The official history of the Russian Language Department began on May 31, 1992, when the order entitled "The Organization of New Structural Subdivisions for International Cooperation" was issued by the Chancellor of Saratov State Medical University (SSMU). The order declared the founding of a Preparatory Branch, a Dean's Office for International Students' Education, and a Department of Russian for International Students.
Natalya Ivanovna Kudryashova, who also worked as the Dean of International Students, was the first Head of the Department. A qualified specialist, an excellent leader, and a keen and responsive person, she was a second mother for the international students. Natalia Ivanovna led the department until she passed away in 2000. Dr. Kudryashova was awarded for her services in the sphere of higher and professional education with the badge of "Honored Worker of Higher Professional Education in Russia".
At that time more than 300 students from different countries (mainly from the Near East) studied at the department. It is worth noting that the majority of them subsequently received certification of their degrees from SSMU in their home countries. This speaks to the high level of education which they received at SSMU.
Due to the difficult situation in Russia beginning in the 1990s, the number of international students began to decline and the department was transformed into a series of Russian as a Foreign Language (RFL) classes within the Department of Foreign Languages. From 1990 to 2003, the leader and inspiration of this work was Ludmila Aleksandrovna Dines, Associate Professor and PhD. The classes were held in the Department of Foreign Languages and, from October 2003 until August 2004, in the Russian and Classical Philology Department.
During the 2003-2004 academic year, things changed considerably as SSMU began to rapidly develop its programs for teaching international students. The high degree of our graduates' education and qualification (upheld by their successes on national exams in their home countries around the world) earned a particular interest in our university. Another important factor in these developments was that the university leadership was (and still is) constantly searching for and employing innovative forms of education: in the 2003-2004 academic year, the branch entitled "English-Media" was opened in order to prepare international students for basic medical education courses. In the "English-Media" program, students take classes taught in English while simultaneously completing an intensive study of the Russian language for their first 2 years in Saratov. Beginning with the third year, students are prepared to continue their medical education almost entirely in Russian. The integrative educational services offered by SSMU are therefore widely demanded in today's modern and highly competitive market.
In 2012, a contract was signed with the People's Friendship University of Russia (Moscow) which allows SSMU to administer the standardized certification test (TRFL) (Russian State System of Testing) for foreigners who study Russian and for those who are applying for Russian citizenship and the Linguistic Centre was organized for the certification of Russian as a Foreign Language (TRFL).
SSMU's Department of RFL is a member of the International Association of Teachers of Russian Language and Literature, which works on some of the newest educational technologies within the sphere of language teaching (including methods provisions) and encourages work in upholding Russian language and culture in countries both near to and far from our borders.
Today at our university, over 500 citizens from 53 countries around the world receive medical training and education. All of these factors have combined to bring about the upgrading of the courses of "Russian as a Foreign Language" into an independent department under the same name. The head of the department is Professor Larisa Petrovna Prokofyeva, Doctor of Philology. Accordingly, the history of the department continues to be written today!
Staff
Larissa Petrovna Prokofieva
Department Head
Doctor of Philology since 2009
Associate Professor since 2000
Philologist, Russian Language and Literature Teacher
English language teacher
In 1989, Dr. Prokofyeva graduated summa cum laude from the Philological Department (Russian Language and Literature Branch) of Saratov State University (SSU). In 2000, she received a second education from the Pedagogical Institute of SSU in the Department of Foreign Languages (specialty: English language). In June 2008, she completed a requalification course and received certification for educators in the state program "Russian Language". In 2010 and 2011, Dr. Prokofyeva completed courses at the People's Friendship University of Russia and became accredited in the administration of the test of RFL within the state system TRFL (all levels plus application for citizenship of the Russian Federation). She is also a member of the Russian association of teachers of Russian language and literature.
From 1989 to 2004 she worked as an assistant, Head Teacher and professor, first at the Russian Language Department at the Saratov State Pedagogical Institute and then at the Department of Russian Language and Teaching Methods at the Pedagogical Institute of Saratov State University. From 1992 to 1994 she taught RFL at the Saratov Center of Training Specialists from foreign countries.
