Introduction. The paper aims to investigate the necessity of engaging social media in the modern educational process, especially at the pre-university stage. The paper presents the academic standards of effective university teaching practices and analyzes the prospects for extending traditional educational technologies from this perspective. In order to achieve the goal, the following tasks are highlighted: 1) to analyse the works on innovative and classical practices of university teaching; 2) to consider the process of evolution of pedagogical approaches to methodological techniques as well as changes in motivation of foreign students; 3) to formulate our own conclusions (based on practice) on the effectiveness of introducing social networks in the educational process. The working hypothesis is that social networks in the educational process at the pre-university stage are not only a distracting element, but can become a powerful motivational lever for learning the Russian language and Russian culture and become a component of attracting a wider range of foreign citizens to study in Russia. Thus, the research focused on traditional and innovative pedagogical and methodological research on pre-university education of foreign citizens, the study of the functionality of social networks in the educational space and as an element of “soft power” of the state, the peculiarities of thinking and motivation of modern foreign students. The following methods were used in the research: analysis of existing pedagogical and methodological experience, making changes to the traditional educational model of teaching, analysis and selection of methods of work with social networks in the educational process, evaluation of effectiveness. Results. The authors come to the conclusion regarding the expediency of introducing social networks (by the example of Instagram) into the traditional educational process at the pre-university training stage as the element which could increase the motivation of foreign students, expand the borders of Russian language and education in Russia and achieve many other aims.