Maksim Lopatin

The article deals with possibilities to use a variety of information and communication technologies for developing effective listening skills in students in the process of learning a foreign language. The use of such technologies proves to be motivating for language learners as they can have language practice in and out of the classroom. The author analyses some of the most common and popular among teachers and students ICT tools.

The article focuses on the role of students' critical thinking in improving their communicative competence in foreign language classes. The author notes the relationship between the level of critical thinking and the development of proficient language skills. A number of practical communicative tasks in the English language are proposed that the teacher can use to stimulate critical thinking among students. Conclusions are made about improving the communicative competence of students and understanding of a target language system.

The article points out the possibility of using written speech in teaching English grammar. The author turns to studies of functional linguistics and believes that most grammatical rules are filled with context; therefore, we should not limit ourselves to studying grammar only at the level of individual sentences. The paper presents several context-dependent grammatical structures of English written speech. The examples of using authentic texts in teaching such grammatical structures are analyzed.

This article describes how teachers can use authentic texts for learning verb tense forms in English. Researches and teaching practice show that foreign language learners understand tense forms relatively quickly, but it is much more difficult for them to comprehend relations between verb form, aspect, and tense in the grammar of the studied language. The use of authentic texts in learning verb tenses is not just a means of giving the grammar a semantic content, but it also helps students to understand relations between the verb form and its meaning and use. The paper shows a brief analysis of grammatical tenses use on the example of various texts about railway transport. There are assignments after each text, worked out to develop students' abilities to recognize and differentiate features of semantic content and use of English verbs grammatical tenses.

This work considers some problems of teaching non-linguistic higher school students listening comprehension. Interrelation and interdependence of listening with other language skills in post listening activities is noted. The need for authentic materials use at all levels of a foreign language teaching is justified. The main factors to be considered in using appropriate authentic materials are characterized. Some examples of tasks aimed at development of effective listening skills are given.