Results of Nachalo survey

[frazier melissa]

Dear Seelangers,

I am at a very small college with an odd scheduling system so my approach
may be a little different.  We meet twice a week for two hours and I then
have what is called a "Group Conference" for an hour once a week led by a
native speaker -- they mainly watch videos (including the video for
Nachalo, which they love) but also learn songs, make their own videos, etc.
 I actually feel a need to give them some breathing space because Nachalo
gives them a lot of information very quickly.  I give them quizzes after
every chapter but I have them do them with closed books and either in the
library or at home -- I just don't want to waste class time watching them
take a quiz, and because we're small I can get away with take-home quizzes.
 I'm very pleased with the results -- the taped dialogues and the videos
help especially with their oral comprehension, which is consistently good.
As for second year, this year I had fifty percent go on, which is my best
ever.  Even if they don't go on, though, I think Nachalo gives them very
good "survival" Russian.

Melissa Frazier





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Melissa Frazier
Literature/Russian Dept.
Sarah Lawrence College
1 Mead Way
Bronxville, NY  10704
(914)395-2295
mfrazier at mail.slc.edu