First-year Russian language textbook "Golosa"

[Bill Comer]

At the University of Kansas we have switched to Golosa, and are quite im-
pressed with the students' progress in actually using the language both
orally and in writing.  It does require time, however, for the students to
ACQUIRE the language structures, the vocabulary and the grammar.  We spend
approximately 10-12 contact hours per chapter, but we have the luxury of
having 7 contact hours per week in our first year class (there is no "in-
tensive" course).  Even after completing just the first book in one year
of college Russian will mean that your students will have a wide range of
vocabulary and structures that they can actually use, despite the fact they
have not covered "all the grammar".  Actually ours after the first book,
sound better and write more with greater accuracy than after completing
over a full academic year 25 chapters of Clark's Russian.  My advice-- take
the time and let the students really learn the language.
William Comer
Asst. Professor and Language Coordinator
University of Kansas
Lawrence, KS  66045