Nowadays, in the era of digital technologies, we have a great opportunity to work with our students outside the classroom. I have been using conferencing – communicating online using cameras and microphones - via Skype for a couple of months. Now, I cannot imagine how we could do without this tool in our life. Some time ago I had to find the way how to cooperate, to spend more time with students who are doing their research and preparing their projects to take part in different contests. Then it occurred to me that Skype could be the best variant as it gives me the opportunity to realize several aims at a time: language practice, developing listening and speaking skills and motivating my students to study the language deeper and work on the project more effectively. So, we arranged everything for our first “meeting” and met… Well, of course, everything didn’t go right, there were some problems and after that first “experience” I have developed several requirements for an effective conferencing online.

1.    Tell your students to read some material on particular topics for the conference.

2.    Give them the agenda of the conference beforehand.

3.    Set time and date of your conference.

4.    The day you plan to hold the conference, remind the students to log in at a set time.

5.    Be sure that you are in a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed.

6.    Warn your students to switch off their phones not to distract the members of the conference.

7.    During the conversation:

-         keep to the informal way of holding the conference rather than formal otherwise they will feel it like being at the lesson and it may become a torture for them to have “lessons” even at home;

-         state the problem or the question for the students to share their findings;

-         make each of your students be engaged by simply asking them their opinions on the problem;

-         be aware of your responsibility to make “mini-conclusions” after discussing every small issue or you may give this task to any of your stronger students;

-          name a person to open and close the discussion or you yourself may do it at the beginning.