Her academic interests lie in the sphere of psycholinguistics, phonosemantics and the theory and practice of teaching Russian language. Dr. Prokofyeva studies the phenomenon of color-sound synesthesia from different points of view and the methods of teaching RFL.
She has over 120 publications in foreign and local print, including 2 academic research books, manuals and textbooks of RFL and Methods of Preparation for the National State Exam in Russian Language.
In 2004, she was the Deputy Chairman of the Commission of Russian Language for the evaluation of written work by graduates and students of the Saratov region for the National State Exam. She has led over 200 hours of seminars for teachers of language and literature in the Saratov region. Since 2010, she has been Chairman of the SAC in Applied and Theoretical Linguistics at Saratov State University. Additionally, she is a supervisor to both full-time and part-time graduate students.
Dr. Prokofyeva is a member of the Council of Russian Language at the Ministry of Education of the Saratov region and has received many academic grants: 3 Soros scholarship grants, 3 grants of the Canadian Government, 3 grants to the Netherlands, 2 grants from the "Global Fund for Women" (USA), 2 collective projects funded by the Russian Humanitarian Science Foundation, and she is a member of 5 collective projects funded by PSI (USA). She has been awarded Certificates of Merit from Saratov State Medical University (2006) and the Ministry of Education of the Saratov Region (2009).
Philologist, Russian language and literature teacher;
Additional qualifications: "Teacher of Russian as a Foreign Language", "Art Critic"
Dr. Belyaeva has completed courses in the English language. In 1998, she graduated summa cum laude with a degree in Russian Language and Literature from Saratov State University. In 2007, she completed a requalification course for educators in the federal program "Russian Language" and received government certification. In 2011, she completed a requalification course at the People's Friendship University of Russia (Moscow) and received a certification for testing RFL in the exam TRFL.
In 1998-1999, Dr. Belyaeva worked as a Junior Research Assistant at the archives of the Radishchev State Art Museum. From 1999 to 2002, she was a postgraduate student of the Department of Russian Language and Speech Communication at Saratov State University. Dr. Belyaeva has worked as a teacher and Senior Lecturer since 1998 and currently serves as an Associate Professor at SSMU.
Dr. Belyaeva's academic interests lie in the sphere of Gender Linguistics and the psycholinguistic basis of teaching RFL, and she has over 30 publications. Her textbook "The Basis of Academic Speaking Styles" has been approved and recommended by the Methods Association (Moscow).
Irina Vladimirovna Privalova PhD (Doctor of Philology), professor
In October 1995, defended PhD (Candidate of Sciences): “The Phenomenon of Psychological Attitude in Foreign Text Perception”. 2001-2006 - Post-doctoral student at the Department of Psycholinguistics and the Theory of Communication at the Institute of Linguistics of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia. Dissertation: “Ethno-Cultural Peculiarities of Linguistic Consciousness (Theoretical and Practical Research)” (defended February, 2006 at the Russian Academy of Sciences).
Spheres of scientific interests: Psycholinguistics, Theory of Communication, Ethnopsychology, Cognitive Studies, Different Aspects of Mass Media and New Mass Media Influence.
The author of two monographs, 6 teaching guides, more than 100 articles.
The member of 3 international professional associations (ICA, ECREA, ISAPL), and 2 Russian professional associations (RCA, RALK).
Grants: Summer Fulbright Program (August, 2004), Travel Grant of ICA (May, 2008), Understanding Canada (January – February, 2013 iSchool of U of Toronto), Travel Grant of ICA (London, June, 2013), Travel Grant of ICA (Seattle, May, 2014), 2014 Visiting Fellow at the Department of Media and Communication LSE, UK (May, December, 2014). Participant of the international conferences in the USA, Canada, Spain, Portugal, UK and other countries.
The member of the Editorial Board of “Russian Journal of Communication” Rutledge (Taylor & Francis), London (UK).
