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  Russia continues to play a central role in global politics, and practice shows that the demand on foreign experts with Russian language skills grows. Below are the reasons, why people learn Russian in different countries.

Teaching of Russian in Great Britain

Learning Russian language at British schools should be estimated as being in a crisis condition. Such position was typical for Great Britain for more than 30-40 years. British are assured that it is possible to consult with it.

As in many other countries, teaching of Russian in Great Britain has reached the highest point in 60th, after launching of the first Soviet satellite. In order to catch up and overtake the Soviet experts in astronautics and other natural sciences, many people began to learn Russian at approval of the government, believing, that the way to success lied through knowledge of Russian. For teachers of Russian this situation was unexpected, pleasant, but, unfortunately, short.

In 70th the number of schools where it was possible to learn Russian, began to decrease, and the number of pupils handing over school graduation examinations on Russian to fall. Suprisingly, teaching of Russian was kept mainly in private schools: it is insignificant percent of the British schools. Therefore it is impossible to relate the fate of Russian language in Great Britain with political reasons because from the ideological point of view private schools adhere to political views, frequently opposite ideologies of former Soviet Union. Russian is popular in private schools because it ostensibly demands uncommon mental faculties. It is a prestigious subject which makes positive impression upon parents of potential pupils.

The reasons to learn Russian. It is necessary to search for the reasons of a decreasing interest to Russian in other: in creation such general educational systems at British schools which was to increase the number of the subjects studied by schoolboys, but actually has reduced it and seriously has restrained learning Russian language; in the decision of British people to enter the General market (the European union) therefore the preference in the school schedule is given to languages of the western Europe, especially to French language; in introduction of the new curriculum which has limited opportunities to learn all languages, except for French; in disintegration of Soviet Union. The rector of one of grammar schools where Russian once took a visible place in the school schedule, justifying the decision to reduce Russian at its school, has expressed opinion, that after disorder of the Union "latin is more useful than Russian".

Examinations. Practice of carrying out examinations shows that the number of the candidates handing over school graduation exams on Russian, at first sight, seems quite well; moreover, this number during last years has increased. But statistical data hide a true state of affairs: one third of candidates - children of "new Russian" which have given the children to English schools, more often boarding schools where children go on lessons of Russian. Such situation is not absolutely normal: Russian children do not understand why they should learn native language in England.

The decision of a problem. Position of Russian language in the British schools, as well as abroad, is not wholly satisfactory. Whether it is possible to save the situation? Yes, it is. The matter is that for learning Russian in Britain is not enough methodical materials: working writing-books, books for reading, posters, to which teachers of other languages-competitors (French, German, Spanish, Italian) have access. And today children prefer those languages which have attractive and interesting teaching materials. At the disposal of teachers of the French language, for example, there are such videocassettes, as Cafe de reves ("Cafe of dreams"), Clementine and Jeanna francophone ("French-speaking Jeanna") in which 16-years young men and girls discuss the questions exciting all teenagers: pop, love, a vacation, etc. They very much like schoolboys and schoolgirls, but it is not present all in Russian. There is a videofilm "Welcome!", but teachers complain about difficult language. If during the realization of the federal target program "Russian" developed under the Decree of the President of Russia and approved by the Government of the Russian Federation in 1996, there was supply of the teaching materials attractive to pupils, videocassettes, colorful posters - position of Russian in Great Britain would change to the best.

Russian in British colleges

At the universities is the same picture, with that difference, that official reports concerning the future of Russian language and the literature in high schools are issued. In 1962, soon after start of the first satellites, Annan's report which recommended to increase volume of teaching of Russian in 25 times has been published; in 1979 there was report of Atkinson, which resulted in centralization of teaching of Russian and in closing of several faculties: in Liverpool, Norwich, Aberdeen, Hull, Lancaster, Salford, Reading and other cities. At last, position has been stabilized by the publication in the end of 80th years of Wooding`s report which has strengthened faculties of Russian in some high schools.

