digital educational materials, TEFL, TESL, ICT, teaching English, dig-ital tools, blended learning

The present work-in-progress paper deals with the theoretical back-ground of utilization of digital educational materials in teaching Eng-lish as a foreign language. Available literature as well as recent stud-ies were researched with the aim to anchor a future qualitative and quantitative research into the practical utilization of online open source materials for TEFL by Czech teachers of English at primary and secondary schools in the Czech Republic. The work-in-progress paper also summarizes the findings of an analysis of some features of a sample of digital educational materials currently accessible from offi-cial repositories and platforms operating or subsidized by the Czech Ministry of Education. The materials in question were analyzed quanti-tatively as well as qualitatively with respect to their prospective focus on educational impact, their assessment by reviewers, their popularity with viewers. The research results reveal that the analyzed materials are largely popular even though their evaluation is, in the majority of cases, not favorable, moreover, the presented corpus underexploits the potential of ICT in the design and classroom use of the materials.