Discover Russia

Online Learning Module #1

A Program of Study (course) for Pre-college

Students at the Intermediate Level

STARTALK Conference, Chicago 2017

Betsy Sandstrom - Program Director

Katya Ratushnyuk - Lead Curriculum Facilitator

Discover Russia!• an online Russian language module• aligned with the World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages• based on the STARTALK Model Curricula: travel and identity

Discover Russia

Online Learning Module #1

Where do you think this module could be

used?

Why? And by whom?

Discover Russia

Online Learning Module #1

Teachers Program

Student Program

This module will fill the gap as a necessary resource

seriously lacking for pre-college students who are

studying Russian beyond the novice level

Discover Russia!

• available to pre-college students

• targets the intermediate-low level of proficiency

• provides an opportunity for summer STARTALK

participants to continue learning Russian

independently or with an instructor.

Module #1 is: Подготовка к поездке / Travel

Plans

STARTALK model curricula – “Oh, the Places We

Will Visit! Tourist and Traveler”

• includes minimum of six lesson plans

• pilot materials - classroom and independent

learners

• survey pre-college teachers and students

Discover Russia

Online Learning Module #1

Theme / Content / Module Setup

Natasha Ushakova - Lead Facilitator

Katya Ratushnyuk - Lead Curriculum Facilitator

Discover Russia

Online Learning Module #1

STARTALK Principles for Effective Language Learning & Teaching

• Implementing a standards-based and thematically organized

curriculum

• Facilitating a learner-centered classroom

• Using the target language and providing comprehensible input for

instruction

• Integrating culture, content, and language

• Adapting and using age-appropriate authentic materials

• Conducting performance-based assessments

Theme

Discover Russia! A Program of Study (course) for Pre-college

Students at the Intermediate Level

… This will be no ordinary trip, and it will require much

dedicated preparation before traveling.

Theme

❏ As the future trip participants look forward to their stay in Russia,

they understand that their Russian hosts will have many

questions for them about themselves and their life in the US.

❏ The learners are expected to tell the Russian hosts about aspects

of their life using the themes of the six learning plans in the

module.

❏ Upon completion of the module learners will be able to

communicate in Russian at the IL level on the themes of the six

learning plans.

Module Set-up

Learning Plans

Приглашение приехать в Россию / Invitation from Russia

Где ты живёшь? Where do you live?

О семьеAbout my family

Школьное время - чудесное!School life is great!

Твои друзья и сверстникиFriends and peers

Что ты делаешь в свободное время?What do you do in your free time?

Summative assessment

Learning Plans

1. Приглашение приехать в Россию / Invitation from Russia

2. Где ты живёшь? / Where do you live?

3. О семье / About my family

4. Школьное время - чудесное! / School life is great!

5. Твои друзья и сверстники / Friends and peers

6. Что ты делаешь в свободное время? / What do you do in your

free time?

Summative assessment

“Discover Russia” online learning module #1

Learning Checks

Jane Shuffelton - Assessment Specialist

Discover Russia

Online Learning Module #1

Principles

• Learning checks reflect appropriate proficiency

levels (IL – IM).

• Can-Do statements guide the learning checks.

• Activities are learner-centered when possible.

• Learning checks are varied in nature.

• Learning checks help learners move towards next

proficiency level.

Principles

• Learners write and speak in Russian.

• Learning checks draw on the reading texts

and audio segments.

• Activities involve all 3 communicate modes

(Interpersonal, Interpretive, Presentational).

Formative Assessment Activities

Source

https://startalk.umd.edu/resources/ch

eckingforlearning/product

Learning checks

• List/Sort/Label –IL Interpretive reading about

school

• Four Corners – IM Interpersonal speaking

about sports

• Venn diagram – IL Interpersonal speaking

about free time

Learning checks

• Questions - IL Interpretive reading about Dasha’s

friends

• Graphic organizer - IL Interpretive reading,

Interpersonal speaking about what gifts to give

people

• Graphic organizer - IL Interpretive reading about

transportation

Interpersonal Speaking at IL Level

Interviewer questions:

1. Тебе нравятся точные науки? Почему? _________________________

2. Ты любишь читать русскую литературу? На каком языке? ________

3. Тебе нравится футбол? Ты играешь в футбол?___________________

4. Ты смотришь спортивные передачи по телевизору? _____________

5. Тебе нравится фигурное катание?_______________________________

“I can talk with someone about hobbies and interests.”Work in pairs to ask and answer the following questions

Venn diagram

“I can talk about activities that I do.”

Упражнение 3 In preparation for your upcoming interview with a Russian

media source, prepare to talk about free time activities. You are preparing to

answer questions about how your life and that of your friends is similar to that

of your host student and her friends in Moscow. As part of the process, work

with a partner to create a Venn diagram that shows similarities and differences

in the use of free time.

Graphic Organizer

Interpretive reading at IL

“I can understand basic information.”

Read the text to find information about the types of transportation that Dasha mentions. Fill in the means of transportation she refers to in the text in column 1. In column 2 add vocabulary that she uses for each means of transportation.

Interpretive Reading at IM

Упражнение 1 To prepare for writing your first blog entry, identify and explain

in Russian, in complete 2 two sentences (each sentence should be at least 5

words each), who or what the following people and/or places are and what

they have to do with the letter writer.

Даша __________________________________

Иван Петрович _____________________________

Ирина Владимировна ________________________

Пётр__________________________________________

Коломенское____________________________________

МГУ____________________________________________

“Юный журналист”_______________________________

Гимназия_________________________________________

Районная школа____________________________________

Чехов________________________________________________

“I can understand the main ideas”

Presentational Writing at IM

Упражнение 4 Your first blog entry about your trip to Moscow should summarize the information in the

letter you received and your initial reaction to going to Moscow. You might focus your blog entry on the

answers to the following questions.

• Кто написал письмо?

• Почему она написала тебе?

• Что она написала о себе?

• Что она написала о своей семье?

• Что ещё ты хочешь узнать о ней ?

• Ты был рад, когда ты получил приглашение? Что ты думаешь о приглашении в Москву?

• Ты собираешься поехать в Москву? Что ты хочешь там посмотреть? Что ты хочешь делать ?

• Что ты хочешь увидеть в Москве? Что ты хочешь там делать?

My blog...

“I can post an entry to a blog.”

Summative Assessment

Presentational Writing at IL level

Directions: You have been asked to contribute a short article for

the online newspaper at Dasha’s mother’s school. Write 300-350

words about yourself and your life, based on what you have read

and learned in the messages from Dasha. Your article should

include brief descriptions and information on the following topics:

Моя поездка в Москву, моя семья, мой город, транспорт в

моём городе, моя школа, мои друзья, свободное время.

“I can write about something that I have learned.”

Module 1 Summative Assessment “О себе”

Piloting the Module

Feedback:

Feedback led to some changes in the text.

Students reported that they liked the

format and being able to learn

independently, easy to access and “not

bringing their book along”

Teachers liked the structure and the

variety of formative assessments