Masters of the Russian language, the stage is yours! Four RFL students from RUDN go to Armenia, Kyrgyzstan and Argentina to teach Russian

The participants had to write a motivation letter and do a creative task — describe the wish to teach Russian and make a video lesson on any topic. Rossotrudnichestvo offers winners a choice of countries from the CIS, Africa, Asia and the Middle East. The students will not only go to another country for a month, they will share with foreign students the most valuable thing — knowledge of the Russian language, because they are Masters!

How did you describe your wish to teach Russian in your motivation letter?

“<...>Working with students from different countries and cultures convinced me that the methodology of teaching foreign languages (in particular, Russian as a foreign language) is one of the most interesting areas of linguistics,” Alina Vasko.

“The opportunity to share with foreigners my love for the Russian language, to teach not just grammar, vocabulary, phonetics, but to be able to show others the beauty and richness of the ‘great and mighty’ — this is exactly my dream,” Anastasia Solovyova.

“Becoming a teacher of RFL has been my dream since my internship at RUDN University undergraduate program, where I taught students from Iran, helping them achieve Level A1. As an employee of the department, I understand that working at a university implies constant self-improvement; there is no limit, no point of ‘knowing everything’. Therefore, I strive to gain experience and participate in the Russian language master’s competition,” Milena Scherbakova.

“I love sharing knowledge and continuing to learn, I like to deepen my knowledge of the Russian language and improve my teaching skills,” Valeria Pyankova.

What topic did you choose for the lesson?

“At the creative stage of the competition, I showed part of the lesson that I’ve been teaching in practice. I have a recording of a student from Iran, she was preparing to enter RUDN University. Topic: ‘What do schoolchildren in different countries use for writing’. In the selected fragment of the lesson, we studied the Instrumental case in the Russian language,” Alina Vasko.

“In the video for the competition, I focused on the audiovisual method of teaching RFL,” Anastasia Solovyova.

“I chose the method of developing critical thinking through reading and writing called ‘Insert’ (this is a method of marking a text you are reading as ‘I know, I want to know, I’ve found out’), but an improved variation rather than the classical version. I suggested mixing this technology with the software capabilities of a graphic organizer or formatting the results of this markup in the form of a mental map,” Milena Shcherbakova.

“I recorded a video lesson on the topic of ‘playback theater’ in RFL. Playback theater is when a narrator voices his story, and a team of students immediately acts it out. That is, you spontaneously need to come up with words in a certain communicative situation. It turns out to be a complete immersion in life,” Valeria Pyankova.

Where did you choose to go for a month to teach Russian?

“We were given a choice of three places in Kyrgyzstan: Bishkek, Cholpon-Ata and Osh. I chose Osh without hesitation, even though it is located far from Lake Issyk-Kul, and I don’t think I’ll see it. Osh is the southern capital of Kyrgyzstan, one of the oldest cities in Central Asia with a rich history. The city amazes with its color. I want to see the sacred Sulaiman Mountain — the local center of pilgrimage. Teaching Russian as a foreign language in such a place will significantly expand my horizons and give me an unforgettable experience,” Alina Vasko.

“There were many people who wanted to go to Argentina, but there was only one place. I think my knowledge of Spanish played a decisive role in my placement. I have not yet been told the city I will go to. I understand that I am going to work, not to relax. I started preparing materials for lessons, watching Argentine films without translation, reading about the Argentine dialect and its difference from Spanish. I am grateful to Rossotrudnichestvo and my university for this opportunity,” Anastasia Solovyova.

“Rossotrudnichestvo has not yet announced a country for me. This is not a tourist trip, but a work trip. Trying their hand at the competition, each participant was moving towards their meta-goal — to teach Russian abroad,” Milena Scherbakova.

“I chose Yerevan, Armenia. I want to conduct more interactive and creative activities. I feel they promote communication,” Valeria Pyankova.

Photo: press service of Rossotrudnichestvo.