Russian Course Descriptions:

Russian 1:
(3 hours per week for 6 weeks)

This is a beginner-level Russian language course designed for students who have little or no prior Russian learning experience. Students are introduced to the four basic language skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The course will also introduce the culture, geography, and history of the former Soviet Union, including Russia, Ukraine, the Caucasus and Central Asia. An emphasis on sounds, vocabulary, and sentence patterns will establish strong communicative skills which students will be able to use in authentic contexts and role-playing scenarios. Upon completion of this course, students should be able to carry on basic conversations in Russian as well as read and write sentences using the structures learned. Alphabet Unit and Unit 1 of the textbook will be covered. Students who successfully complete this course should be able to:

• Identify and write the Russian alphabet and spell given words.
• Use correct syllable stress in spoken Russian.
• Say hello and goodbye in formal and informal scenarios.
• Greet someone and introduce yourself in Russian.
• Identify words borrowed from English.
• Identify the gender of nouns.
• Use the nominative case to talk about yourself and ask basic questions.
• Use the prepositional case to talk about locations.
• Understand the nuances of names in Russian.

Textbook: Golosa: A Basic Course in Russian - Book 1 (5th edition)
ISBN: 978-0205741359

Russian 2:
(3 hours per week for 6 weeks)

The level 2 Russian course is designed for students who have completed level 1 language proficiency. Students will continue to develop their four basic skills (i.e. listening, speaking, reading, and writing) in Russian and learn about Russian culture. Chapters 2 and 3 of the textbook will be covered. Students who successfully complete this course should be able to:

• Indicate that you have something.
• Use adjectives to describe your possessions and clothing.
• Use the question words “what?” “which?” “where? “who?” and “when?”.
• Use personal pronouns to answer questions with “whose?”.
• Ask someone to speak slower or to say something again.
• Talk about where you live and your educational background.
• Understand the principles of verb conjugation.
• Use the conjunctions “but” “and” “or”.
• Talk in the present tense and past tense.
• Use the prepositional case to talk about languages, clothing, and other people.

Textbook: Golosa: A Basic Course in Russian - Book 1 (5th edition)
ISBN: 978-0205741359

Russian 3:
(3 hours per week for 6 weeks)

The level 3 Russian course is designed for students who have completed level 2 language proficiency. Students will continue to develop their four basic skills (i.e. listening, speaking, reading, and writing) in Russian and learn about Russian culture. Chapters 4 and 5 of the textbook will be covered. Students who successfully complete this course should be able to:

• Talk about school and university.
• Discuss their interests and academic subjects.
• Understand the accusative case and transitive verbs.
• Use adverbs to describe challenging, interesting, boring, etc. topics.
• Use different verbs to talk about studying and learning.
• Form questions with the prepositional case.
• Ask “why?” and explain using “because”.
• Talk about their daily routines.
• Use infinitives to talk about their hobbies and interests.
• Ask and tell time on the hour.
• Make and respond to simple invitations.
• Use basic verbs of motion to talk about walking or driving somewhere.
• Understand the differences between «где» and «куда».

Textbook: Golosa: A Basic Course in Russian - Book 1 (5th edition)
ISBN: 978-0205741359

Russian 4:
(3 hours per week for 6 weeks)

The level 4 Russian course is designed for students who have completed level 3 language proficiency. Students will continue to develop their four basic skills (i.e. listening, speaking, reading, and writing) in Russian and learn about Russian culture. Chapters 6 and 7 of the textbook will be covered. Students who successfully complete this course should be able to:

• Describes their surroundings indoors and outdoors.
• Talk about home furnishings and rooms in a typical house.
• Ask clarifying or follow-up questions using «какой».
• Provide clarification using adjectives.
• Use the placement verbs «стоять» «висеть» and «лежатъ».
• Use the genitive case to identify their belongings and relatives.
• Use the genitive case with quantities 2, 3, and 4.
• Express the presence or absence of something using «есть» and «нет».
• Talk about work, skills, and resumes.
• Use the dative case to talk about age.
• Understand when to use «год» «года» or «лет».
• Use «сколько» to ask about age, quantity, or price.
• Describe themselves and their families in more detail.

