Self-directed learning in foreign language education

Abstract

The essential characteristic of a person in modern society is the ability to self-educate and self-develop. Success of a person in the information society depends first of all on ability to produce new knowledge, innovations, ability to acquire new knowledge, to make choices, to study and self-educate throughout the lives. Only those who constantly develop and maintain their professional skills at a high level can achieve social and economic success and be competitive. One of the main tasks of the higher school is to prepare young people for constant self-educational activities, to equip them with necessary skills and abilities. Self-directed educational activity has received a powerful boost in the current pandemic situation. The quarantine of students of many universities has created objective prerequisites for expanding independent learning.  The article aims to reveal the peculiarities of self-directed learning in foreign language education. The authors reveal basic skills that can help students to organize their self-directed learning in foreign language education, point out sources of motivation and define individual educational routs. The authors designed and tested a practice-oriented course “Learn how to learn”, the main purpose of which is to develop students’ ability to organize their self-educational activity in foreign language learning.