June+6,+2011

REFLECTIONS FOR JUNE 6, 2011 Today was fun but I would like to learn actual activities that I can use while teaching. I would also like to learn more about the Russian culture. Sofia VH

Erica Behm - The session today was very interesting and informative. I was most struck by the idea that we, as teachers, do not teach the language, we teach **in** the language. This is a different concept than I am accustomed to. I am very used to the idea that a language is learned in a classroom setting through grammar rules and vocabulary lessons. While I have learned languages primarily through listening, it seems unnatural to format an entire classes learning this way. I hope that through the rest of the week I will become more accustomed to this idea and learn to see the benefits of it.

Jamie Pfahl - I have no formal experience in teaching, but I am intrigued and excited by the methodology for immersion training that we discussed today. It's ironic to me that despite the fact that my own experience in learning foreign languages has been inefficient and clumsy, it is still hard to dismiss the idea that you can go without grammar drills and conjugation worksheets. However, four years of grammar drills and exercises still left me quite unprepared for the day to day conversational language and problems I encountered in Russia. I'm really excited to be a part of this program, which I think is the future of language acquisition. I'm also eager to learn more about how to make students comfortable speaking (perhaps this is easier with children than adults), as one of the areas I suffer in is lack of confidence in my speaking ability. Either way, I think it's critical to use immersion with children since they haven't grown used to feeling eloquent and adept at speaking their native language, so they probably don't get as easily frustrated.

Igor Kertsburg - What I have learned today is how to start teach Russian language using immersion method. We were learned about teachers and kids' activities during this process, about five C's of Foreign Language Education, we read article "The Balancing Act of Bilingual Immersion".Our instructor told us how important is to use authentic culture materials as well. I found today's session very interesting and useful for myself and I am sure that it help us a lot.

Sean Owens - Today's session brought back many memories. I am a product of bilingual immersion education. I was in the pilot cohort of my school district's Spanish/English bilingual program, which ran from K-6. I remember having materials in both languages, and receiving instruction in both languages. The languages were chronologically separate rather than subject separate. Likely due to its nature as a sort of test program, my classmates and teacher were the same throughout elementary school, with different teachers for 5th and 6th grades. Almost all of the students from this class graduated high school at the top of the overall student body. I'm not certain how indicative this example is of the relative effectiveness of the methodology however since most of the students from this class had actively involved parents and many were exceptionally gifted. But I doubt it hurt their learning. It did however lead indirectly to my decision to not take Spanish as an academic course later in high school and at university - after all this immersion I couldn't stand to further learn Spanish along the standard route of grammar and drills. Which seems to indicate to me that there is perhaps a need for implementation of similar methodology at the university level. NATALIA WALLACE- Сегодня мы получили много новой информации и ознакомились с основными различиями методик преподавания.Особо интересно было узнать о новых направлениях, методиках и методических приёмах обучения детей, Русский язык для которых может быть и родной ,но не основной для общения.

HALINA CAMPE 06.06.2011 Сегодняшнее занятие для меня было каким-то откровением. Сегодня я познакомилась с совершенно новой для меня методикой преподавания не только самого русского языка, а любых предметов, включая и русский язык, именно на русском языке. Мне понравился двуязычный метод обучения, который применяется при обучении детей в Америке и я узнала, как постепенно и ненавязчиво можно увлечь детей различного возраста в изучение языка. При этом использовать детские книги различной сложности прочтения, игры, поделки и др. Я узнала, как постепенно вводить новый язык в разговор и игры детей и доводить это общение в наилучшем его соотношении 50/50, чтобы родной язык оставался первичным. Как преподнести красочность языка, традиции его народа, его культуру. Я узнала и об ответственности именно учителя в плохом усвоении языка детьми. Работая со студентами, важно было «раскрыть тему», а результат зависел от самого студента. Здесь существует другой подход и дополнительные приемы обучения предмета. Я узнала о том, как лучше «строить» урок, разговаривая только на одном языке и после переходить на другой язык. Т.е. должна быль «чистота» языка, а не словарный перевод, который мешает запоминанию и обучению. Я благодарна нашему первому преподавателю Улите Федоровне Селезневой, прекрасно владеющей и предметом и аудиторией, за «введение в предмет» в самом доступном и популярном соотношении языков 50/50.

Victoria Mullens – Today I learned about some of the main ideas behind the immersion education, including the 5 C’s. I also learned about possible class room activities, as well as some of the motivation techniques used in the immersion education. The article which we read, The Balancing Act of Bilingual Immersion, provided a good insight into the basics of a bilingual education. Overall, I have to say that I am really warming up to the whole idea of immersion education. At first, it seemed a bit different and even strange in comparison to what I’ve experienced and have been accustomed to as a student and teacher. Nevertheless, it seems very up-to-date and just logical because of it is practicality. I like the fact that it prepares students to be flexible and independent in a global world with all the challenges that come with it. This idea is very appealing to me. I am looking forward to learning more about the activities, techniques and approaches used in immersion classrooms.