Textbook: Golosa: A Basic Course in Russian - Book 1 (5th edition)
ISBN: 978-0205741359

Russian 5:
(3 hours per week for 6 weeks)

The level 5 Russian course is designed for students who have completed level 4 language proficiency. Students will continue to develop their four basic skills (i.e. listening, speaking, reading, and writing) in Russian and learn about Russian culture. Chapters 8 and 9 of the textbook will be covered. Students who successfully complete this course should be able to:

• Ask questions in a store and make a purchase.
• Understand the dative case and indirect objects.
• Use the dative case to discuss gifts and obligations.
• Understand the difference between «идти» and «ходить»
• Explain whether something is or is not allowed.
• Use adverbs to describe different tasks as pleasant, challenging, interesting, etc.
• Use the verb «нравиться» to talk about their likes and preferences.
• Understand the language of advertising.
• Identify popular foods associated with Russia and the former Soviet Union.
• Read a basic recipe and give cooking instructions.
• Use the dative case to give advice on what to eat or drink.
• Use the preposition «c» to talk about their food preferences and group activities.
• Make group invitations to go shopping, to a restaurant, to the movies, etc.
• Use the future tense.
• Talk about the metric system: weight and volume.

Textbook: Golosa: A Basic Course in Russian - Book 1 (5th edition)
ISBN: 978-0205741359

Russian 6:
(3 hours per week for 6 weeks)

The level 6 Russian course is designed for students who have completed level 5 language proficiency. Students will continue to develop their four basic skills (i.e. listening, speaking, reading, and writing) in Russian and learn about Russian culture. Chapter 10 of book one will be covered, as well as Chapter 1 of book two. Students who successfully complete this course should be able to:

• •alk about Russian geography and Russia’s major cities.
• Describe their appearance and resemblance to a family member.
• Understand the principles of verbal aspect.
• Understand when to use imperfective verbs, e.g. «читать» or «говорить».
• Understand when to use perfective verbs, e.g. «прочитать» or «сказать».
• Refer to major life events with specific dates.
• Read and listen to short biographies of famous Russian cultural figures.
• Talk about the weather, seasons, and holidays.
• Use the dative case to describe sensations and emotions.
• Use «давай» and «давайте» to make invitations and suggestions.
• Understand the difference between «если» and «ли».
• Make a basic “if … then” statement.

Textbook:

• Golosa: A Basic Course in Russian - Book 1 (5th edition) (ISBN: 978-0205741359)
• Golosa: A Basic Course in Russian - Book 2 (5th edition) (ISBN: 978-0205214600)

Russian 7:
(3 hours per week for 6 weeks)

The level 7 Russian course is designed for students who have completed level 6 language proficiency. Students will continue to develop their four basic skills (i.e. listening, speaking, reading, and writing) in Russian and learn about Russian culture. Chapters 2 and 3 of book two will be covered. Students who successfully complete this course should be able to:

• Manage telephone conversations.
• Understand the grammatical distinction between calling people and places.
• Use large numbers (1,000 - 1,000,000).
• Use and form short form adjectives.
• Understand when to say “see” or “watch” and “listen” or “hear”.
• Conjugate verbs with mutations and shifting stress.
• Recognize Russia’s major tourist attractions and cultural sites.
• Talk about the tourist attractions and infrastructure in their hometown or city.
• Give and understand simple directions.
• Use verbs and prepositions to describe different forms of transportation.
• Use the genitive case with prepositions to describe where something is located.
• Understand when to use «поехать» and «пойти».
• Make a polite request or command using the imperative.

Textbook: Golosa: A Basic Course in Russian - Book 2 (5th edition)
ISBN: 978-0205214600

Russian 8:
(3 hours per week for 6 weeks)

The level 8 Russian course is designed for students who have completed level 7 language proficiency. Students will continue to develop their four basic skills (i.e. listening, speaking, reading, and writing) in Russian and learn about Russian culture. Chapters 4 and 5 of book two will be covered. Students who successfully complete this course should be able to:

• Make hotel and travel arrangements.
• Deal with common travel problems.
• Use reflexive verbs ending in -ся.
• Use cardinal numbers (one, two, three…) and ordinal numbers (first, second, third…).
• Talk about events on exact dates.
• Form the genitive plural to refer to quantities greater than 5.
• Understand the logic of verbal prefixes and their corresponding prepositions.
• Use the prefixes у- при- в- вы- от- пере- под- про- and до- with verbs of motion.
• •Identify roots connecting similar nouns, verbs, and adjectives.
• Form verbal adjectives, e.g. «русскоговорящий» or «верующий».
• Express a basic opinion.
• Recognize the indefinite particles -то and -нибудь.
• Make comparisons and use «самый» to form the superlative.
• Recognize prominent Russian TV shows and TV personalities.

