The article discusses the results of a pilot sociolinguistic experiment. Its purpose was to study the ideas of speech culture among high school students using questionnaires. The objectives of the study included the identification of the value-based attitude of informants towards the speech ideal and the carriers of “exemplary speech”, opinions of the level of contemporary youth speech culture, as well as shortcomings and values of modern Russian speech. The questionnaire included high school students' assessment of language innovations and specific facts of word use, including the norms of the literary language that went beyond the norm boundaries.

The survey was conducted among high school students of Omsk and the Omsk region. It was found that, for informants, public media people most often act as carriers of exemplary speech, among which TV presenters, writers, and cultural professionals have a priority. At the same time, 14% of respondents found it difficult to “personify” their speech ideal in relation to modern speech. Moreover, the results of the experiment showed young people prioritize such characteristics of speech culture as compliance with the norms of the literary language, effectiveness and ethics of speech. At the same time, the experiment revealed the influence of stereotypes about “language clogging with foreign words” perpetuated by Russian media.

The author considers the relevance of a scientific approach to understanding language development for high school linguo-didactic practice.