RUSS 101 Syllabus
Courses Description
This course is designed to develop linguistic skills through interactive practice in reading, writing, listening, and speaking. RUSS 101 has no prerequisites and is intended solely for students who are new to the language. If you have prior knowledge of Russian or are unsure of your level, please contact your instructor.
Course Format – In-Person
This format is intended for students who plan to attend most classes in person. Students who miss class are expected to complete the corresponding online materials and activities. Participation can be fulfilled through Canvas, allowing students to earn 100% participation credit even if they are unable to attend class in person.
What We’ll Learn
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Speak and write in Russian about yourself, your family, your city and country.
- Understand and actively participate in simple conversations involving basic practical and socio-cultural situations such as introductions, greetings, home, family, university and work.
- Apply language skills when communicating with speakers of Russian, including greetings, introductions, requests for information, and asking/answering questions.
- Comprehend and enjoy basic spoken and written Russian, and apply learning strategies for both Russian and future language study.
Note from your instructor: There’s nothing to fear in language learning! No one is perfect—what matters is your effort. Learning a foreign language gives your voice, intellect, identity, emotions, and culture a new dimension. It takes patience and time, so be gentle with yourself and others. If you ever feel you need encouragement, please reach out to me.
Required Material 
Troika, 3rd Edition: A Communicative Approach to Russian Language, Life, and Culture.
Supersite Plus, which is a digital learning environment with authentic media, plenty of practice activities, chat activities, assessment, and more!
Evaluation
Marking and assessment in UBC Russian classes are designed to encourage your progress and to coach you toward your goals. Here’s how we do it.
Participation 10 %
Home Assignments 10 %
Online Quizzes 20 %
Reading Check-ins 10 %
Interview N 1 5%
Interview N 2 15%
In-Class Tests 30 %
Participation (10%)
- Expectations: Regular attendance and participation are required in all UBC classes.
- If you are taking this course online or miss a class:
- Review the lecture slides and complete all class activities (written and/or oral).
- Record yourself completing oral activities.
- Submit your work on Canvas under Participation Assignments.
- Late submissions: Accepted, maximum grade 80%.
- Help: How to submit an online assignment
Home Assignments (10%)
- Submission: Upload to the Home Assignment section on Canvas before each class. Written assignments must be handwritten to support language acquisition and independent production of grammatical forms.
- Grading: Pass/fail — full marks for at least 70% correct answers.
- Late submissions: Accepted, maximum grade 80%.
- Final deadline: No assignments accepted after the last day of class.
Online Quizzes (20%)
- Access: Posted on Canvas and linked to the textbook.
- Purpose: Complements and reinforces class material.
- Pace: Complete at your own speed.
- Late submissions: Accepted, maximum grade 80%.
- Final deadline: No quizzes accepted after the last day of class.
Reading Check-ins (10%)
- Reading Check-in N 1 (5%)
- Task: Read a list of Russian words, record yourself, and submit your recording.
- Focus: Knowledge of the alphabet and reading rules.
- Reading Check-in N 2 (5%)
- Task: Read a short Russian text and answer a few questions in English.
- Focus: Comprehension of the text and reading accuracy — specifically stress, vowel reduction, and palatalization.
Interview N 1 (5%)- Online, by appointment
- Format: Oral Q&A.
- Length: 3-5 minutes.
- Content: Based on material learned so far.
- Note: No unknown vocabulary or grammar.
- Scheduling: This interview will take place online. Students must register in advance for an available time slot posted on Canvas.
Interview N 2 (15%)- Online, by appointment
- Format: Oral Q&A.
- Length: 5–10 minutes.
- Content: Based on your home assignment “About Me” script (submitted earlier) and course material.
- Note: No unknown vocabulary or grammar.
- Scheduling: This interview will take place online. Students must register in advance for an available time slot posted on Canvas.
In-class Tests (30%)
- Number: Six written tests (grammar + vocabulary).
- Weight: 6% each. If you complete all six tests, the lowest score will be dropped, and only the best five (5× 6% = 30%) will count toward the final grade.
- Notice: Details announced one week in advance.
There are no traditional final exams or midterms in this course!
Staying Well in RUSS 101
Learning a language can be challenging, but it’s also full of joy and rewarding moments. To help you along the way:
- Make connections — say hello to your classmates, whether in person or on Canvas. Building friendships makes learning more fun!
- Form a study group — start a WhatsApp chat, share a playlist on Spotify, or connect on Instagram. Supporting each other really helps.
- Join CENES Slavic Tea and other events — come relax, enjoy some tea and snacks, and meet new friends who share your interests.
- Keep in touch — if you’re feeling unwell or having trouble completing assignments, please reach out. We’ll work together to find solutions.
Course Policy
In our class, we value respect, honesty, and supporting each other as we learn together. We encourage:
- Appreciation of everyone’s unique backgrounds and ideas
- Being trustworthy and caring toward each other
- Respecting and taking care of our shared learning space
Academic Integrity
To get the most out of this course, your assignments should use the vocabulary and structures we are learning together. This allows me to see your real progress and provide helpful feedback. Using tools such as Google Translate, ChatGPT, or other online translation/AI generators prevents me from accurately assessing your skills. Therefore, assignments completed with the help of these tools will receive a grade of 0%.
Grade Review Period
At the end of the course, your final grades will be posted on Canvas. Please check them carefully — you’ll have three business days to let me know if you spot any mistakes or issues. After that, the grades will be finalized and sent to Workday, and changes won’t be possible. Final numeric grades are rounded to the nearest whole number using conventional rounding (0.5 rounds up). If you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to reach out — I’m here to help!
Late Work & Penalties
I want you to succeed, so most assignments can still be submitted after the due date. However, late work will receive reduced credit:
- Participation, Group Recordings (async), Home Assignments, and Quizzes — accepted until the last day of class with a 20% deduction.
- Tests & Interviews — All assessments must be completed on the scheduled date. Make-ups are permitted only in cases of documented illness or serious emergency, which may require approval through the Arts Advising Office. Academic workload, travel, or conflicts with other courses do not qualify.
- UBC Policies & Resources
The following policies and resources are part of this syllabus:
Applying for Academic Concession
Resources to Support Student Success
Accommodations for Religious Holidays and Days of Significance