The article is devoted to one of the advanced formats of foreign language teaching at high school, which effectively complements extramural and full-time forms of education – distance learning. The author emphasizes that the quality and effectiveness of foreign languages distance learning athigher educational establishments depends on effectively organized course; the pedagogical skills of teachers, participating in the educational process; the quality of applied methodical content.The main principles of foreign languages distance learning in higher education has been covered, the means of improving the quality and effectiveness of this educational format has been proposed, the key conceptual regulations of foreign languages distance learning has been determined. The article proposes a model for organizing foreign languages distance learning course for future specialists, describes a system to control and monitor the knowledge of all types of speech activities. It is also noted that independent work in the foreign languages distance course at high school should not be passive, but on the contrary, the student should be involved in active cognitive activities, not limited to acquiring foreign language skills, but necessarily includes their practical application; to solve certain communicative tasks in the future professional activity.The article concludes that in the process of organizing the foreign language distance learning course at high school, it is necessary to take into account not only the didactic characteristics and functions of multimedia and telecommunications as a technological basis, but also the conceptual trends of didactic distance learning as a component of modern education. In addition, it is necessary to take into account the specific nature of foreign language teaching in general.Key words: higher educational establishment, distance learning, multimedia means, independent work, information and communicative technologies, Internet, interactive engagement.
