The Slavic Department actively supports the goal of competency-based foreign language instruction to provide functional fluency in five skill areas (listening, speaking, reading, writing, and cultural knowledge). With support from the University, the Department's language instructors have participated in national certification proficiency testing workshops. The Department was one of the first to have certified proficiency testers in Russian.

As part of its commitment to proficiency-based language teaching and testing, the Department uses proficiency-oriented texts at all levels of instruction in Russian. All teaching assistants in Slavic languages are required to perform at the advanced level of language proficiency and must take the Department's required course in language teaching methodology (Methods of Teaching Russian) before they can teach language courses.

To increase student motivation toward rapid language acquisition, the Department supports informal student activities such as the weekly russkii chai; Russian, Polish, and Ukrainian Clubs for students; Slavic movie nights; informal Russian converational clubs led by graduate students; Russian Social Hour with guest speakers; Annual Ukrainian Pysanka Workshop; Maslenitsa celebration; and more!

Relevant Links:

• ACTFL Language Proficiency Guidelines
• Slavic Placement and Proficiency Testing
• Slavic Language Instruction website

Russian through Artistic Experience with guest Sasha Cherniak

Pysanka Workshop

Maslenitsa Singing and Dancing

More Maslenitsa Singing and Dancing

Beautiful Ukrainian Pysanka eggs