Philologist, Russian language and literature teacher;
Expert in the committee on the unified state exams (OGE, EGE)
In 1982, Natalia Pavlova graduated from the Philological department of Saratov State University. In 1982-1983, she worked as a teacher of Russian and literature in school ¹3 in the city Volzhsky of the Volgograd region. In 1983-1986, she worked as an assistant teacher in Pedagogical Institute named after K. Fedin. In 1986-2002, she worked as a teacher of Russian and Literature in school ¹59. In 2002-2015, she worked as a lecturer at the Department of the Russian Language and Speech Culture in Agrarian University named after Vavilov. In 2002-2005, she worked as a teacher of Russian and Literature in the Lyceum of Natural Sciences in Saratov (part time). In 2006-2007, she worked as an associate professor in Saratov State Socio-Economic University. Since 2015 Natalia Pavlova has been working as an associate professor at the Department of Russian as a Foreign Language at Saratov State Medical University.
Spheres of scientific interests: Methodology of the Russian Language and Literature teaching, Culture of Speech, Stylistics.
Publications: she is the author of numerous articles on Russian philology, Methodology of the Russian Language and Literature teaching, recommendations for EGE exams preparation, several teaching guides, including “Integrated research of Dostoyevsky’s novel “Crime and Punishment” on the lessons of literature”, “Manual for EGE preparation in Russian”, co-author of the teaching guide for the students «Russian and Culture of Speech” (with professor O.Dmitrieva and professor N.Orlova).
E-mail address:
Tatiana Victorovna Salashnik Associate professor
Associate Professor since 2009
PhD since 2008
Philologist, English language teacher; junior teacher
In 2001 graduated from the Primary education department of the Pedagogical Institute named after Chernyshevski.
Since 2002 assistant teacher of the Department of elementary language and literary education of the Pedagogical Institute named after Chernyshevski. Since 2010 – associate professor of the same Department.
Since 2015 – associate professor at the Department of Russian as a Foreign Language at Saratov State Medical University.
Spheres of scientific interests: cognitive linguistics and cultural linguistics
Publications: 16 articles, one teaching guide «Expressive reading: practicum»
E-mail address:
Davlatova Mansura Mansurovna Teacher of the Department
PhD since 2009, the teacher of Russian as a foreign language
In 1991, she graduated from the philological faculty of Tashkent state pedagogical institute named after Nizami.
She is the author of more than 25 articles published in scientific journals, proceedings of the national and international conferences.
In the process of language training Davlatova Mansura Mansurovna employs different forms of modern pedagogical technologies. The results of this practical activity were described in the teaching guide and the chapters of the monographs on actual problems of teaching Russian as a foreign language and on creating professional competence of future specialists.
Spheres of scientific interests: the theory of communication, methods of Russian language training, culture of speech.
E-mail address:
Inna Vladimirovna Solovyova
Senior Lecturer
Philologist, Russian language and literature teacher
Specialist in "Arts"
In 1985, Solovyova graduated from the medical college of Saratov Medical Institute and she then worked as a nurse at the clinic of Department of Physical Therapy.
In 1992, she graduated from Saratov State University. She worked at Schools #54 and #94 and at Gymnasiums #4 and #2. She worked as a laboratory assistant at the Department of Russian Language at the Pedagogical Institute of Saratov State University and she was the Head Documenter of the Department of Russian Language and Speech Communication of SSU. She taught courses in stylistics, morphology, and Russian language and cultural speech at the Philological and Philosophical Departments of SSU within the college of Radio-Electronics.
Solovyova won 3rd place in the citywide competition of the "National State Exam from the Adult Viewpoint" (with an essay in the exam format). Additionally, she was the best curator of SSU in 2010. In the spring of 2011, she completed a requalification course with the specialty of RFL within the Institute of Philology and Journalism at SSU.
Her academic interests lie in the sphere of contemporary oral communication. Solovyova has over 7 publications, including in journals of the People's Friendship University of Russia.
In 2004, Levitskaya graduated summa cum laude with a specialty in Russian Language and Literature from the Pedagogical Institute of Saratov State University. In 2007, she completed a requalification course for educators and received government certification in the program of "Russian Language".
Since November 2004, she has worked at the preparatory branch of the department "RFL" at SSMU. Since September 2008, Levitskaya has been a graduate student of the department "Russian Language and the Methods of Teaching" at Saratov State University under the academic advisor Professor O.I. Dmitrieva. She is a participant of an academic project which is upheld by grants of the Russian Fund for the Humanities.
