Recently, the importance of international cooperation in education, the use of the best practices of higher education institutions in the European Union, the development of pedagogical skills and professional activities to organize the process of foreign language teaching has been growing, so the issue of encouragement as a mechanism of influence on the professional development of foreign language teachers is relevant. It is noted that organization of higher education in the European Union has both much in common and in different. It is stated that the professional development of foreign language teachers in the European Union is a dynamic and continuous process that lasts throughout their activities. An important place is given to the motivation of teachers to self-improvement in order to achieve the highest level of professionalism. Teachers’ self-improvement allows them to deepen their professional competence by understanding the social and cultural dimensions of education, based on their own needs and requirements of society. It is determined that any culture finds its unique reflection in the language, as well as in the study of the cultural heritage of the people, which is enshrined in their language as a reflection of the spiritual world of humans and their culture. It is emphasized that an important role in the motivational process of encouragement as a mechanism for influencing the professional selfimprovement of foreign language teachers is played by the current system of encouragements in each European Union country. Encouragement systems reflect both the professional activity of an individual and the historical development of the country. Encouragement is a positive stimulating effect on the needs, interests, consciousness, will, behavior of foreign language teachers, as well as on the results of their work. Encouragement arouses the interest of the individual in obtaining certain social benefits and is used in cases of achieving results in own professional activities. Encouragement is used for successful performance of professional duties, important tasks, long-term work and is a mechanism of influence on the development of professional self-improvement. The analysis of scientific works on the problem under research shows that in the European Union countries national educational traditions are combined, that the motivational process for self-improvement depends on individual characteristics, age, pedagogical experience, scientific degree, position and is encouraged by the relevant stimulating moral (expression of gratitude, rewarding with certificate of appreciation, etc.) and material (rewarding with a gift, additional payments, financial awards, grants, etc.) systems of payment for work. The system of additional payments is non-uniform not only in the universities of different European Union countries, but also within a specific higher education institution. Teachers can be nominated for state awards for outstanding merit to the country. State awards are the highest form of recognition for high merit in the development of education, science, economy, culture. State awards are established exclusively by the laws of each country.
PROFESSIONAL TRAINING OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHERS: TODAY’S GLOBAL REALITIES