Russian Language Teaching (book review)

[Andrew Jameson]

Russian Language Teaching Methodology and Course Design
Edited by James Davie, Neil Landsman and Lindsay Silvester
Astra Press, 1999, 208 p. ISBN 0-946134-51-0 (pbk only) Ј18. Available direct from the publisher, 20 Candleby Lane, Cotgrave,
Nottingham, NG12 3JG  UK  Tel/Fax: 0115-989-2364
Tel/Fax from outside UK: +44-115-989-2364

This is the third in a series of publications emanating from the University of Portsmouth which deals with the real problems of
teaching Russian in higher education in Britain and Ireland today. Its three sections deal with the treatment of grammar, teaching
language skills, and course design/learner issues respectively. To put it bluntly, for a long time no rational consideration was
given to students' goals and employability, feeding back into meaningful testing, determining the skills to be taught, which in
turn gives guidelines for course objectives and thus course planning. Although this has been recognised for a considerable time,
positive action has been very patchy, and it is really only in the 1990s that a consensus has been reached that new ways of
teaching Russian must be sought.

The volume engages many problems, such as the inadequacy of "classical" grammars of Russian, sequencing syntax when teaching,
teaching aspect, syntactic interference from English. Two papers in this section propose solutions. The judicious use of modern
linguistics would help clarify many issues in the Russian sound system, morphology and syntax, and its contribution to the teaching
of variety and register (as exemplified in the path-breaking Using French/German/Spanish/Russian series by Cambridge University
Press) has been decisive. The paper on teaching written discourse outlines a systematic approach which has succeeded in enabling
students to write correct formal Russian on contemporary and historical topics.

The skills section begins with a successful approach to oral skills testing and continues with a method where students are video
recorded or where they plan and perform their own video sequences. Practical procedures and supplementary materials are provided
for this, which would substantially ease the process of trying this for ourselves. The case for using listening as an integrative
activity is very convincingly presented with suggestions on implementation. The paper on liaison interpreting discusses
interpreting in general, then goes on to suggest that this activity can be built into teaching from early on, which offers several
interesting methodological advantages.

In section three problems return with a study of the problems of intermediate learners who, having mastered basic structures, may
feel the rest is just vocabulary acquisition. If only! Practical approaches to vocabulary building for years one and two follow,
with detailed appendices ready for adaptation and use. Student needs are next discussed, listed by the students themselves as an
understanding of grammar (any grammar..) and employability. The question whether a student is the best judge of his/her needs is
discussed, but not really answered. The volume closes with a report on the Portsmouth ab initio Russian Project, and a paper on
psychological aspects of coursebook design. All in all, this is a uniquely useful book for all teachers of Russian at post-school
level.


Andrew Jameson
Chair, Russian Committee, ALL
Languages and Professional Development
1 Brook Street, Lancaster LA1 1SL UK
Tel: 01524 32371  (+44 1524 32371)

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