Russian: Elementary Russian I

An introduction to all aspects of contemporary standard Russian: speaking, listening, reading, writing. Cultural components include topics such as music, art, literature, and current events. No previous knowledge of Russian needed for RUSS 1100.

The fourth meeting of this course is asynchronous online; Open to degree and PACE students

https://sites.google.com/view/russian001/

Russian 1100 is the first part of a two-semester Introductory Russian course intended for students with no prior knowledge of Russian. The course emphasizes the development of communicative and cultural competence through dynamic classroom interactions and active engagement with authentic Russian materials. Students acquire practical vocabulary and build a solid grammatical foundation by participating in meaningful communicative tasks and proficiency-oriented games, mingles, and other activities. Using print and online textbook resources, as well as additional materials (songs, videos, films, and cultural presentations), students develop speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills both individually, through daily written and online exercises, and interactively, in a fun, high-energy classroom atmosphere. By the end of the academic year, students develop a working vocabulary of about one thousand words, familiarity with a number of conversational topics, a systematic understanding of basic Russian grammatical forms, and an awareness of cultural traditions and communicative norms. The course combines instruction in Russian and in English.

Students attend class 4 times per week, including a 75-minute asynchronous online section on Tuesdays. This is a 4-credit course, so students should expect to engage with the materials for 6-8 hours outside of class (roughly one hour every day), including online assignments, written homework, and other preparation. Evaluation is based on attendance and active participation, consistent completion of homework activities, oral communication (as assessed in homework, class work, oral exams, and projects), quizzes and tests.

Class Participation (active preparation, participation, and evidence of improvement): 15% Daily Homework completed on time and with care: 15% Quizzes (vocabulary and grammar checks): 10% Unit Tests (two in-class unit tests @ 10% each): 20% Oral and written projects (Flipgrids, Videos, Compositions, and other projects): 20% Final Exam/Project: 20%