After Gorbachev M.S. has come to power in 1985, at British universities interest to Russian language, literature and culture rose. But it was temporary event. Hopes of specialists in Russian philology have not come true, but they struggled and continue to struggle for the subject. Among members of the British association of university specialists in Russian philology and literary critics - in minority; political scientists, economists and sociologists make two thirds of members of association. Fundamental reorganization of the British high school system occured within the last few years: the number of students has increased, but the level of the financial help has not increased. To faculties which involve few students or which do not reach the necessary level in research or pedagogical work, danger of closing threatens. However, one of advantages of the new order is that many professors of Russian language are involved in research work, and lack of system is the academic rush work - some researchers hurry up to publish the work prematurely, to receive the best estimation.

Despite of all this, the British specialists in Russian philology didn`t lose the enthusiasm. In Great Britain a number of magazines on Russian philology is issued: Rusistika, Slavonic and East European Rewiew, Irish Slavonic Studies (in Ireland), Slavonica, Forum, etc. Conferences of Association for learning languages under the name the World of Languages in which specialists in Russian philology take part are annually spent, professional meetings of Association of the British specialists in Russian philology.

Achievements of specialists in Russian philology. For the last 10 years a number of the fundamental works written by the British specialists in Russian philology is published: historical grammar of Russian language, a reference grammar of the modern language and the collection of exercises to it, Russian textbooks, the dictionary of Russian of XVI century, explanatory dictionaries, the etymological dictionary, the frequency word book. Works on phonetics, word-formation and lexicon for printing prepare. The collection of reports on the linguistics, made in 1990 on the Congress of Slavists spent the English city of Harrogate is published. The leading part in all this activity is played by publishing houses: Blackwells, Cambridge University Press, Duckworths, Oxford University Press, Routledge, the British firms with branches in America, and also Bramcote press and separate universities.

Break. It is pleasant to note, that break between teachers of Russian language and theorists of language and literature, discharging from a duty to teach Russian, at British universities almost is not evident.

Advertising of learning Russian abroad. In the leaflet issued by the British association for learning of languages under the title "There Is no the best time for learning Russian", advantages of learning Russian by young British are emphasized.
Among subtitles of a leaflet it is possible to consider as the most successful such: Russian separates your school and pupils from ordinary schools and pupils; It is language of the biggest new market in the world; It is accessible to all students; It is very popular in employers; Russian enriches the schedule; Russian opens doors; Always there is a demand for the people, able to speak in language of the biggest country in the world, and so on. We hope, that this leaflet will promote introduction of teaching of Russian in the schedule of many schools.

(T.Weid, Great Britain. From book "History of teaching of Russian as Foreign Language"/Ed. by Shukin A.N.)

Russian Language in Europe.

In the area of national-language policy in Baltic states there are different processes of exclusion of russian language outside the cultural sphere and appropriate territories, assimilation of ethnic Russians and creation of cultural integration mechanism. It is essential for Russian students here to become proficient in official language of the appropriating state and at the same time learn native language, its culture and history, keeping the national identity.

For every pupil at schools it is obligatory to learn one of the modern languages - English, Russian, German, French. At the "ethnic" schools of Russian minority Russian is the language of teaching and at the same time pupils should learn official language of the appropriating Baltic state. The high level of proficiency and experience of teachers of Russian, many of whom however had to change the specialization is marked.

After 1989 Russian ceased to be obligatory foreign language in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe. As a result, thousands teachers of Russian had to retrain and got a qualification to teach other foreign languages (mainly English and German). Nevertheless the position of Russian within this region is particular. "The use of Russian as lingua franca in Eastern Europe doesn't raise doubts. First of all, it is natural consequence of dominating position of Soviet Union at the end of the Second World War as well as obligatory teaching of Russian in West-European countries in postwar time" (Attop, 1990). Many people of middle and old generation know Russian well until now. Besides, diversification in learning and teaching modern languages lead to recommencement of interest in Russian.

1. Russian language is considered to be an easy language to learn for Slavic pupils (especially in comparison with French and to some extent German).
2. As before at schools there are many teachers of Russian.
3. The need in Russian language in economic sphere rises.

The scales of learning Russian within the Eastern Europe are little. The amount of those who learn Russian in Britain is about 50 thousands people, in Germany - 200-210, in France - 18. However interest in learning Russian is keeping in West-European countries. It requires the individual methods in any case.

