The School of the Russian language
Dean of the Department
Associate Professor,
Ph.D. in Pedagogy,
Elena N. Lyogochkina.
The School of the Russian language was established in 1999. In 2009, the School was renamed into the School of Russian Language and Natural Sciences.
Highly qualified specialists, including 2 professors, 13 associate professors, 13 Ph.D. teachers and 15 senior teachers work in the School. The School provides training of the Russian language, as well as "Standard of speech and business communication" for international students at Foundation Course and for students of other programs.
The main function of the School is teaching the Russian language to international students to prepare them for real-life communication as well as for studying subjects, instructed in Russian.
During the years of academic experience, the School has accumulated knowledge in means and methods of teaching students (undergraduates or postgraduates), interns, students of short courses.
Teachers of the school conduct classes on RFL (Russian as a foreign language) at the Department of Foundation Studies for international students. Education on Foundation Course is the most important and responsible stage in the development of a future international specialist. This period of training of international students is the first step both in adaptation to the new language environment, and preparation for studying subjects instructed in Russian.
International students of 1st,2nd, 3rd-year study Academic writing in the language of program instruction and general language proficiency (linguoculturology). Students of the 4th and 5th-year have the special course of "Translation in the field of professional communication". International students who have completed a two-year course in "Translation in the field of professional communication" can obtain a Translator Certificate.
In accordance with the academic aims of the School, textbooks and study guides have been written in various fields of study: academic writing of texts on mathematics, chemistry, physics, biology, economics, and architecture. The written materials in the educational and professional sphere assists international students to a great extent in mastering the language of instruction of their future program. These texts are well regarded among teachers of Russian as a foreign language in various Russian universities. The language materials in the guides aims to develop language skills in different types of language comprehension: reading, listening, speaking and writing. Learning of language is considered as a single interrelated process, in which attention is drawn to the development of both general and specific skills and abilities.
One of the main directions of the research work of the School is linguoculturology. It has a close relation to the teaching Russian as a foreign language. Learning language as a means of communication is impossible without a sociocultural element.
The School has developed methodological groups: "Linguistic and cultural methods in the teaching of the Russian language" (Ph.D., Associate Professor, Elena Lyogochkina) and "Methods of teaching the language of instruction" (Ph.D. E. Parkhomova).
The second area of work of the School is the course "Standard of speech and business communication". The deterioration of the Russian language among people of different classes, including intellectual one, has become so obvious and widespread that it is necessary to revive continuous language training at all levels of education: from junior school to higher education. At the same time, the employability of a graduate student of a technical university in the labor market, and his ability to compete in this market depend not only on knowledge in his/her major, but also on the quality of his/her speech, and the business communication skills.
Such circumstances impose the following tasks:
- to provide students with the necessary knowledge about the rules and use of the Russian literary language, as well as its norms;
- to form the skills of business communication;
- to develop the foundation of speech culture.
This knowledge will assist the graduates in becoming a good professional, will contribute to his/her career growth.
The Standard of speech and business communication study guide: DOWNLOAD
E. Lyogochkina, Standard of speech and business communication: Textbook for students of distance learning programs: DOWNLOAD
In a short period, the School headed by Associate Professor E.N. Lyogochkina earned a great reputation in many universities of Russia. The School maintains constant and active relationship with the Russian Society of Teachers of the Russian Language and Literature (RSTRLL) (Moscow). We have strong ties with the School of the Russian language at the People's Friendship University of Russia (Moscow), the Pushkin Institute of the Russian Language (Moscow), the St. Petersburg State University (St. Petersburg), Kharkiv National Automobile and Highway University (Ukraine, Kharkov).
There are many scientific workshops and conferences every year . Recently the School organized International Scientific Conference "Russia and globalization: Strategies of Teaching the Russian language as a foreign language." Scientists from China, Mongolia, and Ukraine visited this event. The conference resulted in the publishing of reports and scientific works.
However, as folk says, the best is always ahead. The staff of the School is sure that there are a lot of things waiting to be done for the benefit of our university.