The practice of teaching a «Foreign language» course in a non-linguistic university in the format of distance learning

This paper is devoted to the problem of distance learning of the course «Foreign language» in Kursk State Agricultural Academy. The authors note the advantages and disadvantages of distance education compared to the traditional one as well as provide a variety of techniques and forms of work in order to develop communication skills and form a stable motivation to learn a foreign language. It is proved that the use of modern information technologies and the electronic information and educational environment (EIEE) facilitates the teacher’s work on the selection and application of relevant material in the classroom, both lexical and grammatical, contributing to the activation of students’ cognitive interests in a foreign language. The paper notes the importance of the practical application of video and audio materials, multimedia presentations, test tasks, online discussions of issues and educational films related to both household and professional activities. The methods and forms of work on the introduction, development and practical application of the material reflecting the specifics of students’ major in higher school are proposed. The paper contains examples of practice-oriented tasks, exercises, texts of general and special orientation, as well as the names of sites that can help in explaining the grammar of a foreign language.