Promoting Russian Culture and Language!

This year we will continue different activities about Russian culture and language we started last year. Russian is one of the most popular language to study in Poland. The main aim of our meetings is to know more about history, culture and traditions of my country, to help students speak more free and to be fond of language they study. Modern system of education focused on exam success. But it’s not enough. Feelings, freedom of communication, using knowledges in the future, spacious mind are very important too.

Every Thursday I visit Russian lessons in Liceum Ogólnokształcące im. Piotra Skargi and help students to learn my language (not so easy).  There are two aims of this work: 1) to prepare for exams (grammatical part) and 2) communication skills. Always first part prevails. Everybody are too shy, can’t feel comfortable speaking foreign language.  So we decided to organized extra meetings for those who want to overcome communication barriers.
29 of December took place opening of «Russian Club for students». The aim is communication. This sunny day before holidays we started from different language games. For example, «Sahara». The participants presented themselves as survivors of the crash in the Sahara desert. Under the debris of the plane they have found fifteen items that remained intact after the crash. Their task was to rank these items according to their relevance to your rescue. At first everybody worked alone, then in pairs, and finally in a large group. The discussion was very interesting and fun, but not always using Russian.

17, 20 and 26 of November Zespół Szkół im. B. Prusa  invited me for opening Russian lessons. This meeting was more about Russian culture: we talked about Russian holidays – why New  Year are the most popular in my country and Christmas is not, what is Maslenitca, Matryoshka, bliny; famous people, differences and common features between Russian and Polish languages.

19 of November  me and  Volunteers Club from Gymnasium nr. 1 went to kindergarten to present a verse of Polish poet Julian Tuwim «Rzepka» based on Russian  fairy tale. My task was to tell this story on Russian. Children laugh a lot. For them Russian was very funny as for me Polish for the first time. I was surprised because Polish version are longer – 10 characters vs 6. Children was playing main characters who tried to pull out turnip in original story. This performance makes everybody smile .

SUPPORT IN LEARNING ENGLISH
Except Russian we helped to learn English. Every Tuesday  we have English lessons in Swietlica for children. It’s not usual lessons with blackboard and pointer. We sing songs, dance, play different games, make a performance  and do everything funny what can help us to learn English.
During 2 last month every Wednesday I spent with a group of ladies studying English. They want to study English for their job. Our main aim is to start speak basic English easy and fast. On the preparatory meeting we talked about motivation and visual images which help us to open another world. Only one hour in a week with teacher isn’t enough but everybody try to do the best. I hope tht very soon we will speak English very well.
That what kind of regular meeting and activities we have. There isn’t too many photo. But it’s important part of our job that we like and will continue during new year. Do zobaczenia, Elena.