Emergency Remote Foreign Language Learning: First Reflections

Abstract

This paper responds to the recent dramatic realignment of teaching processes prompted by the pandemic in terms of speed and effort. The phenomenon was labelled “emergency remote teaching” by Hodges and a team of scholars to distinguish the abrupt shift to online study during the pandemic from systemic online teaching. Since the pedagogical context regarded is unprecedented and has, to date, received minimal scholarly attention, the author takes the liberty of sharing her small-scale exploratory experiences. The goal of this empirical research was to gauge first-hand tertiary students’ perceptions of the significant changes that took place in foreign language learning routines this year. The researcher was interested in students’ general attitudes about the sudden shift in learning environment from physical face-to-face learning in the classroom to remote learning, as well as the restrictions imposed by it and students’ readiness to continue remote language learning if necessary in the future, as a high degree of uncertainty about future prospects remains. To meet this goal, a questionnaire was offered to students of a bachelor’s degree level course in foreign regional studies at the Russian State University for the Humanities at the conclusion of the spring term in June 2020. The results were interpreted within the framework of the generations theory and computer-mediated communication theory. Findings indicate that most respondents were hesitant about remote language learning and preferred that it be offered in combination with physical face-to-face instruction.