Language Education in Russian Universities: Advantages, Vulnerabilities and Risks of Online Teaching

At the moment, education systems around the world are taking measures to organize education in the context of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. In most countries many students are transferred to distance learning. Online education provides a wide range of opportunities and prospects for changing and improving educational systems, for which a critical situation creates forced conditions. The article analyzes the problems associated with the use of online learning. The methodological and theoretical foundation of the work is provided by a systematic approach, the concept of social conditioning of language education, the notion of continuous vocational training. When using online courses as a means of teaching a foreign language, we offer both special programs for teaching a language and checking knowledge of vocabulary and grammar, as well as modern authentic materials for teaching reading and listening. In the process of teaching a foreign language, students perform various types of work: they translate foreign texts and articles, make reports, practice creative project activities and prepare presentations. The priority goal of the article is to identify the advantages, vulnerabilities and risks of online learning. It is shown that mass character, the use of modern and interactive technologies belong to the strengths of online learning. However, the absence of direct contact between the teacher and the student does not allow implementing the competence approach in full measure.