Online teaching Russian practical grammar at a Chinese university during the epidemic

Due to the pandemic in the spring of 2020, all educational institutions in China had to organize distance learning. It was crucial to introduce effective teaching methods and to use distance learning technologies. The authors of the article described the way online education was organized during the “quarantine” semester on the example of teaching “Practical Russian grammar” at Jilin International Studies University (Changchun, China). The purpose of the research is to describe the three-step process of teaching “Practical Russian grammar” to foreign students and the way distance learning technologies were used. The teachers organized online classes on “Practical Russian grammar” using BOPPPS model for lesson planning (five teaching steps: B - bridge-in, O - objective, P - pre-assessment, P - participatory, P - post-assessment, S - summary). Lessons were based on this method and the educational process included three steps: 1) students used Xuexitong application to acquire primary knowledge before the lesson; 2) classroom work was organized through the Xuexitong and DingTalk applications - it was aimed at internalization and expansion of knowledge, the ultimate goal was to develop Russian grammar skills; 3) using Xuexitong and DingTalk applications after the classes, the students improved their grammar and communication skills. In addition, the authors of the article proposed the ways to improve the knowledge assessment system and the entire educational process based on the suggested online learning model. Results and scientific novelty are that a practice-oriented approach to language learning can be implemented on the basis of the proposed teaching method. Such an approach enables students to have constant access to a large number of educational resources and to be promptly informed of any changes, which meets learners’ individual needs and increases their motivation, self-learning abilities and self-organization. Apart from that, students learn better and improve their oral and written communication skills.