CRITERIA AND INDICATORS FOR ASSESSING EFL STUDENTS’ INTERCULTURAL COMPETENCE IN INDEPENDENT LEARNING.

INTRODUCTION: the growing importance of intercultural competence in foreign language education requires appropriate methods for its assessment. Since intercultural competence includes knowledge, attitudes, behavioural adaptability, and critical reflection, it cannot be measured through factual cultural knowledge alone. This study develops a criteria-based framework for assessing EFL students’ intercultural competence in independent learning. A conceptual-analytical methodology was used to synthesize established approaches to intercultural competence, language education, and performance-based assessment. Four assessment criteria were identified: cognitive-cultural, affective-attitudinal, behavioural-communicative, and critical-reflective. These criteria are operationalized through observable indicators and three developmental levels: reproductive, interpretive-adaptive, and reflective-transformative. The study argues that intercultural competence should be assessed through multiple forms of evidence, including scenario analysis, communicative performance, reflection, comparison, verification, and self-assessment. The proposed framework can support diagnosis, progress monitoring, and the design of independent learning activities in EFL higher education. AIM: to develop a criteria-based framework for assessing EFL students’ intercultural competence in independent learning. MATERIALS AND METHODS: a conceptual-analytical methodology was used to synthesize established approaches to intercultural competence, language education, and performance-based assessment. DISCUSSION AND RESULTS: four assessment criteria were identified: cognitive-cultural, affective-attitudinal, behavioural-communicative, and critical-reflective. These criteria are operationalized through observable indicators and three developmental levels: reproductive, interpretive-adaptive, and reflective-transformative. CONCLUSION: the study demonstrates that intercultural competence should be assessed through multiple forms of evidence, including scenario analysis, communicative performance, reflection, comparison, and self-assessment. The proposed framework supports diagnosis, progress monitoring, and the design of independent learning activities in EFL higher education.

KIRISH: xorijiy tillarni o‘qitishda madaniyatlararo kompetensiyaning ahamiyati ortib borayotgani uni baholashning samarali usullarini ishlab chiqishni talab etadi. Madaniyatlararo kompetensiya bilim, munosabat, xulqiy moslashuvchanlik va tanqidiy-refleksiv qobiliyatlarni o‘z ichiga olgani sababli, uni faqat madaniy faktlarni bilish orqali baholab bo‘lmaydi. Ushbu tadqiqot ingliz tilini xorijiy til sifatida o‘rganuvchi talabalarning mustaqil ta’lim jarayonidagi madaniyatlararo kompetensiyasini baholash uchun mezonlarga asoslangan tizimni ishlab chiqishga qaratilgan. Tadqiqotda madaniyatlararo kompetensiya, til ta’limi va faoliyatga asoslangan baholashga doir ilmiy yondashuvlar konseptual-tahliliy usul asosida umumlashtirildi. Natijada to‘rtta asosiy mezon aniqlandi: kognitiv-madaniy, affektiv-munosabat, xulqiy-kommunikativ va tanqidiy-refleksiv. Ushbu mezonlar kuzatiladigan ko‘rsatkichlar hamda uchta rivojlanish darajasi, ya’ni reproduktiv, interpretativ-adaptiv va refleksiv-transformativ darajalar orqali ifodalandi. Tadqiqot madaniyatlararo kompetensiyani ssenariylarni tahlil qilish, kommunikativ faoliyat, refleksiya, taqqoslash, axborotni tekshirish va o‘z-o‘zini baholash kabi bir nechta dalil manbalari asosida baholash lozimligini asoslaydi. Taklif etilgan tizim diagnostika, rivojlanish dinamikasini kuzatish va EFL oliy ta’limida mustaqil ta’lim topshiriqlarini loyihalashda qo‘llanishi mumkin. MAQSAD: ingliz tilini xorijiy til sifatida o‘rganuvchi talabalarning mustaqil ta’lim jarayonidagi madaniyatlararo kompetensiyasini baholash uchun mezonlarga asoslangan tizimni ishlab chiqishdan iborat. MATERIALLAR VA METODLAR: tadqiqotda madaniyatlararo kompetensiya, til ta’limi va faoliyatga asoslangan baholashga doir ilmiy yondashuvlar konseptual-tahliliy usul asosida umumlashtirildi. M. Byram, D. Deardorff va A. Fantini tadqiqotlari hamda mahalliy tajribalar metodologik zamin bo‘lib xizmat qildi. MUHOKAMA VA NATIJALAR: tadqiqot natijasida to‘rtta asosiy mezon aniqlandi: kognitiv-madaniy, affektiv-munosabat, xulqiy-kommunikativ va tanqidiy-refleksiv. Ushbu mezonlar kuzatiladigan ko‘rsatkichlar hamda uchta rivojlanish darajasi (reproduktiv, interpretativ-adaptiv va refleksiv-transformativ) orqali ifodalandi. XULOSA: madaniyatlararo kompetensiyani ssenariylarni tahlil qilish, kommunikativ faoliyat, refleksiya, taqqoslash va o‘z-o‘zini baholash kabi bir nechta dalil manbalari asosida baholash lozimligi asoslandi. Taklif etilgan tizim diagnostika, rivojlanish dinamikasini kuzatish va mustaqil ta’lim topshiriqlarini loyihalashda qo‘llanadi.