ONLINE TECHNOLOGIES AS A TOOL TO TEACH ESP VOCABULARY

Abstract

The article substantiates the expediency of using online technologies for the development of lexical competence within the ESP course. Despite the fact that dozens of scientific works have been dedicated to the development of lexical competence, in the time of distance learning new challenges arise for ESP teachers, such as: what methods are effective for mastering the foreign language vocabulary in extracurricular classes, and how to assess the development of skills of using English vocabulary in the sphere of professional communication. The article provides the systematic analysis of modern web application capabilities for teaching English terminology of the professional sphere, outlines the cases for creating drilling exercises as well as developing a flexible system of testing and assessment of the acquisition of vocational terminology. The paper summarizes the results of practical application of online platforms during distance learning with future military personnel, it presents the system of drilling the lexical units at different stages of their acquisition: from recognizing a word and identifying its lexical correspondence in the native language to the use in a particular context. The article proves that web applications are effective means to develop lexical competence. They are available and relatively simple at use. Besides obvious advantages for foreign terminology acquisition the use of analyzed online platforms facilitates the development of students’ self-study skills as well as skills of self-organization and time management.