The Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies
The Johns Hopkins University
Russian: Syllabus for Beginning level 2003-2004 Course number 101-102 This level requires two semesters (6 h/w of class-work each) These hours do not include preparation of homework and lab work. Course description Goal Speaking First semester Novice High to satisfy immediate survival needs. Second semester Intermediate Low to satisfy immediate survival needs. Proficiency level description. Able to create with the language without relying on memorized material; can make up new independent sentences. Asks and answers questions at the sentence level, thus maintaining a simple face-to-face conversation on topics of immediate need and personal interest, autobiographical information (e.g. family, hobbies, interests, health, work and study). Can get into, through, and out of a simple transactional situation (travel, food, lodging)
Accuracy. Understood by native speakers used to dealing with foreigners. Goal Reading First semester Novice High for getting basic information from non-
political and simple political materials. Second semester Intermediate-Low for getting basic information from
non-political and simple political materials. Proficiency level description. Able to read consistently with increased understanding simple connected texts dealing with a variety of basic and social needs. Such texts are still linguistically noncomplex and have a clear underlying internal structure. They impart basic information about which the reader has to make minimal suppositions and to which the reader brings personal interest and/or knowledge. Examples may include short, straightforward descriptions of persons, places, and things written for a wide audience. Reading small newspaper clippings on official visits, negotiations and economic cooperation, as a “hot-house special"* start at this level. Elementary rules of translation (close reading) of texts are introduced at this level. - * A hot-house special is an area of special interest in which a foreign language speaker shows uncharacteristic fluency and accuracy.
Goal Listening
First semester Novice Mid to satisfy immediate survival needs.
Second semester Intermediate Low to satisfy immediate survival needs. Proficiency level description. Able to understand sentence-length utterances which consist of recombination of learned utterances on a variety of topics. Content continues to refer primarily to basic personal background and needs, social conventions and somewhat more complex tasks, such as lodging, transportation, and shopping. Additional content areas include some personal interests and activities, and a greater diversity of instructions and directions. Listening tasks not only pertain to spontaneous face-to-face conversations but also to short routine telephone conversations and some deliberate speech, such as simple announcements and reports over the media. Understanding continues to be uneven. Grammatical accuracy Noun Case forms partial control over endings; partial control over the distribution
necessary for meeting goals as stated above; concept control
sufficient to allow continued development of proficiency in
subsequent course work. Adjective Comparative and partial control in reading.
superlative degrees
Verb Tenses partial control over endings; partial control over
distribution necessary for meeting
goals as stated above;
conceptual control to allow continued development
of proficiency in subsequent course work. Verbal aspect conceptual to partial control in reading. Verbs of motion conceptual control of basic pairs for reading and
speaking. Verbs of beginning conceptual and partial control in receptive skills.
and ending Participles partial control over formation of regular active and passive
forms for reading skills.
Verbal adverbs partial control of regular perfective and imperfective
forms reading skills. Passive voice partial control IN READING. Subjunctive partial control of ЧТОБЫ and
ЕСЛИ БЫ + Past tense constructions in reading skills.
Conjunctions conceptual to partial control over the
distribution of simple coordinating
and subordinating conjunctions.
Materials: Golosa, Robin R., Evans-Romaine K., Shatalina G.
Joanna Robin, 2003
Prentice Hall Publishing Company
Textbook 1 and 2
Workbook 1 and 2
Tapes with the textbook
Excerpts of articles from Russian periodicals as additional
reading material
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