Winter 2008
Union
College
Modern
Languages and Literatures Department
This course is the second quarter of first year
Russian. In Russian 100, 101 and 102 you
will learn basic language skills. The goal of this course is to develop your
analytic speaking abilities by acquainting you with Russian grammar and
vocabulary. You will develop a sense of the structure of the language through
the aid of authentic materials and communicative exercises. While our focus is
primarily on the Russian language, we will seek to relate language developments
to literature and culture.
There will be 4 exams, some quizzes and a final
exam. Class participation, including
attendance, meeting with Victoria on a weekly basis, and written homework
also figure into your final grade. The
grades will be calculated based on the following percentages:
4 Unit Exams (4 @ 15%) 60%
1 Final Exam
(in-class) 25%
Quizzes and Class Participation 15%
Because language skills must be developed through
regular interaction in the language, class attendance is mandatory. I will keep
a DAILY attendance record. If you miss more than four class periods,
your final letter grade will be lowered by one full letter. * Please be aware that this policy includes
meetings with Victoria. (If you earn
an A for the course but have missed five times, your final grade for the course
will be lowered to a B.) In the event
that you know in advance that you must miss a class or a meeting with Victoria, it
makes good sense to tell me. You can always leave a phone message for me or
contact me via e-mail.
The textbook for this class is: Live from Moscow, Vol. 1
Workbook and Lab Manual
Audio Cassette Tapes
This course will have 5 major examinations. These
exams will test your speaking, reading and listening comprehension.
The four unit exams are worth 60% of the overall
grade; the final exam is worth 25%.
Exam #1 (Unit 4)
Monday, January 21
Exam #2 (Unit 5) Friday, February 8
Exam #3 (Unit 6)
Monday, February 25
Exam #4 (Unit 7) Wednesday, March 13
Final Exam Week of March 18-22
TBA (in class)
*If this schedule needs to be changed, changes will
be announced in class. There will be no make-ups, (except in the case of death
in the family, military orders, or an excuse from your doctor showing that you
are physically incapable of taking the exam). At the end of the quarter your
final percentage will determine your final grade, as follows:
93-100 A |
78-79 C+ |
90-92 A- |
73-77 C |
88-89 B+ |
70-72 C- |
83-87 B |
68-69 D+ |
80-82 B- |
65-67 D |
|
64 & below = E |
Daily Grades
These
grades are intended to encourage steady, consistent effort. Class attendance
and diligence in completing homework assignments are the most important
components of studying Russian.
Experience shows that by putting in consistent effort, most students
earn daily grades in the 90s and learn a lot of Russian in the process.
You will have required written homework every night
as a way of cementing what's being done orally in class. You are responsible
for your own learning. Do your homework nightly and be prepared to turn it in
at the end of each class. Make every
effort to keep up -- it's much easier than trying to catch up!
Language study is cumulative. If you do not know
what is in Lesson #1, you really cannot go on to Lesson #2. (In contrast, you
can open up a history text in the middle and start reading with relatively full
comprehension). Thus, I consider 80% to be the minimum mastery level you should
achieve to enable you to continue. Less than 80% puts you in the "C"
range or below; while passing, it is not a very solid foundation to build on.
So, if on a test you achieve less than 80%, you must see me during office hours
to go over the mistakes you made on your test.
This must be done prior to your taking the next test.
NEED HELP?
If at any time you have questions or feel yourself
falling behind, help is available. Feel free to drop in during my office hours,
or email/call me to set up an appointment.
E-mail:
bidoshik@union.edu
Phone: 388-7105
To learn a language well, daily study and practice
are needed. Language learning is a combination of both intellectual learning
and skill (habit) learning. Just as a basketball team, a violin student, or a
serious runner must practice daily in order to excel, so must you in learning a
language.
The
time one needs to spend on home work and studying varies from person to person,
but here's a thought - I will spend 2 hours per day outside of class correcting
your papers, planning the next lesson, and writing exams. I ask that you put in
as much effort into learning Russian as I do in teaching it to you. Two hours
per day outside class will, if done faithfully, virtually guarantee your
success in Russian.
Try this for starters: Set aside (actually block out
on your daily schedule) 2 hours per day, 5 days per week, when you WILL study
Russian. Then, during this time, work this way: Listen to the tape (if there is
one) for the current material once. Take a 10-minute break; stand up and walk
around. Then do your next day's written and reading assignments. If doing this
takes you less than an hour, fill the rest of the time by reviewing vocabulary
words (make yourself some flash cards), verb conjugations,
noun/adjective/pronoun declensions, or go over mistakes you made on past
homework assignments and tests. Then listen to the current tape again. If you
do this 5 times a week, you cannot help learning.
Students
of Russian at Union may take advantage of a wealth of extra-curricular
activities sponsored by the Department and by other units, including lectures,
informal conversation gatherings (Russian Table), films, Russian news
broadcasts, parties and more.
Russian Table/Tea
– Tuesdays
7:00 PM, Language House B (come to practice your Russian)
Russian & East European Culture Club Meetings – Mondays 12:30 PM 2nd Floor, Campus
Center
Russian & East European Film Series – Saturdays 4:30, Language House B
STUDY IN RUSSIA
It's not too early for you to start thinking about
study abroad. No matter what your major is, study in Russia can be an
irreplaceable educational experience for you. YOU ARE ELIGIBLE after only 1
year of Russian. Ask about it.
Enjoy your Russian, and
recommend it to a friend.