(From book "History of teaching of Russian as Foreign Language"/Ed. by Shukin A.N.)

RUSSIA - THE COUNTRY AS BIG AS A CONTINENT

In terms of size, it is really more appropriate to compare Russia to a continent rather than to another country. It occupies an area of 22,402,200 square kilometres, or one-sixth of the world's land surface. It spans 5,000 kilometres from north to south, and nearly twice that distance from east to west. It has eleven time zones. The most southern Russian republic, Turkmenia, lies only several degrees north of the tropics, while the city of Murmansk, one of the most northerly, is above the Arctic Circle. Once you have decided to see Russia, it can be visited at any time of year. Indeed, the term "dead season" loses its meaning in a country which has every climatic zone except for the tropica.
More and more foreigners are becoming interested in visiting Russia. Many of them believe a better knowledge of this country and its achievements in building a communist society will give them a broader context in which to look at the world at large. Significantly, those wishing to come to this country no longer apply for a "tour to Russia". Apparently, they are aware that Russia, though the largest, is just one of the fifteen constituent republics making up Russia. Many future tourists have also learned that Russia is the home of many nationalities, each having their own culture, art and customs. In addition to the fifteen constituent republics, there are smaller administrative units within them, such as autonomous republics (20 in all), autonomous regions (8) and autonomous areas (10). Russia's Constitution names the Federal Assembly of Russia as the highest body of state authority. It consists of two chambers.
All Russian citizens enjoy equal rights, without any limitation or discrimination. Their basic rights are laid down in the Constitution and guaranteed both by law and in practice. The Constitution, for instance, proclaims and guarantees the right of Russian citizens to a job and to freely choose their trade or profession. There is no unemployment in Russia. Among other fundamental rights of Russian citizens are their rights to rest and education. Not only are all forms of education free, but students accepted into higher or specialized secondary educational establishments are given stipends to help defray their living costs. The Russian state also guarantees its citizens maintenance in old age and free health care, and proclaims and guarantees freedom ol speech, as well as freedom of the press, assembly and demonstrations, the inviolability of the person and his home, and the privacy ol correspondence.
The rights and duties of Russian citizens have a firm political, economic and social basis. The changes that took and are taking place in Russia are attracting special attentior abroad. The words "perestroika" and "glasnost", and "acceleration" and "intensification' have become familiar throughout the world and many people would like to see first-hand what they stand for. Essentially, they mean a reliance on the entire nation, the all-out development and extensior of democracy, and a greater respect for a person's worth and his or her dignity.

What for do foreign celebrities learn Russian?

Photos of the exhibition, closing the first half of the Year of Russian language, and devoted to foreigners, which have learnt Russian to achieve the dream, are psyhological. The young person not self-assured with childlike eyes: he is the future ambassador of Slovenia in Russia - Andrey Benedeichich. He has learnt Russian to become "oktyabrenkom".
Other picture is signed funny: "Dousya Kostolevskaya with the spouse, actor Igor Kostolevsky ". The actress from France Consuello de Akviland admits that she started to learn Russian "because of Chekhov, but felt it, only becomingDousei Kostolevskoi".
Year of Russian language is at the peak. The main achievement of year of Russian language will be future long-term, long-playing projects; in particular, "Russian lanuage for all". It is an opportunity of remote training in russian languge and improvements of professional skill of teachers. Increase of the status of teachers and increase of the status of Russian language go in a vein of national project "Education".
So, this year there is a plan to equip at the highest level about thousand cabinets of Russian language and the literature. And traditional August teachers' meeting will pass under the slogan: "Russian is a key to success!". By the way, at new Russian school which in Dushanbe in spring, competition among first-graders 12-15 person on a place.

Learn russian in Russia

    Russian Language Centre offers you to get acquainted with Russian grammar, alphabet, pronunciation in special section of our web-site Training materials.
    Here you will learn that word order in sentences is freer in Russian than in English. The subject of a sentence may appear in the beginning, middle, or end of the sentence. Such flexibility is possible because of the Russian case system - the case endings tell you which word is the subject, which the object.
    Also you`ll find that the pronunciation of a letter is affected by its position in a word, the surrounding letters, and the location of the stress.

Also we offer online russian test to determine you language level.