LG 171 – Introductory Russian I
University of South Alabama
Texts:
Kudyma, Anna, Frank J. Miller, and Olga Kagan. Beginner's Russian with interactive online
workbook : a basic Russian course. New York: Hippocrene Books, 2010. (Available at the
USABookstore)
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Students are expected to regularly check their school email account (jaguar1). All
communication from instructor will be sent to this email account. Students will be
held responsible for any such correspondence.
Students are also expected to check the Sakai page for this course regularly as
assignments are posted weekly
Course description:
Welcome to USA and to Russian I! This course is your introduction to the language and culture
of one of the most influential and important regions of the world. Russian is spoken by more that
200 million people in the former Soviet Union, and an additional 150 million throughout the
world. It is the language of some of the world’s greatest literature: Pushkin, Dostoevsky, Tolstoy,
Chekhov, Pasternak, Bulgakov, Nabokov, Gorky, and Solzhenitsyn. It is the culture of some of
the greatest scientists and innovators in the West: Lomonosov, Mendeleev, Pavlov, and Gagarin.
And it is the country of some of most influential politicians of the Twentieth Century: Lenin,
Stalin, Gorbachev, and Putin. The major cities of Moscow and St. Petersburg attract thousands of
tourists, businesspeople, and students each year, while in Siberia and the Caspian, oil and
petroleum products are produced at a rate that rivals that of the Middle East. As a member of the
Group of Eight, Russia has become in the 21st century a power player in global policy from
economics to terrorism to the environment. And, as recent events indicate, such as those in North
Ossetia and Georgia – or even this winter’s incident with the Russia-Ukraine oil pipeline, Russia
remains as unpredictable in the shaping of world affairs as it was during Soviet times. As such, a
command of the Russian language is a powerful (and lucrative!) facility in virtually any area of
employment, be it government service, business, law, medicine, teaching, engineering, or the
military. As you begin your adventure in learning Russian, use the resources of the Department
of Foreign Languages and Literatures as well as the Department of History to further your
knowledge of this fascinating region, people, and culture. And most of all, use your instructor as
a live source of information, advice, and support! Удачи Вам! Good luck!
Objectives:
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Students will demonstrate an understanding of the alphabet and sounds of the Russian
language
Students will demonstrate an understanding of basic Russian grammar
Students will demonstrate a basic knowledge of Russian vocabulary
Students will be able to speak Russian with some degree of measurable proficiency
(ACTFL Novice Mid-High/ ILR 0+)
Evaluation:
Class participation:
15%
Homework Quizzes
45%
Tests (6 @ 5% each):
30%
Final exam:
10%
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Total:
100%
Grade Scale:
A
B
C
D
F
(90-100)
(80-89)
(70-79)
(60-69)
(59-below)
Attendance: You are allowed ONLY 6 (six) absences. You don’t need to provide any excuse
for these 6 (six) absences. However, after 6 absences your grade will drop a letter grade every 3
(three) absences. For example, if by the end of the semester you have an A in the course but you
have 9 absences, you will receive a B in the course.
4 (four) instances of tardiness count as one (1) absence, as long as you are within the first 20
(twenty) minutes of class. Anything after 20 (twenty) minutes late is considered an absence.
If you have medical problems or other extenuating circumstances, please, come to me as soon as
you can. The longer you wait to talk to me the more difficult it is for me to work with you.
Important Dates:
Last day to drop a course:
October 23, 2015 – 4:59 PM
Holidays:
Labor Day - August 31
Fall Break – October 9
Thanksgiving Holidays - November 25-27
Participation: The participation grade for the course will be determined by your participation
and attendance in class. To learn a language you must use this language, which is what class time
is for in LG 171. If you are not in class, you cannot participate in the activities in the course. So
your attendance is directly attached to your participation.
Assessments: You will take 6 (six) out-of-class online exams in this course. Each exam is
cumulative as foreign language learning is cumulative in nature. Each exam is worth 5% of your
overall grade in the course.
Homework Quizzes: You will do a majority of your homework online using the online activities
manual (see your textbook). To make sure you do your homework, we will have short daily
quizzes on materials covered in the homework.
Final exam: The final exam is comprehensive. It will cover all of the material covered during
the semester.
NO LATE WORK IS EVER ACCEPTED FOR ANY REASON. PLEASE MAKE SURE
TO PLAN AHEAD AND COMPLETE ASSIGNMENTS IN A TIMELY FASHION.
THERE ARE NO MAKE-UPS GIVEN FOR ANY ASSIGNMENT, QUIZ OR TEST.
FAILURE TO TURN IN ASSIGNMENTS BY THE DATE AND TIME INDICATED
WILL RESULT IN AN IMMEDIATE ZERO. NO EXCUSES!!!
Academic Disruption Policy: The University of South Alabama’s policy regarding Academic
Disruption is found in The Lowdown, the student handbook.
http://www.southalabama.edu/lowdown/academicdisruption.shtml: Disruptive behavior is
defined as individual or group conduct that interrupts or interferes with any educational activity
or environment, infringes upon the rights and privileges of others, results in or threatens the
destruction of property and/or is otherwise prejudicial to the maintenance of order in an
academic environment.
Students With Disabilities: In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, students
with bona fide disabilities will be afforded reasonable accommodations. The Office of Special
Student Services (OSSS) will certify a disability and advise faculty members of reasonable
accommodations. If you have a specific disability that qualifies you for academic
accommodations, please notify the instructor/professor and provide certification from the Office
of Special Student Services is located at 5828 Old Shell Road at Jaguar Drive. (251)-460-7212
WAIVER: Not all courses progress at the same rate, thus course requirements might have to be
modified as circumstances dictate. You will be given written notice if the course requirements
need to be changed.