Integration of ESP and CLIL in training mining engineers: a terminology-centered matrix for designing an English language syllabus
I.A. Rybakova1, Z.N. Ignashina2, E.A. Krutko2, E.A. Popova3
1 Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia named after Patrice Lumumba, Moscow, Russian Federation
2 Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russian Federation
3 Moscow State Linguistic University, Moscow, Russian FederationRussian Mining Industry №4/ 2026 p. 153-161
Abstract: The study addresses the linguodidactic organization of foreign language training for students of mining and geological professions under the Federal State Educational Standard 3++ and expansion of Russian mining companies’ cooperation with the BRICS+ countries. Its relevance is determined by the growing share of the mining engineers in foreign projects from 8.4% (2018) to 17.6% (2024) and the gap between the documented UC-4 competence and the actual level of foreign language professional communicative competence of the graduates. Hypothesis: formation of the professional language communication competence is determined not by the number of the classroom hours, but by the integration density of the core mining terminology, professionally-oriented texts, and industry communicative tasks within the ESP and CLIL. Objective: to justify a terminologycentered model through a comparative analysis of ESP the programs of six leading Russian mining universities (2022–2025) and a pilot experiment (n = 142). Methods: corpus linguistics (1,850 term occurrences), expert matrix assessment, and a pedagogical experiment with the Student's t-test in the SPSS 27.0. The following correlations were established: the average classroom volume is 223 hours (188–244 h), the share of professional-thematic component is 26.3–33.1%; the terminological component gain in the ESP+CLIL group reached +42.7 points (from 28.7 to 71.4 out of 100) versus +8.3 in the reference group (p < 0.01); the Pearson correlation r = 0.82. A 13×10 matrix model with the density coefficient of 56.9% is formulated, and three critical gaps are identified, i.e. academic writing, digital foreign language competence, intercultural communication in polyethnic production teams.
Keywords: professional competence in foreign language communication, English for Specific Purposes, CLIL, mining and geological professions, terminology-centered approach, linguodidactics, mining engineer, core terminology
For citation: Rybakova I.A., Ignashina Z.N., Krutko E.A., Popova E.A. Integration of ESP and CLIL in training mining engineers: a terminology-centered matrix for designing an English language syllabus. Russian Mining Industry. 2026;(4):153–161. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.30686/1609-9192-2026-4-153-161
Information about the article
Received: 12.03.2026
Received after peer review: 28.05.2026
Accepted for publication: 08.06.2026
Information about the authors
Irina A. Rybakova – PhD (Philosophy), Associate Professor at the Department of Foreign Languages, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia named after Patrice Lumumba, Moscow, Russian Federation; https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5372-7930; e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Zoya N. Ignashina – PhD (Philology), Associate Professor at the Department of English Language and Professional Communication, Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russian Federation; e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Elena A. Krutko – PhD (Philosophy), Associate Professor, Senior Lecturer at the Department of English Language and Professional Communication, Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russian Federation; https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8903-137X; e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Evgenia A. Popova – PhD (Philology), Associate Professor at the Department of Rare Languages Teacher Training, Moscow State Linguistic University, Moscow, Russian Federation; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1056-5406; e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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