Levitskaya's academic interests are connected with modern word formation and lexicology, as well as with the methods of teaching Russian.
She has over 10 publications, including those in certified journals, textbooks and manuals.
Olga Nikolaevna Arzhanova
Depute Dean
Teacher
Philologist, Teacher of Russian Language and Literature
In 2004, Arzhanova graduated from the Philologic al Department of Saratov State University. She is currently a part-time graduate student at the Department of the History of Russian Literature and Folklore at Saratov State University.
Her academic interests are in the sphere of Russian literature and the methods of teaching RFL.
She has 5 publications.
Aislu Yersainovna Bakhytzhanova
Teacher, Senior Research Assistant
Trade Union Representative of the Department
Philologist, Teacher with a specialty in "Philology", teacher of Russian Language and Literature
Teacher of beginning classes with an additional specialty in "Ecology" and a Fine Arts teacher
In 1998, Bakhutzhanova graduated summa cum laude from Engels Teachers Training College and in 2003 she graduated from the Philological Department of the Pedagogical Institute of Saratov State University.
From 1998-2003, she worked as a teacher of Russian Language and Literature at the middle-school level (Schools #22 and #34). From 2003-2004, she worked as a research assistant in the Department of the Methods of Teaching Russian at Saratov State University, and since 2004 she has been a teacher at the Department of RFL at SSMU.
Since 2009, Bakhytzhanova has been a graduate student of the Department of RFL under the academic advisor Professor L.P. Prokofyeva.
In 2007, she completed a requalification course for educators and received government certification in the program "Russian Language."
Her academic interests are in psycholinguistics and cognitive linguistics. She is a participant in an academic program covered under the grant Russian Fund for the Humanities.
Bakhytzhanova has 6 publications, including those in certified journals.
Surma Galib kyzy Nurieva Teacher of the Department
Philologist, the teacher of Russian, literature and history
In 2014, she graduated from the pedagogical department of the Institute of philology and journalism of Saratov State University named after Chernyshevski.
Since 2014 – a teacher at the Department of Russian as a Foreign Language at Saratov State Medical University.
Spheres of scientific interests: morphology and syntax
Publications: Semantic peculiarities and feature functions of the verbs expressing future in Bulgakov’s novel “The White Guard”.
E-mail address:
Nadezhda Aleksandrovna Peredery
Teacher
Philologist, Russian Language and Literature Teacher
From 1974-1979, Peredery studied at the Saratov State Medical Institute and in 1989, she graduated summa cum laude from the Philological Department of Saratov State University.
From 1990-1992, N.A. Peredery worked at Law Institute as a Russian language and literature teacher; from 1992-1994 as a RFL teacher at the International Training Center; from 1994-1998 as a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Linguistics and Intercultural Communications, Moscow State Building University (Saratov Branch); from 1998-2003 at the Saratov Law Institute (Ministry of Internal Affairs); from 2003 at the Saratov branch of the Russian State Humanitarian University. Since 2004, she has worked at the Department of RFL and Saratov State Medical University.
In 2007, Peredery completed a requalification course for educators and received government certification in the program of "Russian Language".
Her academic interests are connected to the methods of Teaching RFL.
Ksenia Nikolayevna Starodubtseva Teacher of the Department
Philologist, the teacher of Russian, literature and history
In 2015, she graduated from the pedagogical department of the Institute of philology and journalism of Saratov State University named after Chernyshevski.
Since 2014 – a teacher of the Russian language and literature of the secondary school ¹ 9
Since 2015 – a teacher at the Department of Russian as a Foreign Language at Saratov State Medical University.
Publications: Article: “Concept “War” in Gumilyev’s poetry”
Spheres of scientific interests: cognitive linguistics
E-mail address:
Galina Alexeevna Tsaplina
Teacher
Teacher of primary grades and English Language
In 2004, Tsaplina graduated summa cum laude from the Pedagogical Institute of Saratov State University with a specialty in Pedagogy, Psychology, and Methods of Primary Education.
Tsaplina has worked as a teacher at SSMU since 2004.
Her academic interests are in the sphere of Lexicology, Semantics, Graphics, and Stylistics.
