CREATING A TECHNOLOGY-BASED LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

It is widely thought that the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) can significantly ameliorate every sphere of life, and education is no exception. Digital natives and digital immigrants, flipped classroom and blended learning, gamification - these are a modicum of what modern teachers face every day. Lessons with implemented ICT component a priori attract students' attention. But is ICT synonymous to highly informative? Does ubiquitous introduction of ICT bring better results? Lack of adequate technical solutions in schools and universities and rigidity of educational system as it is lead to the fact that teachers take on a role of pathbreakers and look for some applications, platforms, and sites to enrich educational process. It takes much time and efforts to elaborate an effective (with regard to the aim and students' profile) mode of use of digital technologies. This article shows results of introduction of a certain minimum of applications, chosen on the basis of trial and error method and self-report method, that could improve those aspects of language learning that are traditionally thought to be the least interactive. The study might be useful to those who are looking for a way to enliven language learning courses. Methods recommended in the article got a positive feedback from students and showed high effectiveness in developing several language skills.