RUSSIAN 200A
INTERMEDIATE RUSSIAN 1
DEPARTMENT OF EUROPEAN STUDIES SDSU
FALL 2014
Schedule Number: 22861
Class meets: EBA 441 M, T, W, Th 11 am; and in a Language Lab
SH 204-5 (will always tell in advance)
Professor: Dr. Daria Shembel
Office hours: SH 228A; M, W 1 – 2 p.m., and by appt.
E-mail: dshembel@yahoo.com
COURSE OVERVIEW
Description from the Official Course Catalog
RUSSN 200A. Intermediate Russian 1 (5) [GE]Practical
application and review of the basic principles of Russian. Oral practice,
reading of cultural material in Russian. (Formerly numbered Russian
201.
Prerequisite: Russian 100B or three years of high school Russian.
Course Description and Content
Intermediate Russian I purports to continue developing the four
language skills (speaking, reading, writing and listening
comprehension) in a cultural context. We will focus on expanding your
vocabulary and deepen your competence in knowledge of basic
Russian grammar structures while making an emphasis on the
development of a functional ability to use Russian.
Intermediate Russian I is an important transition from the
elementary conversational and reading skills to dealing with authentic
Russian language. We will use a variety of text and new media
materials to practice your speaking skills. We will also work on
strengthening your reading skills through a variety of authentic and
adapted texts of varied length. Internet projects will be assigned to
explore the cultural and social landscape of contemporary Russian life.
Classes are conducted mostly in Russian with the explanation of some
sensitive grammatical topics in English.
Students Learning Objectives
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¨ to learn how to communicate in a variety of situations
¨ to listen to recorded conversations, understand your instructor,
native speakers of Russian, audio, video and film
¨ to learn how to write topical essays, letters and fill in forms, as well
as to go over the essentials of Russian grammar
¨ to develop cultural awareness, to deepen interest in the Russian
language and the culture of Russian-speaking world and compare it
with your culture(s)
Required readings
Kagan, Olga; Miller, Frank; and Kudyma, Ganna, В пути. Russian
Grammar in Context with Student Activities Manual. Second edition.
Pearson Education: 2006.
Optional readings
¨ Any commercially available package with audio or video component
¨ A good-size Russian-English, English Russian dictionary
COURSE FORMAT AND REQUIREMENTS
Blackboard
Consult the Blackboard website for this course before every class. You
are responsible for accessing materials available there, as well as for
checking your homework assignments.
Attendance
Class attendance is mandatory. Written excuses include medical
reasons and religious holidays. More than four unexcused absences will
result in a lowering of your final grade.
Homework
Homework will be assigned on regular basis and is designed as
preparation for the next class. You may be given reading, written,
internet, research or grammar activities for homework. All homework
assignments must be completed in full and will contribute to your
overall grade. It is your responsibility to keep up with all homework
assignments.
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Working with Multimedia Materials/ Language Lab: The
Language Resource Center (LARC) is located in SH 204-205. Some of
our classes will be held there. I will always let you know in advance.
Grading
Class attendance and oral performance: 20%
Homework and multimedia assignments: 25%
Quizzes (testing the core vocabulary of the chapter): 20%
Tests (there will be a test after each chapter) and midterm
examination: 25%
Final examination: 10%
Grades as defined at SDSU as:
A: Outstanding achievement, available for the highest
accomplishment.
B: Praiseworthy performance, definitely above average.
C: Average awarded for satisfactory performance; the most common
undergraduate grade.
D: Minimally passing, less than typical undergraduate achievement
F: Failing
C/NC: Some students may, subject to their major requirement and the
conditions set out in the General Catalog, choose to take the course
credit/no credit. Work equivalent to C or above will result in a grade of
Credit; work equivalent to C- or below will result in NO Credit.
WU: Indicates that an enrolled student did not withdraw from the
course but did not fulfill the course requirements. For purposes of
grade point average computation, this grade is equivalent to an F.
Students who are failing when they stop attending class will receive an
F, not a U.
Examinations
Midterm examination – Th, October 30
Final examination -- tba
Please let your instructor know of any special interests you may have
concerning Russia or Russian. If you have any problems during the
semester, please consult me or Professor Shapovalov, the director of
Russian Program.
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Special section for heritage speakers
Since Russian 100A/200A are not specifically designed for heritage
speakers, the program for such students will be organized around
students’ individual needs and abilities. This program will be intended
to address the specific needs of students who speak Russian at home
and who did not receive a native Russian’s full educational and cultural
background. The individualized program will aim at building a
sophisticated vocabulary, developing advanced reading ability and
writing competency. Students should be aware of the specific
requirements and grading policy that differ from the general
requirements for Russian 100A/200A. Quizzes and examinations for
heritage speakers will be prepared individually. Each student’s
commitment and progress level in the class will determine her grade,
not the level of previous knowledge in Russian.
Please see the instructor during special office hours ASAP to define
your individual proficiency and choose a suitable program.
