RUSS 101 (001) Syllabus
Class time in-person: Mon, Wed 10:00 – 11:00
Class time online (optional): Fri 10:00 -11:00 a.m.
Class room : Buchanan B 308
Office Hours: by appointment
Course Description
This course is designed to develop linguistic skills through interactive practice in reading, writing, listening and speaking. RUSS 101 requires no prerequisites; in fact, it is intended solely for students who are new to the language. If you have some knowledge of Russian or are unsure of your level, please send an e-mail to Dr. Veta Chitnev at vchitnev@mail.ubc.ca
RUSS 101 001 will be delivered in a hybrid format (2hrs in-person + 1 hr online or asynchronous). Friday online classes will be offered via Zoom at 10 am and recorded for those who want to take online classes asynchronously.
Learning Objectives
After completing RUSS 101 (with active participation and completion of assignments),
you will be able to:
- distinguish and pronounce all Russian sounds;
- write paragraphs of limited complexity about yourself, your family, your country, and daily activities;
- understand and actively participate in simple conversations involving basic practical and socio-cultural situations like introductions, greetings, home, family, and work.
By the end of the course, you will be familiar with some of the basic Russian grammar, and you will acquire
- the basic skills of communication in Russian
- and practical knowledge of Russian phrases and expressions that allow interacting effectively with native Russian speakers.
Required Material
Special UBC Edition of Marita Nummikoski, Troika. A Communicative Approach to Russian Language, Life and Culture. NY: John Wiley & Sons – available at the UBC Bookstore
https://canvas.ubc.ca/ (for listening, weekly lab hours and extra material)
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.
Attendance and Participation 10 %
Home Assignments 10 %
Online Quizzes 20 %
Reading Check-ins 10 %
In-class Tests 30 %
Final Project 20%
Attendance and Participation (10%)
According to the UBC Academic Calendar: Regular attendance is expected of students in all their classes If you miss a class because of illness, read the slides of the lecture you have missed, complete all the activities that students did in class, record them and submit them to Canvas in the Attendance section. Follow the link
How to submit an online assignment
Home assignments (10%)
Home assignments are mandatory, and they have to be handed in or submitted on Canvas to Home Assignment section before each class. Home assignments have the pass/fail value, which means you will get a full mark for each submitted assignment with 70% correct answers. Home assignments submitted after the due date will receive 80% of the grade. No home assignment will be accepted after the end of classes.
Online quizzes (20%)
Online quizzes are posted on Canvas. The online component accompanies the textbook, complementing and reinforcing the material covered in class. The online quizzes can be completed at students’ own pace; however, assignments submitted after the due date receive 80% of the grade. No online quizzes will be accepted after the end of classes.
Reading check-ins (10%)
There will be two reading check-ins assignment:
-
- reading audio recording N 1 (3%)
- reading audio recording N 2 (7%).
For the audio recording assignments, you will be asked to record a speech and submit your recordings to your instructor for evaluation. These assignments will be done at home. Audio recording N 1 will include reading any text of your choice. Audio recording N 2 will include talking about a certain aspect of life, or telling a story. The focus of these assignments is pronunciation and intonation. While preparing your recordings, please pay attention to the following: stresses, vowel reduction, the pronunciation of the soft consonants and the Russian «Ы».
Tests (30%)
There will be six written tests that will permit you to assess what you know and what you do not know. They will cover both grammar and vocabulary. Details of each test will be announced the week before the quiz date. Each test is worth 5 %.
Final Project (20%)
The final project will consist of three parts: Script (5%), Recording (5%), and Oral Conversation / Presentation (10%). You will upload a text (150 words minimum) you’ve written in response to a prompt your instructor will give you and an audio recording of the text you’ve written. For the third assessment, you will schedule a short 10-minute conversation / presentation with your instructor at the end of the term.
There are no traditional final exams or midterms in this course!
UBC Policies and Helpful Resources
The following policies and procedures are considered part of the class syllabus and policy. Feel free to talk them over with your instructor!
Applying for Academic Concession
Resources to Support Student Success
Accommodations for Religious Holidays and Days of Significance