Foreign language textbook at school: conditions for its qualitative creation

Importance. The textbook represents a central link in the management of the learning process and it is one of the effective ways to optimize the teaching of a non-native language at school. The relevance of the study is determined b y the demand for the theory of the textbook in non-native languages in connection with the widespread study of Russian as a foreign language, as well as the need to provide the educational process of mastering a non-native language with a reliable means of learning. Materials and Methods. A set of complementary and mutually verifying methods are used, namely: a) scientometric analysis of works on the problems of designing school textbooks, particularly in foreign language; b) comparative analysis of current foreign languages textbooks, identifying their positive and negative aspects; c) questionnaire survey of foreign language teachers in the city of Nizhny Novgorod and Nizhny Novgorod region to identify the effectiveness of a particular line of textbooks; d) generalization of positive pedagogical practices of teachers on the selected line of textbooks; e) development of recommendations for the design of a new generation foreign language textbook in modern conditions. Results and Discussion. The study defines and clarifies the functions of a foreign language textbook, in the unity of informational, teaching, motivating and controlling, and describes the nomenclature of special methodological principles of designing textbooks and teaching aids. The methodological recommendations for designing foreign language textbooks and teaching aids based on the analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the current educational and methodical kits are given. Conclusion. The conclusion is that in the conditions of choosing a foreign language textbook, the teacher should be guided by such criteria as: appropriately selected language and speech material; adequate for a given class subject base in the form of topics and speech situations organized according to the thematic principle; the presence in the textbook of a clear apparatus for managing the process of formation of speech skills and abilities; the internal connection of the foreign language textbook with other components of the teaching-methodical kit.