Distance Learning in Language Courses Under the Constraints of the Covid-19 Pandemic: The Impact of Face-To-Face Learning on Student Motivation

Abstract

The goal of the study is to establish and analyze the opportunities offered by online learning of language courses based on practical experience, what advantages and drawbacks of such learning can be found, and what are its prospects in terms of efficiency and effectiveness. The study provides substantiation for the relevance of studying distance learning of language disciplines in the COVID-19 pandemic and presents various approaches to researching the specific features of online language learning. The article presents the results of a case study of online learning of language courses in different age and professional groups of students of the M.K. Ammosov North-Eastern Federal University, Russia. The teaching of theoretical courses of the language cycle virtually does not suffer in terms of efficiency and effectiveness from the transition to fully online learning, while the teaching of practical courses should at best be combined, or blended because direct, personalized contact with the teacher is important for the development of students’ learning motivation. That said, being deprived of such contact does not bring any harm to language students, especially when it is preceded by an extended period of instruction with personalized teacher-student contact. Online teaching of language courses offers the students the same opportunities as traditional classroom learning, with the exception of direct contact that results in the development and maintenance of students’ learning motivation.