DISTANCE FURTHER TRAINING COURSE OPPORTUNITIES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF METHODOLOGICAL COMPETENCE OF A FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHER

The urgency of the research problem is caused by the need to develop methodological competence of a foreign language teacher in the course of professional development. Methodological competence refers to one of the key professional characteristics of a foreign language teacher, the starting point of which is the University. It is obvious that a sufficient level of methodological competence allows the future teacher to carry out foreign language training in various types of educational institutions. Further development of methodological competence of a foreign language teacher should be purposeful and permanent. For this reason, it is important to ensure the variability and diversity of proper forms organizing the process in accordance with the conditions and trends of modern reality. A significant role in the further development of methodological competence of a foreign language teacher is played by advanced further training courses, which are increasingly taking the form of distance learning. However, due to some inconsistency, many issues of distance courses require special consideration.

The purpose of this article is to analyze the possibilities of distance further training course in the development of methodological competence of a foreign language teacher. In the course of the study, the content and structure of the concept of "methodological competence of a foreign language teacher" are determined, the structural components of the phenomenon are detailed. Also, the possible reasons for the choice of distance learning model are statistically justified, the existing advantages and disadvantages of these courses for foreign language teachers are revealed, the peculiarities of creating a distance learning course based on the most widely used electronic platforms are indicated.

The authors believe that one of the logical variants of the structural composition of the distance further training course for foreign language teachers includes theoretical, practical and control modules. Within the framework of the theoretical module, lectures of the course are placed, which can be presented in different variations. Thus, it is possible to create lectures-webinars, lectures-forums, lectures-press conferences, lectures-discussions and some other types. The practical part of the course, first of all, includes tasks that perform a consolidating function. In comparison with lectures, the development of practical distance tasks is a more complex process due to the traditional and longstanding nature of the technologies used. It is possible to organize linguodidactic WebQuests, or to create special simulators, interactive exercises based on educational video clips.

The undertaken research enabled to make analytical conclusions about the effectiveness of distance further training course in the development of methodological competence of foreign language teachers, and about the impact of the course on the structural components of the methodological competence.