Formation of principal language competencies in the German language in the process of distance learning at higher educational establishments

Abstract

This article presents the topical issue of possibilities to implement the competence approach into the process of teaching foreign languages while shifting to distant learning. Applying empiric methods of investigation (interview of the participants of the teaching process; direct observation of implementation of distance learning at a higher educational establishment; analysis of lecturers’ reports), and being guided by their own empiric experience, the authors are searching for the optimal methods to implement the competence approach in the online sphere. The authors’ viewpoint on the organization of distance work on the subject “A Second Foreign Language (German)” is based on the practical experience of using the Office 365 online learning platform. They have described the teaching tools offered by the platform and found them optimally satisfying the needs of teaching the above-mentioned subject for most indicators.  There is the necessity to employ a single teaching environment, which is determined by the need to observe a strict learning schedule, establish the interaction of the participants of the teaching process, and organize the independent work as well as the assessment of the learning activity. By comparing the possibilities of the traditional live lesson with those of the online class, it has been found out, that both forms of lessons allow implementing the concept of competence approach to linguistic education at the same efficiency level. While describing the main features of this approach, the authors have shown the possibilities to interpret traditional didactic tools in a new way and pointed out several advantages of online studies, brought out in the process of teaching a foreign language (German), i.e. an increase of motivation for learning activities due to the interactive mode; activation of communicative interaction of the learning process participants; autonomy and actualization of self-study. A promising direction of the research within the theoretical field is the methodology of forming digital competencies for the participants of the learning process and, in the practical aspect, it is necessary to develop a system of IT tools aimed at the needs of foreign language teaching, where the interdisciplinary connections are of great importance.