For those teachers who know the methodology; the technology; in what order to give lexical topics, grammatical topics, phonetics — for those who know all these, they don’t even need a textbook.

I’ll show you how I can conduct an RFL (Russian as a foreign language) lesson without a textbook.

First, I’ll make a list of words that we need to learn during the lesson. It’s desirable, of course, if it’s not just a list of words but some topic — for example, “City” or “School,” “Toys,” “Family” — so that the words are related to each other.

Then I mentally divide the whole lesson into four parts: listening, speaking, reading and writing. In terms of time, this is usually a quarter of the lesson for each type of speech activity.

Then I’ll think about what exercises to fill this topic with — what exercises I’ll have for listening. Maybe I’ll bring some videos to the students for the lesson, or maybe I’ll bring some songs. It all depends on the topic, and it all depends on the level and what they have covered. Then I will think about what exercises we will have for speaking on this topic. I will decide how we will practice (drill) words. Often listening and speaking exercises can be combined, so I will think about how to do this. I will look at what exercises we will practice words with, and in what dialogues we will use them for reinforcement. This is all about the oral part.

In the second half of the lesson, we will pay more attention to reading and writing. I will select exercises for reading. Personally, I like to read short dialogues so that later I can use them as a model for independent questions and answers.

I already have some kind of technology in my head. I already know: “Aha, this is an exercise for speaking, and this exercise is for writing.” If you do not yet know which exercises are designed for which type of speech activity, then watch my webinar about this — here is the link.

Let’s continue. For a lesson without a textbook, we need to know in what order to give the task, how to monitor its completion, and what are the criteria for whether the topic has been learned or not. You must understand why we need each specific task, what skill it teaches. And here we go back to the beginning again — study the profession, the technology of education. Yes, everything is very technological, and everything is described in different methodological books. For example, in the book by Akishina-Kagan “Learning to Teach,” all types of exercises are described, and why exactly we do them in the RFL lesson.

Then I look at the time. How much time do I have for each type of speech activity. Usually my lessons last 60 minutes. It turns out that we listen for 15 minutes, speak for 15 minutes, read for 15 minutes and write for 15 minutes.

If you do not know what exercises there are and for what purposes they are intended, then most likely you are a beginner teacher. In this case, you only know how to open brackets. There is nothing wrong with that; you will learn everything. In your case, you need a textbook. In the textbook, you will at least read and translate the dialogue. Reading the dialogue from the textbook in roles is already good — you will do something that is different from the brackets.

If you have a weekend school, you are your own boss and you decide in your school which textbooks to study from, or to refuse them altogether. Then before you refuse, think about what you will work with.

If there is a very large flow of students, and everyone has different programs (in my case, six groups of different ages and levels on one day), it is better to take something ready-made for each group, to spend less time preparing lessons.

And yes, I know that in the USA some schools really refuse textbooks. They have a curriculum that indicates what topics they cover; the teachers themselves fill the lesson. But you must understand what you are doing, what exercises to fill this lesson with. Even where to get these exercises.

In some countries there are banks with exercises. For example, in the U.S. teachers create their own exercises, then share them in these banks. There you can sort by subject, by topic. But there is very little for free in such banks — the main access is paid. And, most likely, the school where the teachers work pays for all this pleasure. This is how the experience is exchanged. And it all works great. But, when working with such sites, in addition to access, you also need to check the exercises themselves. Firstly, to what extent does this exercise correspond to the level of your students? Lexical and grammatical. Secondly, there may be mistakes, typos.

Result: It is quite possible to teach without textbooks.

Well then, the last question is this: If I am so smart and generally believe that it is possible to work without textbooks, then why do I write these textbooks? I will answer now. The thing is that, firstly, I was not always so smart. I study, I look at what my colleagues are doing — colleagues who teach other languages besides Russian as a foreign language — and what is new in the methodology. I read scientific articles, and at the same time I teach myself. In my opinion textbooks are needed in two cases, the first of which is for beginning teachers who have not yet gained experience, who still need to study a little to work out the technical side of the issue — which exercises are needed for what, how to control so that they tick off each item on the list of what needs to be done. The second case is when teachers are very busy, and they have absolutely no time to create their own programs. In this case, a textbook is very convenient — you take it, everything is already written there, everything that needs to be done is already there. See for yourself which is better. You can teach quite normally without textbooks.

