Irina Arshakovny is a name familiar to anyone who has ever studied Russian in Hungary. Her latest series of books The Key, is a bestseller. For years, she has lead teachers of the Russian language methodical Saturdays in the center of The Loránd Eötvös Russian University.
Serafima Khavronina is a teacher of Russian as a foreign language. Her legendary books have been translated into more than 20 languages. Her first textbook was published 53 years ago. She has been to Hungary several times, and in 2010 she received the prize of The best teacher of the Russian language in a traditional ceremony at the end of the year. She said that due to her age this year, she has decided not to travel abroad. Notwithstanding she could not refuse the invitation of the Russian Cultural Centre in Budapest. At The Russian center in Khavronina, she talked about how the idea of the first textbook was born, which changes have taken place in the methods of teaching the Russian language in the past half-century, and what new challenges face us in modern university classes.
Professor Khavronina considers an important feature of her textbooks to be that they are not built on scientific or theoretical foundations, but on the specific experience in teaching, accumulated over many years. She can not say what makes it an effective textbooks for students of different nationalities. She believes that the most important factor in teaching a foreign language is the teacher, whose work must be versatile and flexible, which is why there is no recipe for a good teacher. In each lesson, with each individual pupil is necessary to grasp the situation, and it is this which determines exactly which method should be used in this case.
Approximately fifty people gathered in the office to listen. The guests brought with them her books, from their own private collections: ranging from half a century old to the very new, published just a few years ago. After a 2-hour conversation, the author willingly and gladly signed couple of lines to all who wished. In the book of The Russian Centre, she wrote the following: "It was a very lively, interesting dialogue, which showed how to this day, despite the difficult situation, and various difficulties, in Hungary there is interest in the Russian language, and Russian culture. I am glad for the enthusiasm of those who work in schools and departments of the Russian language in universities. I wish all the participants of today's seminar: good health, prosperity, and success in all your endeavours."
Russkiy Mir
