Russian language in the global educational context

The question of the status of language in the period of serious globalization shocks is one of the most significant in the system of scientific knowledge. Attitude to language in terms of international contacts demonstrates a change in views on the economic, polit- ical, social spheres of a state’s life. The role of the Russian language as a translator of the worldview of Russian citizens and the policy of the Russian state is undergoing signifi- cant transformations today. The most obvious changes occur in the educational sphere. This article examines the leading trends in the field of both language education policy in general and particular aspects of changes in the teaching of the Russian language abroad – teaching the Russian language as a foreign language, a heritage language, a second lan- guage, non-native language, as a lingua franca, as a diaspora language, as a language of Internet communication. The author specifies the contemporary status of the Russian lan- guage as a language of international communication. Recommendations are formulated to improve the quality of teaching Russian to foreigners.