1. Understand the teacher’s commands that must be followed: слушай, читай, повтори, скажи, подними руку.

2. Respond to tasks or commands: Повторите, пожалуйста! Извините, я не понял(а). Да, конечно. Можно?

3. Listen and repeat pairs of words: живот – он живёт, мы живем – живьем, цел – цель, полет – польет, был – бил, мыло – Мила, бить – пить, жар – шар.

4. Listen to the wordsчей – чай – чья, шьем – шутка – шьют, сел – съел – съесть, порт – Петр – пьет, and find each of them graphically. This version of the task is in “Soroka” in the work on reading with cards, but this is also a listening task. There are several cards on the table. The student hears the word and chooses the card on which the desired word is written. This is such an easy option for children.

5. Identify rhyming words by ear, mark them with numbers (пример, премьер, ножом, ружьем).

6. Listen to pairs of syllables (words, sentences), write in the graphic key (on the card), plus (+) if the syllables (words, sentences) are the same, and minus (-) if they are different.

7. Listen to the questions, and mark in a graphic key what a possible answer is:

• Вопрос: Сколько времени?

• Ответы: Сейчас холодно; Сейчас 2 часа; В два часа

8. Listen to the phrases, and mark in the graphic key the words that are named (names, geographical names, company names, etc.)

9. Dictation. Listen to the text, and try to understand its content. Listen to the text, and write (or draw, like in our Surikov dictation).

10. Listen to the phrases, and write the type of intonation structure. A lightweight option for children who walk along “Soroka”: Each has two cards in their hands — on one there is a “+,” and on the other there is a “?”. The teacher reads sentences with different intonations. When students hear a question, they pick up a card with a question mark (?); when they hear a regular declarative sentence, they pick up a card with a plus sign (+).

11. Listen to the text (watch the video), fill in the gaps in the graphic version of the text.

12. Listen to a series of words, remember and reproduce from them those that relate to one topic (the topic is named in advance).

13. Listen to the phrases, and combine them into one sentence (two to three short phrases are presented). You hear: Девочка сидит. Мальчик сидит. Вы говорите: Девочка и мальчик сидят.

14. Listen and repeat the phrases after the speaker (teacher). (Their length exceeds the capacity of short-term memory, i.e. consists of 10 or more words). Вчера наши студенты играли в футбол со студентами соседнего университета и проиграли.

15. Listen to the phrase, and add one more to it that is related in meaning.

• Вы слышите: Я живу в Нью-Йорке.

• Вы говорите: Я живу в Нью-Йорке. Это большой и красивый город.

16. Story with a picture: A picture of a city, a portrait or a series of portraits accompany the story. You need to understand what in the description does not correspond to the picture.

17. Story with a picture, No. 2: Put a series of pictures in the sequence in which they are described in the sound recording.

18. “By telephone” instructions are given on how to get (or walk) to a certain place. You need to draw a route on a map (city diagram). In “Soroka” there are pictures with which you can do this task.

19. One student talks about his house, the second draws a house plan.

20. Two students have lists that are different from each other. At “Soroka 3” we work with lists. One student reads his list aloud, the second compares it with his own.

There are other listening tasks in the book “Learning to Teach,” but they are intended for students at a higher level than we have in “Soroka.” Therefore, if you’re interested, read pages 85 and 93 of “Learning to Teach” for yourself. And those who have already worked on “Soroka” saw that the Teacher’s Book already contains many of these tasks. They were written specifically for the textbooks “Soroka” and “Sarafan.” I would say that Sarafan has more listening tasks.

As usual, write in the comments what you use in your work, and what you like or don’t like. How do your students feel about listening exercises?

If you study according to “Soroka” and use all my recommendations, then from the first lessons your students will learn to hear and understand spoken language addressed to them. And this is exactly what we need in the classroom. We remember that our work order is as follows: listening, speaking, reading and writing. And listening comes first. Let’s all go listen! Best wishes!

I can already hear the exclamation: Well, since she is an author, she will now start promoting her textbooks! But I won’t start; later I’ll explain why. And now back to the topic. In the first part, I will tell you about selection criteria, how I personally would choose a Russian textbook, what questions I would ask during the selection. In the second part, so be it — we will talk a little about my books, and decide for yourself whether the textbook Soroka is suitable for you, or you need to look for something else. But first, how to choose a textbook.

