The authors of the article analyze modern approaches to forming functional reading literacy in teaching the Russian language in middle school within the context of realization of the principle of continuity, which serves the foundation of the education process. It is the authors' purpose in this article to draw attention to the issue of forming functional reading literacy of students, to identify specific characteristics of their reading activity at one of the most difficult stages of learningat the stage of transition from elementary to middle school. Based on contemporary methods of academic research, completed experiments and school teaching experience, the authors arrive at the conclusion that functional reading literacy is an essential element of general human culture, an element that is especially necessary for schoolchildren's adaptation to an ever-changing world and for realization of the principle of continuous education. This research resulted in methodological solutions proposed by the authors of this article as a way to form functional reading literacy based on the principle of continuity. The study reveals the most important skills that a school student of today needs in elementary and middle school, and identifies effective ways of forming functional literacy in high school. The article is addressed to special subject teachers, school administrators, methodologists, researchers in the field of education, as well as textbook and curriculum developers.

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The paper is relevant as it highlights the problem of changing approaches to designing homework in the Russian language assigned in middle school. The research considers the modern requirements for teaching fixed in the legal documents that are in force in the Russian Federation. The purpose of the study is to show the directions of Russian homework updating in middle school. Such changes can improve the quality of studying Russian and the level of schoolchildren’s educational motivation. The research employed scientific and methodological literature analysis, a survey of the parties involved in the education relations, and an interview with them. Additionally, the study relied on monitoring how homework was organised by Russian language teachers and completed by students, examining homework results, and analysing pedagogical documentation in conjunction with self-reflection on my own pedagogical activity. The study resulted in identifying five main areas for updating learners’ homework in Russian. These include changing the goal setting of homework, approaches to selecting its content, promoting the individualisation and differentiation of both homework in general and homework assignments in its composition, changing the wording of homework and approaches to checking it. The paper concludes that homework is the most important teaching method that improves the quality of schoolchildren’s mastering the Russian language. In addition, the study highlights teachers’ crucial role in homework design, implementation, and support.

The author discusses a currently important issue –design of the textbook-based home assignment in teaching the Russian language as a school subject. The author views the purpose of this article in drawing attention to that issue, because home assignments largely consist of textbook exercises. However, since the goals of education, principal approaches to the design of the educatory process, and the teaching environment have changed in the past decade, it is necessary to update approaches to the design of schoolchildren’s home assignments in the Russian language. Having based on advanced methods of academic research, completed experimental work and her own school-teaching experience, the author comes at the conclusion that existing textbooks of the Russian language provide ample opportunities for the design of home assignments targeting development of modern education’s key skill in the students – ability to self-educate. At the outcome, the study helps to identify the teachers’ priorities in organizing homework of schoolchildren and describes the vectors of changes in organizing textbook-based homework. The working methods and techniques proposed by the author take into consideration the informational and educatory environment of the contemporary school student, and have been tried out and evaluated within the framework of experimental activities.

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