Fw: Looking for advice on beginners' Russian qualifications

[Jenny Carr]

I have just sent the message below to a UK/European Russian teachers'
mailing list - and would be very interested in comments from US teachers.
Thanks,
Jenny Carr
(Russian teacher usually based in Edinburgh)

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jenny Carr" <jennifercarr at blueyonder.co.uk>
To: <RUSSIAN-TEACHING at JISCMAIL.AC.UK>
Sent: Sunday, June 04, 2006 11:28 AM
Subject: Fw: Looking for advice on beginners' Russian qualifications


> Re recent correspondance about suitable tests for beginners:
> I'm in Boston for a few months and have been visiting schools that teach
> Russian in Massachusetts with the idea of writing an article for the SALT
> (Scottish Assn for Language Teaching) newsletter.  I have been very
> impressed by fact that, in the absence of our qualifications mania each
> school teaches its own syllabus (and can take account of both the
teacher's
> own interests and those of pupils) but all concentrate on both grammar and
> culture (esp. lit, hist and art) + achieve impressive oral proficiency.
> Internal exams and evidence of outside interests are said to be most
> important for university entrance so although most take SATS tests in
maths,
> verbal reasoning etc there is no pressure to do other exams like (eg) the
> Advanced Proficiency exam which is just trialling a Russian test.
> This is of necessity based on a small sample - as far as I am aware there
> are only 8 schools still teaching Russian in Massachusetts (4 private, 4
> public) and their numbers are declining fast. 2 of the 8 schools are
closing
> Russian depts this year.
> I would be most interested to hear from anyone with more knowledge of the
US
> system, or indeed with experience in states other than Massachusetts, if
my
> observations are valid.
> And indeed from anyone who thinks that every course should have a publicly
> recognised qualification at the end of it, even though that might
constrain
> the content of the course.
> Jenny Carr
>

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Use your web browser to search the archives, control your subscription
  options, and more.  Visit and bookmark the SEELANGS Web Interface at:
                    http://seelangs.home.comcast.net/
-------------------------------------------------------------------------