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Teaching Methods

Learning the Russian Language is a Fascinating Experience

Most importantly, the goal of learning Russian is to help you use the new language both fluently and accurately. Thus, your teachers use the communicative approach as the most effective method during the lessons. The teacher also takes the role of coordinator in meaningful communications such as role-play, information sharing, and problem-solving. With the help of the audio-lingual as well as the direct method, you develop all four language skills. In conjunction, your teachers do not use any translations. As a result, the Russian language surrounds you completely, thus allowing you to progress more successfully.

What to Expect?

When you first start learning the Russian language, you build up basic grammar skills and increase your vocabulary. The teacher creates interactive classroom activities; examples being taking part in short dialogues and pair/small group work. Most importantly you can talk about your daily life, share your opinions about various subjects as well as learn how to avoid communication breakdowns. During your Russian language learning process, the attention is focused on the development of self-study across all levels. This includes work on study skills, good study habits, and self-assessments. Given these points, when the teacher pays attention to your grammar and pronunciation, the creation of a good balance between fluency and accuracy occurs. As a result, at the end of your studies, you will receive a certificate. On it, there is an evaluation of the achieved level of all four language skills: reading, listening, writing, and speaking.

Our student Marianne on teaching methods and learning the Russian language at the school:

“The class is designed to allow you to speak and not just to say a couple of sentences on a random topic. Certainly, the teacher gives you space and freedom to develop your ideas, respond to your classmates, and have meaningful discussions and interactions. At the same time, the teacher effectively manages the class. It was structured so that the right amount of time was dedicated to each task and the various parts of the lesson were related and followed each other logically. Above all I enjoyed the fact that there were no awkward transitions and that it felt extremely natural.”

Our student Joseph on teaching methods and learning the Russian language at the school:

“The program was set up very well, the professionalism of the teachers and the various methods of instruction made my short time here enjoyable and rewarding.”

Find out the benefits of the communicative approach for learning the Russian language!

The biggest benefit of learning Russian with the communicative approach is that it works effectively with both types of students. For example, those who are shy and quiet, and those who are more active during the class. How would you describe yourself? No matter the answer, you will always receive positive support from the teacher. With this in mind, the teacher will encourage you and involve you in different classroom activities. Your self-confidence will grow as a result and you will use the Russian language more actively. If you feel comfortable using Russian – be a positive partner for your group-mates in various dialogues and group discussions.  In conclusion, the teacher will analyze your vocabulary and will correct your grammar mistakes if necessary.

Learning Russian with your teachers 

One of the great values of RLA BORN is professional and charismatic teachers with a significant amount of experience! Your teacher will be an experienced native Russian-speaker who specializes in teaching Russian as a foreign language. Each teacher has earned an academic degree in education, philology, applied linguistics or pedagogy. All the teachers regularly attend professional development courses as well as training to continue their professional growth. As a result, you can expect to benefit from high teaching standards while learning the Russian language at our school.

Most importantly, all our teachers are really interested in your progress! As a result, studying Russian in our school is challenging. You will get individual attention during the class as well as the individual feedback from them after weekly tests. Certainly, they will encourage you and will help to choose any book from the school’s library to practice reading skills. What is more, feel free to ask for advice on some useful websites to master your Russian language!

Evaluation and assessment

First of all, the online placement test on Russian Language Academy BORN website, as well as speaking test (except for complete beginners), helps to place you in a group according to your level. Therefore, during the interview in the office or on the phone, you can express your wishes, necessities or demands of the course. However, if you have specific special needs, you’re advised to book the individual lessons.  As a result, your teachers will design a special syllabus based on your level of knowledge. In addition, regular progress tests are held to monitor your progress and success in learning the Russian language.

Russian Language Academy Durbe offers General and Specialized Russian language courses of such levels:
wdt_ID CEFR levels Russian Language Academy levels US levels Course learning outcomes Recommended exam Length of the course
1 A1 Breakthrough A0


A1




A1+


Novice Low


-Novice Mid




Novice High
The first stage of acquisition. Students are familiar with the Cyrillic alphabet, can read and write, as well as say the basic phrases.

2nd stage. Students can interact in a simple way, ask and answer simple questions about themselves, where they live, people they know, and things they have, as well as initiate and respond to simple statements in areas of immediate need or on very familiar topics.

