Elena V. Litvinenko

The study of motivation has always been one of the most relevant topics in the theory and methodology of teaching foreign languages. The theoretical foundations of the problem of motivation to learn a foreign language are increasingly attracting the interest of scientists and results in the search for new ways to enhance and sustain it. In the era of digitalization and smart foreign language education, WEB 2.0 tools have great opportunities in providing a rapid input of the foreign language continuum and new forms of linguistic learning, and in maintaining a deep interest of students. Study blogs, optimizing the learning process and having great educational potential, are especially popular nowadays. However, the implementation of a study blog in teaching foreign languages requires a competent methodological approach and the proper organization of educational activities for students, in particular, as a motivation management tool. In this regard, the aim of the article is to identify and to test experimentally methodological conditions for developing students' motivation to learn a foreign language by means of a study blog. The article presents the rationale for the identified conditions (immersive learning environment; contextual approach to learning; motivational online-homework task design; methodological support for students in the conditions of network interaction; regular teacher’s feedback; orientation to the students’ subjective learning experience; the use of a system of incentives and the practice of achievements; the presence of freedom in the online-environment, the availability of platform functionality) and the results of the effectiveness of their implementation in the educational process. To assess the motivation of students in learning a foreign language, a motivational questionnaire was used. The results of the questionnaire were processed using the statistical program SPSS. According to the statistical procedures of the experiment, the students achieved the best results in enhancing learning motivation by means of the study blog "WordPress". It makes possible to draw a conclusion about the effectiveness of the tested methodological conditions in increasing the motivation of students to learn a foreign language by means of the study blog. The article will be interesting to the teaching staff and methodologists of higher educational institutions in the field of teaching foreign languages, and teachers who are interested in research of motivation development.

The paper deals with the model of the formation of research activities motivation among high school students, which can be used in the work of deputy directors of secondary educational institutions and tutors.