Schedule
Week 1
Theme: Chapter 1 – Let’s Get Aquainted
Tasks:
Interpersonal:
Introductions and exchanging personal information
Talking about losing and recovering things
Interpretive:
Forming ‘kotoryi’ clauses
Expressing emotions: ‘to be upset’, ‘to be happy’
Practice conjugations ‘to be able to’, ‘to want’
Talking about yourself, your family, university Life
Presentational:
Composing and answering e-mail notes describing
how things get lost, stolen, recovered
Grammar: Prepositional case forms for nouns and
modifiers
Using the prepositional Case after ‘in/at’ in answer to
‘where’?
First Conjugation Verbs
Accusative case forms for nouns and modifiers
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Using the accusative case after ‘to/at’ in answer to
‘where to’?
Second conjugation verbs
Week 2,3
Theme: Chapter 1 – Let’s Get Acquainted
Tasks:
Interpersonal:
Express location, destination, point of departure in
Russian
Interpretive:
Reading: tba
Presentational:
Use Russian letter-writing conventions, formal and
informal letters
Practice Writing letters in Russian
Grammar: Genitive Case forms for nouns
Using genitive case after prepositions meaning ‘from’
Requests and commands: formation of the 2nd
person imperative
Week 4
Theme: Chapter 2 – Student Life
Tasks:
Interpersonal:
Expressing emotions ‘ to be nervous’
Forming adverbs from adjectives
Interpretive:
Day of the week in time expressions
Presentational:
Describing class schedules, exams, course work
Describing your daily routine: good days and bad
days
Grammar: Using preposition ‘by, next to’ and the genitive case
Using ‘from’ and the genitive case of animate nouns
Using ‘to, toward’ and the dative case with animate
nouns
Dative case forms for nouns, modifiers and pronouns
Genitive case forms for pronouns
Using the accusative case in time expressions
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Week 5, 6
Theme: Chapter 2 – Student Life
Tasks:
Interpersonal:
Talk about playing sports and playing musical
instruments
Discussing extra-curricular activities, spending free
time
Interpretive:
Reading: tba
Presentational:
Write the date in Russian, time expressions
Grammar: Expressing time on the hour
Using prepositions with telling the time
Expressing the date
Time expressions with genitive and prepositional
cases
Forming the past tense of verbs
Week 7
Theme: Chapter 3 – Everything about the Family
Tasks:
Interpersonal:
Talking about your extended family and childhood
Discussing getting married and divorced
Interpretive:
Reading: tba
Presentational:
Planning and describing a festive event
Grammar: Nominative plural forms for nouns and modifiers
Sentence structure: the subject
Using the genitive case without prepositions
Using genitive case with prepositions
Accusative case forms for animate nouns
Sentence structure: direct and indirect objects
Week 8, 9
Theme: Chapter 3 – Everything about Family
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Tasks:
Interpersonal:
Ask someone about their family history
Interpretive:
Reading: tba
Presentational:
Write about your family’s history
Grammar: Accusative, dative and prepositional personal
pronouns
Time on half hour, in first half hour, in second half
hour
Verbal aspect in the past tense
Week 9
Theme: Chapter 4 – World Wide Web
Tasks:
Interpersonal:
Doing Internet searches on Russian websites
Interpretive:
Speaking about computers, computer terminology
Presentational:
Talking about the role of the Internet in everyday life
Grammar: Genitive plural forms for nouns and modifiers
Using genitive case with words denoting quantity
Accusative plural forms for nouns and modifiers
Week 10, 11
Theme: Chapter 4 – World Wide Web
Tasks:
Interpersonal:
Talking about scientific discoveries
Interpretive:
Reading: tba
Presentational:
Give a short report on a Russian scientist
Grammar:
Verbs of asking and answering
Using the infinitive
Sentence structure: types of predicates
Week 12
Theme: Chapter 5 – The House in which we live
Tasks:
Interpersonal:
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Talking about renting a vacation house
Interpretive:
Read ads about vacation spots
Presentational:
Describing where you live: talking about your
apartment and furniture
Grammar: Instrumental case forms for personal pronouns,
nouns, modifiers
Using instrumental case to express place
Using instrumental case without prepositions
Verbs of position
Week 13, 14
Theme: Chapter 5 – The house in which we live
Tasks:
Interpersonal:
Talking about a historic building; construction,
remodeling/repairs
Interpretive:
Reading: tba
Presentational:
Describe San Diego’s points of interest to a Russian
who wants to visit
Grammar: Using instrumental case with prepositions
Using aspect in the future tense
Sentence structure: types of simple sentences
Review of 1st conjugation verbs
Fun links for you to explore:
Russian-English / English-Russian Dictionary
www.multitran.ru
To type in Russian (transliteration chart)
www.translit.net
Reasons to study Russian
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http://modules.russnet.org/why/
Popular Russian Web Portals (similar to Yahoo):
www.yandex.ru
www.rambler.ru
Google in Russian:
www.google.ru
Contemporary Moscow and Saint-Petersburg artistic life
www.afisha.ru
BBC News in Russian
http://www.bbc.co.uk/russian/
Russian News:
www.newsru.com
www.echo.msk.ru
Please let your instructor know of any special interests you may have
concerning Russia or Russian. If you have any problems during the
semester, please consult me or Professor Shapovalov, the director of
Russian Program.
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