Abstract:

Today, digitalization has affected almost all spheres of public life in Russia, including higher education, which has always sought to optimize the educational process by attracting innovative technologies and resources. Therefore, studying the problems associated with integrating digital technologies in higher education is becoming more relevant among Russian researchers.

Speaking about the structure of professional competence of a teacher of Russian as a foreign language (hereinafter - RFL), authors highlighted technological competence in it, which is characterized by the ability to use a computer and carry out various types of activities in the virtual space.

The massive shift to distance learning due to the Covid-19 pandemic has demonstrated that computer and Internet use alone is not enough. Teachers gained access to a wide range of digital technologies. However, many still experienced serious difficulties in organizing the learning process associated with large volumes of new information and low awareness of how to correctly apply in practice various digital tools and electronic didactic resources, which have become important indicators of effective training, create electronic educational content, organize synchronous and asynchronous classes.

The purpose of the article is to theoretically substantiate the structure and outline the main components of the digital literacy (and competence) of an RFL teacher and describe the various digital pedagogy tools necessary for an RFL teacher to conduct successful professional activities.

The scientific novelty of the work lies in the formulation of the term "digital competence", applicable in the methodological paradigm of teaching Russian as a foreign language, in determining the structure and principal components of this competence.

Skilful use of digital competence will allow RFL teachers to apply system solutions in a digital environment in their activities: create and accumulate digital educational content, use educational communication tools, manage the educational process, conduct synchronous and asynchronous classes, keep in touch with colleagues and students.

Keywords:

digital literacy, Russian as a foreign language, online tools, teachers' competence, COVID-19.