Question 1: First think about how this Russian textbook will be delivered to you. Can you buy it in your country? If you need a physical book, then first see if it can be delivered to your country. Where to look? A local bookstore, for example; or see what search engines and marketplaces have to offer.

Why do I think this is the most important criterion? You may hear about a great textbook, but where you live it is impossible to buy it. Why waste time getting it and overpaying for delivery? Unfortunately, this issue is now coming to the fore: In our time, old logistics connections — alas — have been destroyed, and new ones are yet to emerge. Because I’m a teacher myself, when I take on students I need to somehow provide them with teaching aids. It’s easier for me to order ready-made books and work with them. You may say, what about electronic copies? The answer will be in point (advice) No. 8. In the meantime, when you’re looking for a textbook, start with delivery and payment. Don’t you agree?

Some colleagues believe that you must first find a textbook, and then by hook or by crook try to buy it, ordering from another country if necessary. Do you agree that, for the sake of a good textbook, you can endure the inconvenience of delivery? Write in the comments.

Question 2: What types of exercises are in the textbook? How interested will students be in making them? How can a textbook help you stay motivated? Modern children (and these are your students) are very busy; their lives are too full of information. Students most likely aren’t motivated to learn Russian — or the motivation is very weak. You need to learn how to constantly hold the attention of your students, and the textbook should help you with this. It’s better to learn a language through games and interesting tasks than to drill into grammar. So, look and choose.

Question 3: How age-appropriate is the textbook? If this is a course for 10-year-olds, it will most likely be difficult for 5-year-olds to learn. Teenagers want to grow up quickly, and you bring them a book for 5-year-olds? I guarantee they will refuse to study with you. So look at what age the books are intended for.

Write to me in the comments about how old your students are and what country you live in.

Question 4: What do you want to get out of it: for a child to read and understand what they read? Could you express your thoughts in writing in Russian? Or is it enough that they don’t make basic mistakes in speech? Choose a textbook to suit your purposes. You understand that knowledge of a language is too broad of a field. For example, you can perfectly read the original Russian, but not be able to tell what the film was about on the screen. You can recite poetry for kilometers, but not be able to write a note (text message, email) to your grandmother in Russia. So, what do you want? Set goals. Share your goals with me. Write in the comments what you want from the Russian course for children.

Question 5: Who will teach? I dare to suggest that most likely this textbook is chosen by a mother who lives abroad. This is an educated mother with a profession, but her profession isn’t related to teaching languages (an engineer, a veterinarian, a programmer; in my practice there were a lot of women with different professions). Do you want to teach your child at home? Or do you want to open a weekend school to teach your child, together with others? If you recognize yourself, then put a “+” in the comments!

Question 6: What help is there for teachers in this textbook? Choose textbooks that have methodological recommendations, books for teachers, and support groups on social networks. I remember when I first started teaching Russian, I was looking everywhere for any information about how to do it correctly. I still value the advice of my colleagues and listen to such advice. If you’re just starting to teach, especially if you don’t have any formal training as a teacher, you’ll need help.

Do you use methodological recommendations? Write to me in the comments.

Question 7: I’ve already mentioned this point, and we’re returning to this question again. Is it possible to access an electronic copy of this textbook? This is a little cheaper because the issue of delivery by mail is removed. But there are a few “buts” here. Not all textbooks have an electronic version. Printing on a printer, especially color books, is very expensive, often even more expensive than a book in a store. What is more profitable for you? Do the math!

I’ve already said that I don’t like the electronic version, but that’s my own preference. Personally, I prefer paper books.

Which textbooks do you prefer: paper or files? Write in the comments.

Question 8: Decide whether you’re planning to take exams according to the Russian school program. If so, then it will be one textbook; if not, then it will be another.

Question 9: If you answered that you’re not planning exams according to the Russian curriculum, then I categorically don’t recommend textbooks that are published for schoolchildren from Russia. Such textbooks are designed for children who study Russian as a native language. This is a completely different category of students!!! Both their goals and objectives are completely different.

Question 10: Think about how working with the textbook will fit into your students’ workweek. They’re all very busy. They all go to the local school; they need to get good grades there. Besides this, they also have other activities. How much time can they devote to Russian language classes? You might ask, what does this have to do with choosing a textbook? Good question. You should always know your students well (or at least pretend that you do). You can prepare (come up with) a great program, but the students only have time for a small part of it. And your whole plan …

Write in the comments how many hours of Russian per week your students have.

