Throughout the centuries of the long-lasting history of mankind, there has always been a need to organize intercultural contacts, but interethnic interaction has been limited. Significant transformations in the field of communication, which affect the vast majority of the population, have been taking place since the middle of the last century due to scientific and technological progress and support for the cultural identity of societies. The development of a polycultural personality capable of taking into account cultural diversity is inextricably linked with languages that can be used by an individual to organize effective communication with various societies speaking these languages. Scientists are currently conducting research on the formation and development of the linguistic picture of the world in the study of the second and third foreign languages, but it is worth noting that the phenomena of polyculturalism and polylinguism are not fully studied. Natural polylinguism occurs in multinational countries (Russia, Indonesia), international organizations (United Nations), multinational companies (Sony, Samsung), tourism (sightseeing, hotel business), where situations of using several languages in communication are extensive, while artificial polylinguism, formed as a result of the learning process, requires special set conditions for the interrelated acquisition and application of foreign languages inside the training team, which is a more difficult task due to the lack of constant practice with native speakers of different languages and cultures. In European countries, it is possible to implement the initiative of learning two European languages other than the native one. The idea of the polylinguality of the world causes a change in educational programs in higher education - with regard to linguistic and pedagogical education, universities are trying to introduce two foreign languages ( there are also unique programs at the HSE, KFU, NGLU, PSU, UdSU, where it is possible to study three or four foreign languages at once within one profile). Potential employers expect the Russian higher education system to train readymade specialists - personnel who possess the necessary pedagogical tools, who will be able to adapt to working conditions quickly, carry out work activities taking into account the innovative component, able to improve their skills and abilities to increase the effectiveness of the educational process. The career prospects of students are directly dependent on the skills, abilities, competencies formed as a result of mastering the program at the university: if one has a confident command of several foreign languages, the probability of more successful employment in government organizations (there is a need for teachers of two foreign languages in gymnasiums and lyceums for the implementation of curricular and extracurricular activities) and the private sector of educational institutions (a variety of additional education programs aimed at children and adults in different languages) increases. It is worth noting that the influence of the cognitive aspect in language learning is increasing. Digitalization and algorithmization of all social processes have led to a change in the requirements for teaching foreign languages. A modern teacher needs to have a high level of linguistic awareness, while languages are considered not only as means of communication, but also systems with certain rules and patterns. A deep understanding of language structures comes when generalizing the experience of language acquisition, polylinguism becomes an essential factor in the development of analytical thinking. The trend of transition from one dominant foreign language and culture to recognition, promotion of polylinguism and polyculturalism lays a solid foundation for considering a foreign language teacher as a specialist in cross-cultural management, where each language material is processed taking into account the cultural and linguistic characteristics of other countries, regions at the macro level and professional communities, ages at the micro level (in Switzerland speaking the native dialect is considered prestigious among highly qualified personnel; in Austria, dialects are used in advertisements to get closer to consumers; dialects of Thai are used mainly in rural areas and are means of self-identification of the country's ethnic minorities). The acquisition of foreign languages is inextricably linked to the customs, traditions, and mentality of the countries of the languages studied, since direct translation from one language to another one in some cases can distort the meaning of the message. The ability and willingness to use the language repertoire (at least three languages, including native ones) in communication in professional (pedagogical) and other fields is a polylingual competence of a foreign language teacher. This article reveals the conceptual block of the formation of polylingual competence: the approaches applied by universities in relation to professionally-oriented learning, and the principles that can be used in programs of a future teacher of foreign languages. The article also identifies the problems faced by students of a pedagogical profile when mastering several foreign languages and presents ways to resolve difficulties in the form of developed private methodological principles.
