RUSSIAN 100B
BEGINNING RUSSIAN II
DEPARTMENT OF EUROPEAN STUDIES SDSU
SPRING 2015
Instructor: Dr. Daria Shembel
Office hours: Tuesday 12.30 – 2, and by appt.
E-mail: dshembel@yahoo.com
COURSE OVERVIEW
Description from the Official Course Catalog
RUSSN 100B. Beginning Russian 2 (5) [GE] Pronunciation, oral
practice, reading, essentials of grammar.
Prerequisites: RUS 100A or equivalent
Course Description
This course will focus on presenting the Russian language to students
with a one-semester background in university Russian or its
equivalent. This introduction to the Russian language will develop
students' skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing, while also
fostering an appreciation for Russian culture. Emphasis will be placed
on speaking through the acquisition of basic structures and
vocabulary, and listening. Students will be encouraged to use their
language skills to communicate and interact in a variety of situations
and contexts.
Student Learning Outcomes
Students who complete the introductory course in Russian will have:
1) basic writing and reading skills
2) the ability to speak about a range of topics that arise frequently in
natural conversation
3) elementary grammar skills
The course will also expose students to Russian life and culture. By the
end of the semester students should be able:
1) to make comparisons between their home culture and cultures of
Russia and Russian-speaking countries
2) to analyze at least one significant difference between their home
culture and Russian culture.
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Required readings
Robin, Richard; Evans-Romaine, Karen; Shatalina, Galina; Golosa: A
Basic Course in Russian Book 1 Plus MyRussianLab with Pearson
eText – Access Card Package. Fifth edition.
The packet consists of textbook and electronic workbook.
Optional readings
- Any commercially available package with audio or video component
(e.g. Rosetta Stone)
- 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, will be posted on
Blackboard after each class, and is designed as preparation for the
next class. You may be given lab, reading, written, internet, research
or grammar activities for homework. All homework assignments must
be completed in full prior to class and will contribute to your overall
grade. It is your responsibility to keep up with all homework
assignments.
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.
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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%
Examinations
Midterm examination – March 24
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.
Special section for heritage speakers
Since Russian 100B/200B 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 his/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: House, Apartment, Dormitory – Chapter 6
Grammar: verb ‘to want’
Verbs of position
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Genitive case – to have, expressing nonexistence,
possession
Tasks:
Interpersonal:
Making and responding to invitations
Express what you would like to do.
Ask someone else what they would like to do
Interpretive:
Look for items in classified ads
Identity Colors
Presentational:
Describe your homes, rooms, furnishings
Express what different people have
Week 2-3 Theme: House, Apartment, Dormitory – Chapter 6
Grammar: Uses of Genitive case
to have
Expressing nonexistence and absence
Possession and attribution
Specifying quantity
Tasks:
Interpersonal:
Say who is not here.
Answer the question ‘Whose’ thing is it?
Answer question ‘How many’ of something are there?
Interpretive:
Reading want ads
Read about a Russian’s apartment
Presentational:
Describe the room you grew up in.
Week 4
Theme: Our Family – Chapter 7
Grammar: verbs ‘to be born’ and ‘to grow up’
Dative case – expressing age
Comparing ages older/younger
Tasks:
Interpersonal:
Ask where someone was born and where they grew
up.
State where you were born and where you grew up.
Ask and answer the question ‘How old are you?’
Interpretive:
Read job ads
Read a Russian resume
Presentational:
Talk about your family:
Talk about your parents’ profession, where they work
Week 5
Theme: Our Family – Chapter 7
Grammar: Telling someone’s name
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accusative case of pronouns, animate masculine
nouns
Genitive plural forms
How many …
Tasks:
Interpersonal:
Ask what someone’s name is
Say how much older/younger your sibling is.
Interpretive:
Exchanging letters and e-mails about families
Presentation:
Show pictures of your family and five information
about each one of them
Week 6
Theme: In the Store – Chapter 8
Grammar: Past tense
Dative case for nouns and modifiers
Uses of Dative case
Expressing age
Indirect objects
Tasks:
Interpersonal:
Making simple purchases
Asking for advice about purchases
Ask where (what department, floor, store)is
something sold
Ask how much an item is
Interpretive:
Change present tense verbs into past tense verbs
Presentational:
Look through list of Moscow stores to find specific
items
Week 7-8 Theme: In the Store – Chapter 8
Grammar: Uses of Dative
Preposition ‘po’
Expressing necessity and possibility
Subjectless expressions
to like
Tasks:
Interpersonal:
Birthday greetings
Presents and gift giving
Wish someone a happy birthday
Ask a friend where you can buy something
Say that you need something
Interpretive:
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Listen to recording of people in a store, answer
questions about the store and what the people are
looking for
Presentational:
Write a birthday postcard to a Russian friend. Tell
them what you bought them.
Week 9
Theme: What are we going to eat? - Chapter 9
Grammar: conjugation of verbs ‘to eat’ and ‘to drink’
Instrumental case with preposition ‘with’
verb ‘to advise’
Tasks:
Interpersonal:
State what you like to eat and drink.
Say you are hungry. Suggest going out to eat.
Interpretive:
Recognize instrumental case endings
Reading menus
Ordering Meals in a Restaurant
Presentational:
Talk about your favorite restaurant
Week 10-11
Theme: What are we going to eat? - Chapter 9
Making plans to cook dinner
Restaurant advertisements
Grammar: The future tense
Introduction to verbal aspect
Question words and pronouns
Tasks:
Interpersonal:
Order a complete meal in a restaurant
Tell waiter to bring the check
Interpretive:
Read a restaurant review
Presentational:
Offer to make someone a pizza (sandwich, dinner…)
Make a list of what you need to buy (for dinner) and
what type of store carries these items.
Week 12
Theme: Biography – Chapter 10
Grammar: Expressing resemblance
Time Expressions
Tasks: Interpersonal:
Ask about your Russian roommate’s family: Ask for
details.
Interpretive:
Read short biographies of famous Russian authors
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birthplaces
Presentational:
Give a talk about your family: names, ages,
Describe your siblings, parents, who do they look like
Talk about where family members went to college,
where the family lived
Week 13
Theme: Biography - Chapter 10
Week 14
tense
Week 15
Grammar: Verbal aspect: past tense
Review of motion verbs
Present tense in ‘have been doing’ constructions
Tasks:
Interpersonal:
Ask and answer the questions what year you were
born, what year your parents were born
Ask and answer the questions what year you were
accepted into university and what year you will
graduate
Interpretive:
Read short biographies of Russian authors and
answer questions about them
Presentational:
Write a short biography of a Russian cultural figure
Theme: Biography – Chapter 10
Grammar: Verbal Aspect: past and future
Verbs of Motion and aspect
Tasks:
Interpersonal:
Ask a visiting Russian professor about their life.
Interpretive:
Listen to a radio broadcast about Sakharov. See
what information you can glean.
Presentational:
Give a short presentation on a Russian cultural figure
Write a short biography about yourself
Review for the final
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