Polyparadigmatic approach to foreign language training of military officers: Theory, methodology, and practice

Abstract

The study substantiates the theoretical, methodological, and practical foundations of implementing a polyparadigmatic approach to foreign language training for military officers within modern professional military education (PME). Given the multifaceted communicative demands of multinational coalition operations, reliance on a single pedagogical paradigm proves insufficient for cultivating comprehensive linguistic readiness under NATO STANAG 6001 standards. The proposed polyparadigmatic framework synergizes the strengths of several complementary methodological paradigms: competency-based (targeting measurable operational outcomes), communicative-pragmatic and action-oriented (modeling authentic command and control interactions), cognitive-discursive (optimizing terminological acquisition and speech processing under stress), and digital/AI-driven (enabling personalized, adaptive simulation training). At the methodological level, the paper outlines principles for harmonizing these paradigms within curriculum design without causing instructional fragmentation. At the practical level, it demonstrates how combining Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT), lexical chunking, and immersive tactical case studies accelerates the transition from theoretical knowledge to autonomous professional communication. Empirical results confirm that a polyparadigmatic synthesis significantly enhances officers' adaptability, cross-cultural strategic competence, and linguistic interoperability across diverse operational environments.