Question 11: When choosing, first read the description given by the author themself. This description must indicate the age of the children for whom the course is designed, the level of language proficiency and what skills this course is designed to develop. And if the description indicates that this is a manual for bilingual children who already know how to read, you shouldn’t take this course for those who are starting from absolute scratch.

Question 12: At the very end, read reviews of other people of the course you have chosen. In this category I include not only reviews from parents and teachers, but also annotations written by a publishing house or trading platform. This is very important to do at the very end, when you’re almost ready to decide. When you have done the work, the opinions of other people can confirm that you’re right; or, conversely, force you to continue searching. But I insist on exactly this sequence — the opinion and recommendations of the author themself, and only then the opinion of other users.

Well, at the end, as promised, I’ll tell you why I didn’t intend to promote my textbooks. Because there’s no universal textbook that suits everyone indiscriminately. Because for me it is more important that you achieve success and get results from your classes. In this case, I don’t care whether you take my textbook or not. Why is that?

I have a reputation that I value. My first textbook was published in 2016. During this time, I was thanked many times for precisely what I said: “My textbooks are not suitable for you.” If I sell you a book that you don’t need, then I will lose my reputation. And if I help you with your choice, then we will all benefit. So how is it? What is more important — $4 from the sale of a book or …? You decide.

I know that my colleagues, Russian teachers, are reading this now. I invite them to leave a comment: Do you agree that there is no universal textbook that suits everyone?

Now about Soroka. Yes, my textbooks can be easily bought in the USA, Europe, Japan, Turkey and Russia. They are sold on Amazon and other marketplaces. Yes, I have a lot of games and other interesting exercises in my textbook (and I have videos about games in class). Yes, in class we talk a lot and learn grammar through play. Yes, I have methodological recommendations, support groups on social networks and a blog. Yes, the textbook is designed for ages 7 to 9, and is very suitable for children at this age.

Remember that a well-chosen textbook brings pleasure to both the student and the teacher. All parties will see an improvement in results from the classes, as well as in motivation and enjoyment.

In life, I often encounter different parents’ views that I’d like to comment on and dispel from the perspective of teaching experience. In the article, I consider the four most widespread myths.

Myth #1: Language can be learned by watching cartoons.

If you read a “Cartoons” article, then you remember that cartoon level should match language level. I also draw attention to the fact that we use cartoons only as an additional assignment. Before watching it, we are to drill all unfamiliar words and phrases so that children can hear them in speech.

Myth #2: Speaking Russian with a child will make him speak it, too.

Imagine that you came to Norway and need to ask the way to the hotel. You see the first local man, approach him and ask. You expect to hear the answer in English, but he starts talking Norwegian. Will you understand him? I don’t think so. The situation will be the same if you suddenly start speaking Russian with your child. Shifting sharply from one language to another may evoke embarrassment and stress; that’s why it’s better to do it gradually. For instance, start with separate words and then add phrases. When the child gets used to how the language sounds, you can try to make sentences out of familiar words. Believe me, if your child comprehends you a little bit, he will be interested in learning language.

Myth #3: Learning poems by heart and reading Russian literature help to master language rapidly.

You should understand that the language of Russian writers and poets is replete with words and expressions. If the child is not acquainted with them, he won’t understand the content. Certainly, you can read masterpieces of Russian literature; but without understanding, it will be in vain. You can begin by reading adapted tales that correspond to the interests of children. Later on, as you master the language, you can read the same tales but at an upper level — the higher the level, the more details you know and the more fascinating the process is.

Myth #4: Knowledge of the rules doesn’t ensure a correct speech.

There is no guarantee that if you learn the rules, you will speak without mistakes. Why? Because at the moment of speech, we don’t have time to recall the right rule. That’s why we need to make the pronunciation of words and phrases automatic. You can read how to do this in the “Introducing Language to Speech” article.

To sum up, it’s a private matter to believe or disbelieve myths — but please, don’t take everything you read or hear at face value. You can always check information in professional groups or dedicated forums.

As they say, trust but verify. All the best!

I had a group of such students. Voice of America journalists filmed a story about it. Here is the video of our lesson (3:12).

The Soroka course suits them perfectly! The font is large; colorful illustrations are everywhere; each page has factoids that can be seen easily; and all words and phrases can be heard on audio recordings.

