Russian 3303: Course Description for Fall 2009

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The course meets three times a week:

The materials and the nature of all assignments for each class are described below.

See Syllabus for dates and details. See This Semester's Schedule for meeting times and places.

Materials:

Grading
Performance in the film class — 25 percent, performance in the reading class — 25 percent, written homework — 25 percent, final examination — 25 percent. No other tests.

Attendance
Missing more than three classes without a good reason may affect your grade. If you do have to miss a class, send your teacher a note, preferably before the class that you have to miss. If you have symptoms of a contagious illness, please be kind to your classmates and don't attend the meeting. If you feel up to it, do the work that can be done on your computer, and when you recover be sure to ask your teachers for help catching up. We'll always be happy to help.

Homework:

Reading class
Read the assigned segment of the story and make sure that you understand its content. When reading the online version, move your mouse pointer over links to read English glosses. Do not try to translate every word. It is important to learn reading authentic texts without looking up every word.
Print out the assigned pages and highlight words and expressions which, in your opinion, need clarification or explanation. Be prepared to retell the text in as much detail as you can, and also to ask five or six questions based on your assigned reading.

Film/discussion class

Consult the Syllabus and watch the assigned videos. Make sure that you understand the dialog. If some of the passages are difficult to understand, consult the transcripts (see above, under Materials).

The first film, Майкл и Светлана is available both on DVD and videotape. The other film, Дети из России is on videotape. (Although it is also available on DVD, we'll be using an expanded version that exists only on tape.) Make sure that you understand the dialog. If some of the passages are difficult to understand, consult the transcripts. You can read them on the screen or print the relevant parts.

Be prepared for a general discussion of the events and issues raised in the films. For example, How do the characters treat each other? How are the situations in the films different from similar situations in American films or American life? How do their living conditions or their attitudes differ from what you expected or from your own? What have you learned about Russia from this film, and how is Russia different in this respect from the U.S.? etc.

For each film, you will assume the role of one of its characters. The roles will be assigned in class. While discussing the assigned episodes, try to be true to your role. This does not mean that you have to think and speak exactly as that character does in the film. A certain amount of interpretation and improvisation would be very welcome. But try to stay true to your role.

For one of the films (Children from Russia) you'll have to work with another student. Each pair is assigned their own portion of the documentary (shown in the Syllabus). In class, you will be asked to act out your part or to report on it in the form of an interview: one of you will interview the other(s). Work together to prepare questions and issues that may be relevant to the story.

For the film class, you will also write three essays, indicated in the syllabus. The essays should be typed double-spaced, 1.5 to 2 pages.

There will be three panel discussions based on the documentaries. For these classes, each student will assume a role related to the film. For example, you may be the head of a marriage agency, a marriage councellor, the director of an orphanage, a doctor, or a parent. Prepare a short statement about your position on an issue, or your analysis of a problem. Watch the relevant parts of the film again. In class, after you make your statement, other students will ask you questions related to your role or point of view. They may challenge your position or demand clarification, etc. You should also be prepared to ask similar questions of other students. Before each panel discussion class, your teacher will bring a list of "roles" to class, and you will choose (or be given) a role.

Writing class
In this part of the course you will learn to compose written reports in good Russian. Consideration will be given to narration techniques as well as to finer points of grammar and style. You must use the Russian Essay box on our Web site to write and submit your drafts and your final versions. The Windows computers in the Language Learning Center are fully configured for that (open the Russian Keyboard and Internet Explorer from the Russian group on the Start menu), and you may also be able to use your own Windows computer. Please keep backup copies as well. For instructions on using the Essay Box, click its Help button. You may also use Essay Box from your own computer if you install font Timesse Russ by using the link at the bottom of this page. For typing Russian on your own computer, Windows users can use either the standard Russian keyboard that comes with Windows or the mnemonic layout (called Student or Phonetic). It works with Windows XP and Vista. Directions for installing it are included in the zip archive. Mac OS users can use the keyboard included with Mac OSX as part of the International setup in System.

You will work on each of your essays twice. First, you will write a draft and save it in the Essay Box. Make sure you do this at least 24 hours before your next class, because your teacher needs time to read it and to add comments to it. In addition to corrections, these comments may include a small assignment, e.g. "Rewrite the first paragraph as a dialog" or "Change this passage so that it is presented from the point of view of the little girl." You may want to print a copy of this first draft for your reference, but you do not need to submit the printout.

You will correct your first drafts in class (in the carrel area of the language lab in Noyes Lodge--the upper level, near the fireplace), while your teacher goes around the class and helps as much as he can. If you like, you may continue working on your essay after the class, but normally the idea is to complete most of your revisions in class, while the teacher is around to help you.

When the revised version is ready, print it and submit the printout. The final version should be about three quarters of a page, double-spaced, in a 12-point font.

Your essays may be based on the videos that you will watch in this course, or on any materials that you read in this course. You may write about the entire video/chapter in more general terms, or select only one or two points for a detailed treatment. You may report on the events, the people and their attitudes, the language and the anecdotes, or offer your own views on the issues or describe similar experiences and observations. In other words, your essay must be based on the videos or readings and should reflect the language used in the original, but you should feel free to be a real author and learn to express your own thoughts. You may also write on any other subject.

As you work on your essays, use The Russian Dictionary Tree for reference. Although this computer dictionary does not include all the vocabulary that you may need, it will help you avoid the most common errors. The Russian Essay Box and the dictionary may be displayed and used on the computer screen at the same time, and you can copy and paste text between the two (Ctrl+C copies the selected text, and Ctrl+V pastes it at the insertion point). If you need help using the software, refer to the programs' Help system or ask your teacher for a demonstration. The language lab staff should be able to help you get started with the computer and find your application, but cannot help with any specific features of the software.

Russian 3303

The Russian Language Program

Russian Language Program
Department of Russian
226 Morrill Hall,
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853-4701, USA
tel. 607/255-8350,
fax 607/255-2044
email russlang@cornell.edu 		This Web site uses custom RUSSIAN FONTS with accented vowels.

Web site by Slava Paperno
Generous support provided by The Consortium for Language Teaching and Learning