Elena Vladimirovna Vedeneeva
Teacher
Deputy Head of Academic Work and Students' Academic Club
Philologist, teacher of RFL with an additional specialty in English Language
In 2005, Vedeneeva graduated summa cum laude from Saratov State University from the Department of Philology and Journalism.
She is a part-time graduate student of the Department of the History of Russian Literature at Saratov State University and her academic advisor is Professor N.V. Novikova.
Vedeneeva has been a teacher at SSMU since 2005.
In 2007, Vedeneeva completed a requalification course and received government certification in the program "Russian Language".
Her academic interests lie in the spheres of Russian literature and the methods of teaching RFL.
She has 6 publications.
Department Equipment
The first building of the university has recently undergone reconstruction on the 1st floor, where the lessons of RFL occur. The department constantly restocks and updates necessary equipment and literature, and it has organized a computer classroom with 8 computers, where students have the opportunity to improve their grammar and speaking expertise and take tests at the intermediate and advanced levels with the help of 25 specialized teaching and testing programs.
The department also has a library of up-to-date academic literature for working with RFL, video-technics, phonetics.
Educational Programs Available at the Department
The field of RFL is a practical one, meaning that the theoretical aspects of RFL are often secondary to its practical goals and application (the use of actual language). The general goal of teaching Russian to foreign students is a non-philological one, meaning that it emphasizes practical communication and educational goals that are closely connected to training specialists from foreign countries.
Learning Russian requires foundational vocabulary and skills in certain academic areas necessary for the continuation of study in specialized higher education institutions. This goal is realized by the students' study of necessary language skills (reading, listening, speaking, and writing), allowing them to eventually:
Master their specialties;
Communicate in Russian in various circumstances (academic-professional, everyday life, and culture);
Have the ability to use Russian upon their return to their native countries.
The departmental training programs take place in 2 parallel courses: part-time education in a foreign language (English); education in Russian language (preparatory branch and 1-4 years)
The department has developed special provisions and academic plans for each grade level in the form of Methodic Packets based on the approved new specialties ("Medicine", "Dentistry", and "Pharmacy"). The department is in the stages of developing a theoretical-methodological program for additional education (with the specialty "Methods of Teaching Russian as a Foreign Language" and "Translation in the Sphere of Professional Communication", and a new long-term work program has already been developed and is ready to be put into practice.
Department faculty members are also working on recertifying their qualifications and they attend methodical conferences which discuss the most pressing problems of the methods of teaching Russian. There have been 7 independent academic works published, 2 of which have been certified by the Methods Association (Moscow). 6 publications are ready to be registered in Informregister. A new series of textbooks are in the works. These textbooks will cover the full methods of the academic process behind the courses of "English-media".
Academic Activities of the Department Faculty
The main direction of departmental academic activity is the different aspects of the methods of teaching RFL. Accordingly, every teacher is working on a subject related to the spheres of modern linguistics and literary studies.
Department faculty members take part in different academic conferences and roundtables in which they present their work at plenary sessions (Saratov, Kazan, Elets, Moscow, Astrakhan, Kiev, Ulyanovsk, Gdansk, Poznan, Krakow, Verona, St. Petersburg, Penza, Voronezh, Minsk, Vologda, Rostov-on-the-Don, and many others).
Furthermore, department faculty actively participates in dissertation councils, fulfilling the roles of both official opponents and referees (Prokofyeva L.P., Belyaeva A.Y., Kuzmenkova E.V.).
Our teachers also prepare and conduct themed meetings, conversations, and national holidays for Russian and foreign students. The "Day of Russian Language" has become a tradition at SSMU, dated to the day of Slavic Literature and culture, and likewise the Olympiad of Russian language for foreign students has become an annual event.
Prospects for the Development of the Department
Russian as a Foreign Language Department is young and promising. The staff's mean age is about 29. The Department Head is L.P. Prokofieva, PhD, Assistant Professor. Three Department members possess a PhD degree, two more are planning their thesis defense for the end 2004 - beginning 2005. Besides there are several postgraduate students in the staff. All young teachers of Russian as a foreign language start their career under the guidance of experienced instructors such as L.V. Kalashnikova.
Contact Information
Address
410054, Saratov, Bolshaya Sadovaya, 137b building 6-2