RUSS 2001: INTERMEDIATE RUSSIAN LANGUAGE

AND RUSSIAN CULTURE I

Осень 2003

Преподаватель: Irina McClellan                                  Время занятий:

Офис: 148 West Hall                                                   Пон., Ср., Пт. 1:00-1:50 pm

Телефон: (229) 333-5948 или                                    West Hall 144

            (229) 333-7357                                               Office Hours: M.W. 8:00 -9:00, 

E-mail: ibmcclel@valdosta.edu                          11:00-12:00p.m, 3:15-3:45pm,

http://www.valdosta.edu/~ibmcclel                                Fr. 8:00-9:00, 11:00-12:00pm.

Факс: (229) 333-5948                                                 Or by appointment

Учебник

Lubensky, Sophia and Gerard L. Ervin. Начало, 2^nd ed., with student CD. McGraw-Hill, 2001.

Smorodinskaya, Tatiana et. al., When in Russia: Workbook and Laboratory Manual, 2^nd Edition, 2001.

Дополнительные материалы.

Supply of 3 x 5 index cards, a 3-ring тетрадь and a yellow highlighter.

Course Objective/Description

Russ 2001, Intermediate Russian Language and Russian Culture I, is an intermediate course that emphasizes proficiency and communicative competence at the Intermediate-low level in the four basic language skills: speaking, writing, reading and listening as defined by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages Proficiency Guidelines. The course is intended for students who have already learned the fundamentals of Russian: the structure of the simple sentence, the types of relationship between the words in a sentence, and the basic rules of conjugation and declension, past and present tense. 

In this class the students will review the basic grammatical and syntactical structures of the Russian language and study more advanced grammatical topics.  The course is designed to help the student acquire practical mastery of Russian and maximize his/her ability to communicate in Russian. Oral proficiency, comprehension, and vocabulary building will be emphasized. Careful attention will be paid to pronunciation in classroom activities. Small group and partner/pair activities will be used to encourage students to use Russian in meaningful, communicative situations. In addition, students will continue to intensively explore Russian culture and contemporary Russian society.

Course Outcomes

Most students completing this course will have intermediate low speaking abilities and intermediate mid level listening, reading and writing abilities. Upon completion of the course the student should be able to communicate basic information in the present, past and future and maintain a basic dialogue at the intermediate-low level with a native speaker. The student will read and understand key ideas from authentic materials, paraphrase and reenact authentic texts or visuals. By the end of the course students will master the following grammatical topics: verb aspects, verbs of motion in present and past tenses, reflexive verbs; the meanings and uses of conjunctions and conjunctive words in compound and complex sentences, give commands (Imperative) and express future actions; use nouns, adjectives and pronouns in Prepositional, Genitive, Accusative and Dative cases. Students will also be able to converse on such topics as one’s daily activities, shopping, education, food, ordering food in a restaurant, telling time, express intentions and regrets, react appropriately to compliments, etc. 

Composition of Grades

Student Evaluation

Grades are based on active and consistent participation, regular and on time completion of assignments, evaluations during quizzes and tests.

Course Requirements

Attendance Policy/ Посещаемость. Students are expected to attend all class meetings and stay for their duration. Each unexcused absence after three will reflect in 1 point off your final grade. Exceptions are made only for medical reasons or personal emergencies. Absence from 10 classes or more will result in an F. The student is responsible for all materials covered in his/her absence. Any work missed must be made up the day the student returns to class.

Участие. Participation is important. This is the grade you earn by coming to class regularly and willing to participate. Class Participation will be graded on a daily basis according to the following formula:

5 points Present and Completely Prepared

4 points Present and Partially Prepared

3 points Present but Completely Unprepared

0 points Absent

Completely Prepared does not mean that the student can answer every question correctly: it merely means that the student is prepared to attempt to answer every question based on the previous evening's homework assignment.

Partially Prepared means that the student has demonstrated that she/he has not completed the given day's assignment completely, although some of the assignment was completed.

Домашняя работа.

Daily homework will be assigned and you are expected to complete it and to come to class prepared. If you fail to turn in assigned homework you will receive a 0.

·        Neat work with 5 or fewer errors is an A

·        Fewer than 10 errors is a B

·        More than 11 is a C

·        A homework that fails to indicate sufficient effort will be given an F and may be rewritten

Контрольные работы. У нас будут небольшие контрольные работы на новые слова on a weekly basis as well as over each section in the chapter. 

Экзамены. There will be two exams during the semester. The first exam will take place on Wednesday, October 1 and the final exam will take place during finals week as scheduled. Each exam will consist of written and oral parts. Exams will be based on materials covered in class

Новости. Students are expected to develop a habit of examining current events in Russia and/or the former Soviet Republics as they unfold and discuss them in class on a weekly basis. (in English or Russian) Students should be prepared to submit a hard copy of a news article on the day of discussion.  

Culture Projects.  Students will be required to watch two Russian-language movies (not American movies about Russia) during the course of the semester and reflect upon this experience in a summary /essay. Check with the instructor for suggestions. One 2- page essay per movie is required. The essays should be an analysis of what you learned about Russian culture in the two films. How does Russian culture differ from American culture, as demonstrated in the two films? The summaries/essays should be submitted no later than Friday, November 21, 2003.

Academic Rules and Procedures

Course Withdrawals. A student may withdraw from the course following the scheduled drop-add period by completing the appropriate forms and acquiring the appropriate signatures. A student will not be allowed to withdraw from the course after mid-term, which occurs on Friday, October 10.

Make-up exams will be permitted for medical reasons or personal emergencies only.

Disability. Valdosta State University complies fully with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). If you believe that you are covered under this act, and if you have need for special arrangements to allow you to meet the requirements of this course, please contact the Office of Special Services in Nevins Hall. Also, please discuss this with the instructor at the time of the first class. The Department is happy to do whatever it can to ensure each student a full and rewarding participation in class.

This syllabus is subject to revision due to unforeseen circumstances or needs required by the class or professor.