Textbook: Golosa: A Basic Course in Russian - Book 2 (5th edition)
ISBN: 978-0205214600

Russian 9:
(3 hours per week for 6 weeks)

The level 9 Russian course is designed for students who have completed level 8 language proficiency. Students will continue to develop their four basic skills (i.e. listening, speaking, reading, and writing) in Russian and learn about Russian culture. Chapters 6 and 7 of book two will be covered. Students who successfully complete this course should be able to:

• Discuss famous works of Russian literature and poetry.
• Use the verbs «звать» and «называться» to name animate and inanimate nouns.
• Use нужен / нужна / нужно / нужны with nouns.
• Create complex sentences using the relative pronoun «который».
• Understand the difference between «не» and «ни».
• Express concepts like “nowhere” “nothing” or “no-one”.
• Talk about their hobbies and interests in more detail.
• Understand when to use the verb «заниматься».
• Use the instrumental case to talk about themselves and their goals or aspirations.
• Incorporate the pronoun «свой» into their speech and writing.
• Talk about health and fitness, hobbies, and music.

Textbook: Golosa: A Basic Course in Russian - Book 2 (5th edition)
ISBN: 978-0205214600

Russian 10:
(3 hours per week for 6 weeks)

The level 10 Russian course is designed for students who have completed level 9 language proficiency. Students will continue to develop their four basic skills (i.e. listening, speaking, reading, and writing) in Russian and learn about Russian culture. Chapters 8 and 9 of book two will be covered. Students who successfully complete this course should be able to:

• Talk about computers, the internet, social media, and AI.
• Read internet slang and respond to internet messages.
• Use verbs with prepositions в, к, от, and из to talk about sending and receiving things.
• Understand when to use the verbs «класть» and «ставить».
• Choose the correct form of «весь» when talking about “everyone” or “everything”.
• Answer survey-type questions about themselves.
• Talk about their health and body parts in more detail.
• Discuss pain and illnesses using the verbs «болеть» and «чуствовать».
• Talk about instructions and expectations using «чтобы».
• Ask questions and make requests using the verbs «спрашивать» and «просить».

Textbook: Golosa: A Basic Course in Russian - Book 2 (5th edition)
ISBN: 978-0205214600

Russian 11:
(3 hours per week for 6 weeks)

The level 11 Russian course is designed for students who have completed level 10 language proficiency. Students will continue to develop their four basic skills (i.e. listening, speaking, reading, and writing) in Russian and learn about Russian culture. Chapter 10 of book two will be covered. The teacher will provide additional handouts. Students who successfully complete this course should be able to:

• Discuss holidays and compare celebrations in American and Russia.
• Use the instrumental case to make holiday greetings and congratulations.
• Understand Russian ettiequte for hosts and guests.
• Write an invitation using imperatives.
• Describe events at specific times (e.g. 11:23am or 5:47pm)
• Recognize the differences between the Julian calendar and Russian Orthodox calendar.
• Create hypothetical statements with «если бы».
• Recognize and form the four basic participles, e.g. «любящий» «любивший» «любимый» and «любленный».
• Recognize and form the two basic adverbial participles, e.g. «любя» and «любив».

Textbook: Golosa: A Basic Course in Russian - Book 2 (5th edition)
ISBN: 978-0205214600

Russian Intermediate (B1)
(3 hours per week for 6 weeks)

The Russian Intermediate (B1) course is designed for students who have completed course level 11 Russian language proficiency, or have previous experience with the language. Students will continue to develop their four basic skills (i.e. listening, speaking, reading, and writing) in Russian and learn about culture in Russian-speaking countries. Tochka Ru books 1 and 2 will be covered. The teacher will provide additional handouts. Students will practice providing explanations, expressing opinions, and giving reasoned responses to questions on a variety of subjects. Students should consecutively re-enroll in this course until they have completed all the lessons. Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:

• Understand Russian idioms and proverbs.
• Contribute to a critical discussion on literature, film, or music.
• Describe their obligations and important responsibilities.
• Discuss emotions and react to emotional scenarios.
• Talk about the benefits and consequences of their lifestyle choices.
• Describe their work and personal lives in deeper detail.
• Use time expressions to describe complex events in the past and the future.
• Describe their dreams, aspirations, and life plans.

The course will cover grammar and syntax topics, including:

• Forming complex sentences using relative pronouns.
• Forming active and passive participles.
• Using the subjunctive mood to form ‘would/could’ statements.
• Forming conditional ‘if’ statements.
• Identifying verbs, nouns, and adjectives with common roots.
• Expressing nuances using verbal prefixes and prepositions.
• Using numerals in complex sentences and prepositional phrases.

Textbooks:

• Tochka Ru: Russian Course B1.1 (textbook and workbook) Part 1 (ISBN: 978-5001893035)
• Tochka Ru: Russian Course B1.2 (textbook and workbook) Part 2 (ISBN: 978-5907737341)

Russian Private Lessons:

We offer Russian language private lessons. Private lessons are $80 per hour for 1 to 4 students. We will schedule lessons based on the availability of the student(s) and teacher. Start dates are flexible. Please register at least 2 weeks before your first lesson.