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Content analysis of the concept of «Soft Skills» // Tomsk State Pedagogical University Bulletin. 2023. Issue 2 (226). P. 120-132

In order to clarify the concept of “soft skills” a content analysis of the concept was carried out. It included the analysis of existing definitions in the world scientific literature, as well as definitions similar in content. The research was based on the national and foreign scientific literature, as well as special dictionaries. Their use made it possible to study the interpretation of the concept of “skill” and to systematize the concept of “soft skills” proposed by various authors. Research on the concept “soft skills” begins with an examination of the concept “skill” and its functionality both in the knowledge and skills system and within the competency-based approach. It has been found that in today’s higher education system “skill” is related to complex problem-solving and implies complex performance actions in comparison with its traditional understanding to denote actions that are performed automatically. Moreover, in the terminological field of modern pedagogy, the notion of “soft skills” has become established, which has a rich range of definitions and a list of analogues, which was the subject of the author’s research. The systematization of information obtained as a result of content-analysis of scientific literature in terms of “soft skills” made it possible to clarify the studied concept and scientifically substantiate our own definition. The refined definition is based on the common characteristics included in the concept of “soft skills”, selected according to the principle of maximum frequency of use, as well as taking into account the secondary frequency characteristics identified in the concepts of similar content. The result of this theoretical study can be considered as a model-hierarchy of key characteristics of the concept “soft skills” and a model of the key characteristics of related concepts. The model was based on the principle of common characteristics. Based on the data obtained in the course of the study and based on the expert opinion of researchers, it has been concluded that: the variability of the concept “soft skills” and related concepts (“non-professional competencies”, “non-professional skills”, “21st century skills”, “universal competencies”, “universal competences”, “key competencies”, and “soft competencies”) can be considered as identical and interchangeable. As a result of the work done, the concept of “soft skills” has been clarified. It contributes to a more precise formulation of learning outcomes in the pedagogical experiment on the development of soft skills in the framework of foreign language teaching in the technical university

Keywords: skill, soft skills, model of key characteristics of the concept “soft skills”, competence, competency