differences; 4) encouragement to share experience, devising teaching programmes, in society and a legal activity. A man when he finds himself in the environment in which many cultures intertwine, constantly questions his own identity, have to accept various norms of behaviour that are not common to him, codes of communication, which do not only require to follow them but also require to perceive their meaning. Intercultural teaching helps acquire such competences. The article reviews peculiarities of intercultural teaching in Vilnius. The only institution, which can bring back an adequate place to intercultural teaching, is a school. It is proposed that a course in intercultural teaching should be introduced in higher educational institutions