EN
In the article the author deals with the German students’ communicative competence formation in the process of learning a foreign language in Germany. Germany supports foreign languages study intensification and tries to make possible the study of at least two foreign languages in every higher educational establishment. Foreign languages study in Germany is influenced by the state’s language policy, which depends on political tendencies, the character of economic relations with foreign countries, national traditions, globalization and integration processes as well. The development of the concept «communicative competence» has been observed in the article. So, it has been stated that this concept was introduced by the American sociolinguist D. Hymes in 1972 in order to prove that only grammar knowledge was not enough for communication. It is worth saying that the European style of language education differentiates two kinds of language competence – communicative and linguistic. The latter is said to be the main component of communicative competence. It has been emphasized that the communicative competence is the main aim of foreign language study in Germany. Therefore the communicative competence has been determined as the ability to perform communicative activity through the realization of communicative behavior on the basis of phonological, lexical, grammar and intercultural knowledge in accordance with different communicative situations. To achieve communicative competence German foreign language teachers use innovative teaching methods, which combine communicative and educational aims. These methods are based on the humanistic approach and are aimed at the German students’ individual development and self-improvement, they provide effective studying process in German higher educational establishments. The main tendencies of German students’ communicative competence formation have been analyzed in the article. They include the use of foreign language during the professional subjects study, study and practice abroad, the possibility to receive a double-degree program, international collaboration during scientific research conduction, the use of innovative informational technologies in the process of foreign languages study, students’ participation in European Union projects.