DEVELOPING INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE THROUGH LITERARY TEXTS IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE EDUCATION

The development of intercultural communicative competence has become an essential objective of contemporary foreign language education. In an increasingly interconnected world, the ability to communicate effectively requires more than grammatical accuracy and lexical knowledge; it also involves understanding cultural values, interpreting different perspectives, and responding appropriately to diverse social contexts. Literary texts offer valuable educational opportunities in this regard because they represent human experiences, cultural identities, social relationships, and historically shaped worldviews. This article explores the pedagogical significance of literary texts in developing intercultural communicative competence among foreign language learners. Particular attention is given to the relationship between literary interpretation, cultural awareness, communicative interaction, and critical reflection. It also examines practical teaching approaches, including comparative reading, intercultural discussion, character analysis, and reflective response activities. The article argues that the systematic integration of literature into foreign language instruction can strengthen linguistic proficiency while fostering empathy, cultural sensitivity, interpretative skills, and the ability to engage in meaningful intercultural communication.