Tanya Quillen; Мне очень понравился, сегодняшнии ознакомительныи урок, я узнала о новои интереснои и разносторонеи методическои программе преподавания русского языка. Ведь каждыи студент нуждается в индивидуальном подходе, в зависимости от их уровня знания русского языка, я думаю, по новои программе мы можем предоставить ученикам возможность не только формалного заучевания,которая приносит им скуку на уроке, но создавая для них aтмасферу в плане игры, делая изучения языка более завлекательным и в тоже время и познавательным, чтоб студентам хотялось ходить на мои уроки каждыи день.

Vadi Postnikov - I would like to talk about the main points of today's meeting. Bilingual eduation is a very complicated process in which teachers and students, and their families play important roles. Both languages have to be separated, never switched in between, have to be treated independantly. The target language has to be intergrated in all disciplines. Even though there are different approaches in immersion theory, the big picture is the same. The goal is to teach students to be fluent in target language, culture of the target country, to be a deep thinker who is able to express his/her ideas, and to defend his/her opinion in target language. My own opinion on immersion in the US should be 50/50 with English especially for heritage speakers. I am afraid that full immersion can put the kids behind in English which is still primary language of this country, and the language of the tests. I hope that this class might change my attitude towards this program itself. 1)установка не столько на выполнение заранее намеченного плана озвучивания материала, сколько на усвоение материала школьниками, 2)установка на освоение языка в ходе преподавания природоведения или истории 3)установка на то, чтоьы не столько загружать головы учеников с упором на память, сколько побуждать их к активному овладению языком 4)установка на поддержания главных условий учебного процесса - следить за временем, - составлять малые группы из школьников, не связанных нефоромальными отношениями (чтобы не отвлекались на разговоры на интересные для них темы) - не допускать пауз на перестройку (при необходимости) - важно, чтобы запасной материал был в готовом виде под рукой - в ходе урока не допускать "топтания на месте" (полного повторения одного и того же материала), но надо добиваться нового уровня (+1) -учитель не должен "восседать" за учительским столом - он должен перемещаться по классу, оказываясь в нужное время в нужном месте -0,:))) - как устраивать ребенку радость от обучения... Во всяком случае 20% моей подготовки к занятиям связаны с поиском радостных моментов. Улыбка на личике "студента"- гарантия усвоения урока - как привнести движение на урок - динамика Говоря о культуре Улита указала на некоторые символы - березки, ландыши, хохлому, самовар (чаепитие). Можно IMHO добавить - подкова, колокольчик под дугой, русская тройка (разговор о просторах)
 * День первый **** Впечатления студента **
 * 1. Полагаю, что нас сегодня знакомили с базовыми принципами обучения русскому языку. По сути были предложены приоритеты:**
 * 2. Чего я не услышал (наверное, услышу в последующие дни)**
 * 3. Какие вопросы можно бы развернуть**

Galina Pokhilchuk

Первый день для меня прошел очень быстро, так как преподаватель рассказывала много интересного и полезного. Познакомившись со статьей на занятии, я узнала, что если урок русского языка. то нужно говорит только на русском языке, а если урок французского, то только на французском. При смешивании языков положительного результата в изучении второго языка не будет. МЫ НЕ УЧИМ РУССКИЙ. МЫ УЧИМ ПО-РУССКИ. - это важно помнить, я обязательно возьму себе на заметку. Так же мне интересно было узнать о стандартах при изучении иностранных языков. Уверенна, все эти методы необходимо использовать при обучении детей.

Vera Morris

Today I learned a lot of very interesting and useful information. 15 years ago I learned this method of teaching in Russia. It's called Playful Method. It was applied to elementary shools but didn't spread to much in Russia. The founder was Amonoshvily, an elementary school teacher from Georgia.Today I renewed my knowledge on a new level and enriched it with new details:Division by time, division by content, division by staff.I also enriched my English vocabulary.

Ludmila Bien It was very interesting to hear more about one of the approaches to teaching a foreign language; total immersion. I agree that one of the best ways to teach 5-6 year olds is to immerse them in the target language and its culture. Russian fairy tales are difficult to understand, except the world-known ones, like " Three Bears" or "Little Red Riding Hood". The fact that a lot of American children's books were translated into Russian, makes it possible to introduce familia English stories in Russian. The students can then understand the stories and learn vocabulary from context. Gradualy, students can say sentences from the story in Russian and act out the story later. I used this kind of approach when I taught Russian at the Denver Waldorf School. This approach works well in lower grades. I have a question about students who come to Global Village Academy in Middle School or High School without knowing any Russian. How do they catc up? What kind of instruction are they given to learn the language?


 * Olga Gorbacheva** - What I have learned today is how to balance within bilingual immersion when teaching the students NOT a target language but IN that language (Russian in our case). How to set language borders without mixing words from one language with words from the other (code switching). How to maintain language separation by time, by content and by stuff and set up the classroom to contribute to the successful language acquisition. And last but not least, how to encourage students to become equally proficient in both languages.

//Olga Pillitteri//
====//We had a great introduction day today. Teaching Russian language in the USA has lots of different components due to diverse of students population and diverse of their cultural experience. We had a discussion about the primary goal which is how to make students interested in studying Russian and how to support their interest. Russian teachers in the USA have to be familiar with some specific methods and tools which could help them to be successful in teaching American students. I am looking forward to get some more theoretical explanation why and how students learn languages. I hope this training will provide me with some information which can help me to become a successful Russian language teacher in the USA.//====