3rd stage. Students can make simple transactions in shops, post offices or banks. Get simple information about travel. Use public transport, ask for basic information, ask and give directions, and buy tickets. As well as ask for and provide everyday goods and services.
Telc A1 20 lessons


40 lessons




60 lessons
3 A2 Waystage or elementary A2





A2 +


Intermediate Low




-Intermediate Mid
4th stage. Students can use simple everyday polite forms of greeting and address, ask how they are and react to news. Handle very short social exchanges. Ask and answer questions about what they do at work and in free time. Make and respond to invitations. Discuss what to do, where to go and make arrangements to meet. As well as make and accept offers.

5th stage. Students understand enough to manage simple, routine exchanges without undue effort. Exchange ideas and information on familiar topics in predictable everyday situations. Deal with everyday situations with predictable content, though he/she will generally have to compromise the message and search for words. Express how he feels in simple terms. Give an extended description of everyday aspects of his environment. I.e. people, places, a job or study experience. Describe past activities and personal experiences. Describe habits and routines. Describe plans and arrangements. As well as explain what he/she likes or dislikes about something.
Telc A2 60 lessons





100 lessons
5 B1
Threshold
B1




B1+




Intermediate High



Intermediate High
6th stage. Students are able to follow the main points of extended discussion, provided speech is clearly articulated in standard dialect; express the main point he/she wants to make comprehensibly; keep going comprehensibly, even though pausing for grammatical and lexical planning.

7th stage. Students can provide concrete information required in an interview/consultation with limited precision; explain why something is a problem; summarise and give his or her opinion about a short story, article, talk, discussion interview, or documentary and answer further questions of detail; carry out a prepared interview, checking and confirming information.
Telc B1 or TRKI - 1 200 lessons




220 lessons
7 B2
Vantage or intermediate
B2








B2+






Advanced Low








Advanced Mid
8th stage. Student can maintain a focus on an effective argument. Can account for and sustain his/her opinions in discussion by providing relevant explanations, arguments and comments; can explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options; develop an argument giving reasons in support of or against a particular point of view; take an active part in informal discussion in familiar contexts, commenting, explaining points of view clearly, evaluating alternative proposals and making and responding to hypotheses.

9th stage. Students are able to give feedback on and follow up on statements and inferences by other speakers and so help the development of the discussion; Can relate own contribution skilfully to those of other speakers, use a variety of linking words efficiently to mark clearly the relationships between ideas; Can develop an argument systematically with appropriate highlighting of significant points, and relevant supporting detail.
Telc B2 or TRKI - 2 160 lessons








120 lessons
9 C1
Effective Operational Proficiency or upper intermediate
C1 Superior Final stage. Student possesses a broad range of language capabilities, which allows fluent, spontaneous communication. Can understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts, and recognise implicit meaning. Can express him/herself fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions. Can use language flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes. Can produce clear, well-structured, detailed texts on complex subjects, showing controlled use of organisational patterns, connectors and cohesive devices. TRKI - 3 280 lessons

Please note that the number of hours for each level is recommended. In short, it may vary depending on personal learning styles as well as personal language practice outside the school!

