RUSS 102
Elementary Russian II
1. Catalog Entry
RUSS 102
Elementary Russian II
Credit hours (4)
A continuation of RUSS 101 with emphasis on listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
Independent laboratory practice required. This class is not for native or heritage
speakers of Russian. This course has been approved for Core Curriculum credit in College
Core B in Foreign Languages.
Note(s): Students who have taken RUSS 100 may take RUSS 102, but they are not eligible to take RUSS 101. Offered in Spring.
2. Detailed Description of Course
This is a four credit hours course of the second and last sequence of elementary Russian language. Russian is a Slavic language an East Slavic language and an official language in Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, unofficial but widely-spoken language in Ukraine, Latvia, Estonia among other territories such as the other countries that were once constituent republics of the Soviet Union.
This is a continuation of RUSS 101 in which students learn Russian as it is used in media and books throughout the Russian-speaking world with emphasis upon communication in both the present and past tense, uses of genitive, dative and accusative cases, indirect object pronouns and comparatives. Situational vocabulary is limited to daily activities, simple descriptions for things and people, and use of commands. Reading and writing is limited to basic letters and ads advertisements. Cultural sections focus on Russian way of life (old and new architecture style, clothing, apartment size, and living conditions. This class is not for native speakers of Russian. Aural comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing are stressed in that order. Independent laboratory practice required.
3. Detailed Description of Conduct of Course
Class instruction targets communication practice using the situations, intentions, vocabulary, culture, and grammar introduced in a given chapter. Other activities include: grammar and vocabulary explanations, pronunciation practice, listening comprehension exercises, writing, and grammar drills. Class is conducted primarily in the target language.
4. Goals and Objectives of the Course
Students will be able to demonstrate language skills appropriate to the level of study.
Speaking and listening goals (standardized ACTFL proficiency criteria): Students will
be able to speak Russian by relying heavily on learned utterances but occasionally
expanding these through simple recombination of their elements. Students will be able
to ask questions or make statements involving learned material. There will be some
spontaneity, but speech will continue to consist primarily of learned phrases. Students
will be able to pronounce nearly all Russian sounds accurately when uttered in isolation
and a growing number even in rapid speech. As regards listening skills, students will
be able to understand short, learned phrases and some sentence-length utterances,
particularly where context strongly supports understanding and speech is clearly audible.
Reading and writing goals (standardized ACTFL proficiency criteria): Students will be able to identify an increasing amount of learned material without assistance and to understand a limited amount of new material when supported by context or dictionary assistance. In writing, students will be able to reproduce a variety of learned phrases and some basic sentences by recombining learned material. Students will be able to meet a number of practical writing needs and write short, simple letters.
Students will be able to analyze similarities and differences between their own and the target cultures.
Students will be able to explain contemporary international issues from the perspectives of their own and the target cultures.
5. Assessment Measures
Speaking progress is evaluated in class and in oral interviews. Written homework assignments provide a basis for the evaluation of writing progress. Listening and reading comprehension and grammatical accuracy are tested in quizzes, chapter tests, and on the final exam. In most of these testing situations, students will also either demonstrate or further expand (in the case of new linguistic excerpts containing new cultural topics) their familiarity with cultural topics and current global issues. Students’ success in using Russian will therefore demonstrate not only their linguistic abilities but also their cultural competence to anticipate, identify, and to simulate the use of different cultural perceptions and behaviors through the new language.
6. Other Course Information
To supplement linguistic and cultural encounters in class, students are expected to participate in some extracurricular activities such as conversation with native speakers, watching Russian language movies, and inquiring about Russian world cultures by means of the multitude of media available as informational resources. This can help students fulfill the B.A. foreign language requirement. RUSS 101 is for beginners and students who have had no more than one year of Russian in high school. Students who have taken RUSS 100 may take RUSS 102, but they are not eligible to take RUSS 101.
Review and Approval