Experience of using interactive techniques for online foreign language learning by students in Chinese non-formal educational institutions

Abstract

The article treats the currently important issues of foreign language mastering in Chi-na and the challenges of online English learning in terms of non-formal institutions. It is revealed the urgency of the research associated with the problems of dropping students’ motivation to learn foreign language, and the lack of a classroom environment that fa-cilitates interactive and communicative language practice, which causes the necessity to find out efficient means of the students’ involvement into the interactive and practically driven forms of work. Minding the great potential of existing blended learning activities and interactive techniques, there was undertaken the attempt to engage the students of Chinese non-formal institutions in innovative foreign language practices during online classes. According to the goals of the work, it is explored and elaborated on how interac-tive techniques can be applied to enhance typical blended learning activities in online English learning as a second language. This study also provides detailed examples of in-teractive methods applied in Chinese non-formal institutions in terms of typical online learning activities. Besides, it offers a preliminary analysis of the impact of these tech-niques on students' learning motivation. To get preliminary outcomes and test the pre-pared survey reliability, it was held in several groups of a Chinese private institution. In total 27 students of senior grades who learned English online in terms of implementation of various blended learning activities enhanced with interactive methods depicted above tool part in the survey. The acceptable reliability of the scales was proved. The outcomes of the survey, according to the levels of learners’ motivation are presented and discussed.