Autumn 2007
Union
College
Department of Modern Languages and Literatures
Welcome to second year Russian! This course is the
first quarter of second year Russian.
In Russian 100, 101 and 102 you learned basic language skills. This course
is designed for students who have mastered basic language skills and have
developed a good comprehension of Russian grammar. In this course, you will increase your knowledge of advance
grammar topics, increase reading fluency and improve your ability to understand
spoken Russian. My goal is to help you 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, and written homework also figure into your final grade. The grades will be calculated based on the
following percentages:
4 Chapter Exams (4 @ 15%) 60%
1 Final Exam (in-class) 25%
Quizzes, Homework & 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. In the event that you know in advance that you must
miss a class, it makes good sense to tell me. You can always leave a phone
message for me or contact me via e-mail.
The textbooks for this class are: Live from Moscow, Vol. 2
Workbook, Lab Manual and Audio Cassette
Tapes
This course will have 5 major examinations. These
exams will test the student's speaking, reading and listening
comprehension.
The four chapter exams are worth 60% of the overall
grade; the final exam is worth 25%.
Exam #1 (Chapter 11) Friday October 4
Exam #2 (Chapter 12) Wednesday October
23
Exam #3 (Chapter 13) Friday November 8
Exam #4 (Chapter 14) Monday November 18
Final Exam Week of November 22-27
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 almost 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.
Professor Bidoshi
Russian 200
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. We also have a very active Russian and East European Culture
Club on campus. Please contact
Professor Peterson for more information.
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.