The school offers Evening Russian language courses of such levels:
wdt_ID THE LEVEL OF KNOWLEDGE LANGUAGE SKILLS YOU WILL ACQUIRE LENGTH OF THE COURSE
1 А1 level The first stage of acquisition. You start this course without any pre-knowledge of the language. You will learn how to read, write and say the new words with correct intonation and pronunciation. You will learn to use basic greetings and leave taking expressions, ask and answer simple personal questions, will learn to ask and answer easy questions about yourself, where you live, people you know and things they have.
At the end of the course you will be able to give personal details and basic information (address, telephone number, nationality, age, family and hobbies), describe yourself and family, read short, simple texts, understand simple questions and instructions addressed carefully and slowly.
64 lessons
2 A1+ level 2nd stage. You have got your first knowledge and can continue with learning how to make simple transactions in shops, post offices or banks, get simple information about travel, use of public transport, ask for basic information, ask and give directions, buy tickets, ask for and provide everyday goods and services using the basic structures of the grammar.
At the end of the course you will be able to understand information when somebody is speaking clearly and slowly on familiar topics. You will know how to write simple notes, greeting cards, postcards, fill in questionnaires with basic information.
64 lessons
3 A2 level 3rd stage. You will learn how to describe oneself, family, friends, where one lives, his/her hobbies and interests, educational background, past experiences and events. You will read simple personal messages and letters about everyday life, simple instructions for using equipment, short narratives about familiar topics. More grammar structures will be introduced such as comparative and superlative degrees of adjectives and adverbs, ordinal numbers.
At the end of the course you can understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of most immediate relevance (e.g. very basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment), can communicate in simple and routine tasks required a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters.
64 lessons
4 A2+ level 4th stage. This course will continue studying the basic skills of the language and you will expand the vocabulary on topics about shopping, celebration of special family events, discussing prices, making comparisons, expressing doubts, concerns, reassurance, permission, enthusiasm or regret, correcting a wrong assumption, asking and telling time. More complicated grammar and richer vocabulary will be used to describe past activities and personal experiences, habits and routines, describe plans and arrangements.
At the end of the course you will be able to communicate in everyday situations, for example: ordering food and drink, shopping or using post office, asking for and giving opinions, agreeing and disagreeing in a simple way.
64 lessons
5 B1 level
B1.1 sublevel
5th stage. If you want to develop confidence, fluency and accuracy in the language then B1 level group is for you! During the course you will learn how to express opinion in a limited way or offer advice within a known area, understand instructions or public announcements, describe daily activities, express different emotions, apologies, and intentions.
At the end of the course you can produce connected texts on topics which are familiar or of personal interest, describe experiences and events, dreams, hopes and ambitions and briefly give reasons and explanation for opinions and plans.
64 lessons
6 B1 level
B1.2 sublevel
During the course you will enrich the vocabulary and learn a lot of new grammar to deal with most situations likely to arise in an area where the language is spoken. You will also learn to understand factual texts on subjects related to your interests that consist mainly of high frequency everyday or job-related language. You will practice to understand the main points of news broadcasts and TV programs on familiar topics, simple technical information, such as operating instructions for everyday equipment, and how to indicate dates of events.
At the end of the course you will know how to fill out simple forms, write personal and formal letters, private letters dealing with events, feelings, wishes, reply to advertisements, write a CV, or retell the plots of clearly structured stories. You will be able to understand the main points of clear standard speech on familiar matters, the main point of radio or TV programs on current affairs or topics of personal or professional interest when the delivery is relatively slow and clear.
64 lessons
7 B1+ level
B1+1 sublevel
6th stage. During this course you will learn how to explain the main points relating to an idea, problem or argument with reasonable precision, how to use connecting words to link sentences into a coherent sequence, how to express personal views and opinions, feelings such as surprise, happiness, interest, polite agreement and disagreement, how to mmaintain simple person to person conversations, and how to describe dreams, hopes, or ambitions.
At the end of the course you will be able to understand straightforward information about everyday, study or work related topics, identifying both general messages and specific details, as well as how to start a conversation on topics that are familiar or of personal interest and to keep it going by expressing and responding to suggestions, opinions, attitudes, advice, feelings etc.
64 lessons
8 B1+ level
B1+2 sublevel
You will revise and activately utilize the grammar and vocabulary learned before and continue to develop all language skills. You will learn to give detailed accounts of experiences and events, ask someone to clarify what they have said, paraphrase or make a simpler alternative word when unable to find the correct expression, to describe an incident or an accident making the main points clear, write about familiar topics, and comparing and contrasting different opinions.
At the end of the course you will be able to sum up what has been said in order to help the discussion to move forward, as well as describe unusual and predictable situations. You will be able to express your thoughts on abstract or cultural ideas as well as everyday topics.
64 lessons
9 B2 level 7th stage. During the course there will be a lot of reading tasks such as short stories, book chapters, and poetry or newspaper articles as well as themes for discussion on society, economics, art, literature, music, cinema etc. The reading exercises will be complemented with writing exercises (summaries, opinions, comments etc) and supplemented by listening tasks to master all 4 language skills.
At the end of the course you will understand live interviews, talk shows, plays, most films, and the main ideas even of complex presentations You will be able to give detailed factual information, degrees of emotion, opinions, defending points of view in discussions and reacting to others: give detailed descriptions on a wide range of topics, can write personal letters and explain complex ideas and feelings.
64 lessons
10 B2+ level The course is a continuation of the B2 level course. The topics of the course give students the ability to repeat, rejuvenate and reactivate topics studied before, and to review any difficulties they faced. Studnets will learn how to express detailed factual information, degrees of emotion, opinions, defending points of view in discussions and reacting to others: give detailed descriptions on a wide range of topics, sustain a reasoned argument: express a viewpoint, talk about consequences, advantages and disadvantages, write clear and detailed texts, summaries of articles, short book or film reviews, and write personal letters explaining complex ideas and feelings.
At the end of the course you will be able to present clear, detailed descriptions on a wide range of subjects related to your field of interest, expanding and supporting ideas with subsidiary points and relevant examples, explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options.
64 lessons