DOLGANOVA O., ZAVARYKINA L. THE FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHER IN THE ROLE OF A FACILITATOR. LIFELONG EDUCATION: The 21st Century.
2026. Vol. 14. No. 3. DOI: 10.15393/j5.art.2026.13096


Vol. 14. No. 3.

Human and teaching resources of continuing education
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THE FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHER IN THE ROLE OF A FACILITATOR

DOLGANOVA Olga V.
PhD in Pedagogical Sciences, Head of the English Department 1 of General Academic Faculty
Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration
(Moscow, Russian Federation)
dolganova-ov@ranepa.ru
ZAVARYKINA Lyubov V.
Senior Teacher, English Department 1 of General Academic Faculty
Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration
(Moscow, Russian Federation)
zavarykina-lv@ranepa.ru
Keywords:
facilitation
teacher-facilitator
student-centered approach in education
practice-oriented approach to teaching
narrative interviews
observation method. Received: February 22
2026		 Abstract: the authors analyze the role of a foreign language teacher within the framework of the facilitation concept. The aim of the research is to compare theoretical ideas about facilitation and the role of a teacher-facilitator with the real practice of foreign language teaching in modern higher education. The relevance of the study stems from the fact that contemporary foreign language teaching methodology places significant emphasis on learner-centered and practice-oriented approaches, within which the teacher is viewed as a facilitator of the learning process. However, actual pedagogical practices of facilitation are insufficiently discussed and analyzed. Using qualitative research methods ‒ narrative interviews and observations ‒ the authors attempt to answer the following questions: to what extent does the concept of the «facilitator teacher» adequately and comprehensively describe actual pedagogical practices, and how do teachers’ personal beliefs influence their interpretation and implementation of the «facilitator» concept. The conducted study revealed two opposing approaches to the role of a foreign language teacher-facilitator: the first approach involves sharing responsibility and co-constructing the educational pathway with the students, while the second approach represents a practice of effective management of the educational process to achieve set results. Both approaches can lead to planned outcomes, but understanding these differences is critically important for comprehending the dynamics of the learning process in foreign language teaching.
Paper submitted on: 02/22/2026; Accepted on: 06/14/2026; Published online on: 09/26/2026.

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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15393/j5.art.2026.13096