When working with students over 50, you should and must follow the instructions of the Teacher’s Book — play the guessing games, anagrams, and write dictations of Surikov. The “Three Bogatyrs” training aid may also come in handy for you. There is no difference who you teach in this regard — 10-year-old children or adults over 50. The concept of this training aid is learned through multiple repetitions, shifting of objects (in our case, flashcards) and pronunciation of words. It is useful for all students.

People over 50 enjoy studying with children’s books, as they evoke positive emotions.

The curriculum of the Soroka course is slow — we introduce the material softly and gradually in order to avoid information overload. There are lots of repetitions in the course that are also essential for the 50-plus audience.

Still, there are some remarks. The 50-plus audience differs from children. When you work with adults over 50, you need to revise the learned material more often and move backward all the time, as they absorb it slower and forget more quickly than children.

Try to make notes of the material. In addition to the Activity Book, ask the students to purchase a regular notebook where they can write down words or transcriptions. Rewriting is generally useful for learning.

Having a separate notebook doesn’t exclude exercises for listening and writing — be sure to do them. You’ll probably have to help your students to download an audio file, but you can go without it. Sometimes it is enough to play a file during the lesson and have the students repeat after you.

Students who are 50-plus love to put knowledge into practice. The Soroka course is perfect for that, as it is focused on speaking. We speak and act out simple conversations from the very first lesson. Ordinarily, adults over 50 years old are motivated already; they know that they want to learn Russian, and that’s why they came to you — so appreciate it.

During the lesson, you should become a part of the group, an equal partner. Set up the chairs and desk “in the round,” so that the teacher sits in a circle together with the students. Let every member of the group speak up. Repeat the questions softly, let them take their time to answer, and be ready to prompt the correct answer.

It is better to learn from a printed book instead of an e-book. Students over 50 usually hold conservative views; so even if you conduct online lessons, it is better for them to have a printed book.

When learning, it is better to use visual memory instead of abstract concepts. In this respect, the Soroka course is again ideal for them.

Be glad when students ask you all sorts of questions, and encourage them to do so. Even if you have already discussed a topic and the answer is transparent, repeat the answer one more time.

Ask questions that the students can answer from the perspective of their life experience — for instance, inquire about languages that they had been studying in their childhood, and let them talk about their experience. If they had a negative experience, show them that you take this into account, and manage lessons in a manner to avoid the same mistakes.

If you conduct group lessons in a regular class, then you should come in advance in order to greet everyone and exchange a word or two.

Take a break more often, so that the students can have some time to rest.

Don’t forget that the teacher is a kind of adviser, a guide to the world of Russian as a foreign language. The Soroka course will be very helpful in working with this age group.

Today we will deal with a calendar and count. Soroka is designed for those students who study Russian once a week.  Let’s count how many lessons they have over a year.

Begin. Ordinarily the academic year starts in September and goes up to May – nine months (certainly, it may differ, depending on the country). Every month we have four lessons, sometimes five. Nine multiplied by four – 36 lessons for one year. (9х4=36)

In fact we have less than 36 lessons, as we have vacations and holidays. We also need to do tests – we have three in each course level – which also take time. That’s why the number of lessons decreases.

Continue. Each level of Soroka consists of 15 units.

Thirty-six hours divided by 15 – two and a half hours for one unit in the student’s book.

What does it mean? We have four pages in every unit in the Student’s Book, plus four pages in every unit in the Activity Book. Thus, we have eight pages for two and a half hours. Is that much or not?

Remember that a lesson doesn’t comprise only exploring pages in the Student’s Book. Before making assignments in the Activity Book, students are to pronounce them. It is obligatory and not open for discussion.

In addition to oral and written assignments, you need to listen to the audio files and play, drill the words and phrases orally, introduce them to speech and write dictations. You can use toys to expand the group (and the amount of repetitions) in case your group is small or your lessons are private.

Take seven or eight words and drill them during one lesson. I don’t recommend you take 15 words, as you won’t have enough time for drilling.

If you conduct classes twice a week, you have a chance to complete the Soroka 1 course faster – over one term.

The Teacher’s Book offers you an outline of each lesson, which certainly can be adapted according to your goals and objectives.

The beauty of the Soroka course is that you can go on vacations. Once you complete the book, you can continue lessons by going to the next level. Will talk about it next time.

To sum up: If you do all of the assignments that Soroka offers, you will see that despite the thinness of the book, it is quite functional.

Turn on English subtitles for this video