Homeschooling Russian

[Alina Israeli]

I totally disagree with this complete bashing of Berlitz method.  
Before there was Berlitz there were nannies and governesses from  
abroad. All they had to do was to speak their native language. And  
this method works best for children. I myself was a student in both  
systems at once: direct method and "let's conjugate it" method at the  
tender age of 8 with very well structured course materials. The  
course materials only made me unlearn what I have learned from the  
direct method, not to mention the tedium and lack of enthusiasm on my  
part for sheer memorization. (Incidentally, my structured-course- 
materials instructor was native of Belgium while the direct method  
teacher was Russian. At some point the Belgian said to my mother —  
and I found out about it decades later — "I don't understand how this  
little girl uses all the French tenses correctly.")

BTW the same could be said about the some advocates of "properly  
structured supporting course materials": they need to sell their  
product.

AI

On Feb 8, 2009, at 2:29 PM, John Langran wrote:

> I an amazed to see such advice being given. Learners of all ages  
> need references to rely on, so that they can prepare work, look  
> things up, practise and learn, between visits from their teacher.  
> The "Berlitz method" as I understand it is intended for intensive  
> tuition for blocks of time up to 5 or more hours per day, usually  
> for adult business people, and quite impractical for a 9 year old  
> who has a full programme of other school work, as I presume to be  
> the case here. Unless I am wrong and this boy does have large  
> amounts of time for studying Russian, then he needs a course book  
> that he likes and which will stimulate his imagination, with  
> workbooks for extra exercises, computer support and audio / dvd  
> support if possible, and a sympathetic tutor who knows how to use  
> such materials effectively to give lessons perhaps on a weekly  
> basis to review work that has been done independently, practice new  
> material, and set new work to be done for the next lesson.
>
> One reason that teachers sometimes advocate "methods" such as the  
> "Berlitz method" is that with these "methods" the student needs a  
> lot more teacher hours than if he has a programme with properly  
> structured supporting course materials.
>
> John Langran
> www.ruslan.co.uk
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Rozov, Mr. Aleksander"  
> <ar14433n at PACE.EDU>
> To: <SEELANGS at bama.ua.edu>
> Sent: Sunday, February 08, 2009 4:07 PM
> Subject: Re: [SEELANGS] Homeschooling Russian
>
>

Alina Israeli
Associate Professor of Russian
LFS, American University
4400 Massachusetts Ave.
Washington DC 20016
(202) 885-2387 	fax (202) 885-1076
aisrael at american.edu





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