Natalia Tsaryova, professor at the Faculty of Russian Language under the Shenyang University (China) and director of the Russian Center at the university, hosted a seminar entitled “Modern Russian in a Foreign-Language Environment: Theory and Practice of Teaching” in Vladivostok. The meeting between teachers of Russian as a foreign language from different Primorsky Krai universities took place at the International Linguistic School.
Alexander Zubritsky, director of the Far East Branch of the Russkiy Mir Foundation, opened the seminar. He called the International Linguistic School “a unique phenomenon in the school education system of Primorsky Krai.” About 40 Chinese and Korean schoolchildren study Russian there.
Natalia Tsaryova spoke about how Chinese students perceive Russian.
She also elaborated on the methods of teaching translators in Chinese universities.
“One of the main goals of a Chinese translator is to discern the emotions of a Russian speaker,” she said.“When I work with students, I point out that expressiveness is a staple of Russian mentality which affects the Russian grammar, of course.”
“The seminar was very informative,” said Yulia Konovalova, member of the presidium of the Asia-Pacific Association of Teachers of Russian Language and Literature. “The analysis of the principles of communication-oriented education and the overview of textbooks and study guides was very useful to young teachers. I like meetings like this, as they give me a chance to meet colleagues from other universities. We all work with Chinese students and encounter difficulties caused by our ethnic and cultural differences.”
There are plans to hold similar seminars at the International Linguistic School on an annual basis, bringing together teachers from across the Russian Far East.
