UK Tel: 01209 211 800
Intl Tel: +44 1209 211 800
CESA House
Pennance Road
Lanner
Cornwall
TR16 5TQ
Great Britain
t: 01209 211 800
Intl t: +44 1209 211 800
f: 01209 211 830
Founder member of the Year Out Group and the International Association of Language Travel Agents.
Russian Methodology : St Petersburg
If you want to learn Russian - let's get you talking!
All Russian courses are based on communicative approaches and combine learning common expressions used in everyday situations with thorough and systematic work on grammar. This is very important for Russian with its developed system of grammar forms with an inflectional system and a non-fixed word order – a language in which word endings or word’s place create the meaning.
Conversational topics are given with appropriate grammar structures, while the grammar part of the course proceeds gradually from simple “basic concepts” to more complex issues in a psychologically proven order (e.g. naming objects – describing locations – actions with objects – moving to and from, etc.). One of the Russian school's most important principles consists in giving students the linguistic means to express themselves in everyday situations by constant training of communicative skills and models, which allows learners to achieve their own communicative objectives.
For beginners, the Russian school has it's own course book Poehali, which has been tested and used in the school for several years. During this period feedback from teachers and students has been analysed and many changes have been made. Poehali is a joint project with Zlatoust, a leading publishers in the field of Russian as a Foreign Language.
The Russian Language Teachers:
All of the St Petersburg school's teachers are native speakers and hold a university degree either in Teaching Russian as a Foreign Language (RKI) or Linguistics. The school encourages their teachers to learn new languages, because we believe that having this experience as students is a valuable source for further improvement of their own professional skills. The teachers apply a variety of techniques ranging from introduction to the Russian language history, from etymology and comparative linguistics to role-play, live discussions and creative work (drawing, story telling) in the class. Teacher training sessions take place on a regular basis. During team work the Russian teachers can share their experiences, discuss the problems they recently solved, new methods and techniques they have implemented and evaluate new teaching materials.
Russian language levels:
In our group courses, we teach six levels of Russian year-round (beginner to intermediate) and eight levels during busy summer period (adding upper-intermediate and advanced classes). For reasons of compatibility, we have adapted the framework of the European Language Portfolio. Lesson numbers in the table below are averaged, based on our experience with students passing through our centres. Students enrolling for a one-to-one course will need less time to pass from one level to the next.
Levels according to the Corresponding
European Language Portfolio teaching levels
(Council of Europe) at the school
| Level | Description | Teaching level | Lessons (wks) 1 | Active Vocabulary | TRKI exam level 4 |
| A1
Beginner |
Can understand and use familiar |
A1 (Beginner) A1+ (Beginner+) |
40 (2 weeks) 80 (4 weeks) |
200 words 600 words |
ТЭУ (TEU) |
| A2
Elementary |
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 describe in simple terms aspects of his/her background, immediate environment and matters in areas of immediate need. |
A2
(Elementary) A2+ (Elementary+) |
100
(5 weeks) 100 (5 weeks) |
1000-1200 words or constructions
1300 words or constructions |
ТБУ (TBU) |
| B1
Intermediate |
Can understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. Can deal with most situations likely to arise whilst travelling in an area where the language is spoken. Can describe experiences and events, dreams, hopes & ambitions and briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans. |
B1 (lower-intermediate) B1+ (intermediate) |
80 (4 weeks) 80 (4 weeks) |
1800 words 1800 words |
ТРКИ-1
(TRKI-1) |
|
B2 Upper-intermediate |
Can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible without strain for either party. Can produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects and explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options. |
B2 2) (Upper-intermediate) B2+ 2) (Lower-advanced) |
200 (10 weeks) 20 (10 weeks) |
3500 words 4500 words |
ТРКИ-2
(TRKI-2) |
|
C1 Advanced |
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 text on complex subjects, showing controlled use of organisational patterns, connectors and cohesive devices. | ||||
C1 3)
(advanced)
160
(8 weeks)
6000 words or construstions ТРКИ-3
(TRKI-3)
1.average number of lessons (each 50 minutes) for a standard group course
2.open group courses not available year round
3.rarely requested level; only taught in one-to-one or closed group classes
4.more information about TRKI exams here
The college divides students into six theoretical levels of ability (eight in the summer). A student of average linguistic ability should allow six to ten weeks plus, to complete any one of the Six Levels offered.
In reality a student chooses to attend a short course or a longer "Languages for Life" or Academic Year programme according to their linguistic goals, personal wishes and time constraints.
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