Teacher Comments

About the Language Through Culture Program*

2009

“It feeds student curiosity about Russia... ”

“The articles are timely, captivating and instructive. They aptly supplement the grammar and vocabulary taught in the classroom.”

“As a teacher, I love this magazine. I use it all the time as a reference to lessons, sometimes I use an article to create a lesson or enhance our lessons on history and culture and grammar. There are so many good articles and it is well presented with color photos and very up to date information. We use textbooks that are now almost 20 years old so this magazine gives us a better idea of how Russia has changed.”

“As a teacher of Russian language and culture I am VERY enthusiastic about this gift of RUSSIAN LIFE...each issue a veritable factual TREASURE. I think I pass this attitude on to my students...”

“It is such a wonderful way for students to learn about Russia; to read about positive aspects about Russia (to counteract the seemingly patently negative news on TV and radio); and to be exposed to off-the-beaten-path cities, writers, culture, and historical events. And I find that I as a teacher learn a great deal from each issue. It is refreshing to be learning alongside my students and be remindedof the excitement of learning about Russia for the first time.”

“Thank you very much for this program! I feel very fortunate to have a slick, glossy magazine like RL to show off. We don't have a lot of cool, modern Russian materials as far as textbooks and ancillaries- at least for high school. I haven't used the teaching guides yet- they seem way to hard for my students, maybe more appropriate for native or heritage speakers. I plan to give away some copies during my recruiting this year.”

“The study of Russian becomes more real and rich for my students through Russian Life. The articles are of the highest quality. Uchites is a great addition. Please continue with this.”

“Students are always excited to get a new copy of the magazine. The information (articles, pictures, interviews...) help them relate to Russia and understand it better. It broadens their cultural horizon and helps me, a teacher, to introduce them to the country who's language and culture they study.”

2007

“The magazine is the students’ primary conduit to Russian life and culture. Without it, I think that learning the language would be merely an abstract exercise. I pass out the magazine at the end of the class period; when I passed it out before class began, it was difficult to get the students to put it aside...”

“Some students have mentioned that because of their reading of Russian Life and its focus on history and culture they recieved better scores in the Annual Olympiada of Spoken Russian Competition which is a competition for High School students sponsored by ACTR (The American Council of Teachers of Russian) The Olympiada has a focus on speaking in Russian about cultural and historical topics.”

“Cadets like the objective nature of reporting. It provides a clear, accessible window on variety of Russian topics that prepares them to understand Russian life in general.”

“They are invaluable! They create interest and enthusiasm for Russian language and culture, and serve as the center of class discussions and projects. They love the magazines! Russia comes alive to them, and they can see important reasons to learn to speak Russian.”

“It is very helpful both in supplementing and (more often) in countering what is presented in the mass media.”

“I think most important of all is the fact that it illustrates that they are not studying Russian in a vacuum — that other people also find Russia worth learning about. This helps remove their sense that taking Russian is a sort of oddball choice completely divorced from reality and of interest to only a few.”

“Your program is having great success. It helps my students realize that Russia will be again a dominant player in world economics and military power and that the language is worth studying. Thank you for your support.”

“Students embrace the magazine with relish. Since the group of students studying Russian at our high school with a population of +/- 2500 students is small, they feel as if they are privy to a well kept secret. The magazine certainly catalyzes language study by feeding young minds hungry for fresh information.”

“Some students of mine got excited about reading Nabokov’s works after reading an article in Russian Life. This is just an example of how it helps strengthen the students’ motivation to know more about Russia.”

“Obviously, ‘Survival Russian’ is very popular. However, our small group has widely varying interests, and nearly every article, ad, and comment sparks some sort of discussion. The real virtue of this publication is its presentation of Russian culture in myriad facets. Not just literature, just politics, just language. There are potato beetles, and television programs, and recipes. Students begin to suspect that real people might live in Russia.”

“Since I don’t have enough for each student, I’ve made them the prize for top scores on exams and quizzes (and ask students to pass them on to their classmates when they’ve finished reading).”

“...students tend to feel and value that they are part of a larger community of N. Americans who are studying Russia.”

“...students read the articles and make presentations in Russian in class.”

“The students really enjoy the wide variety of articles in this magazine, and it gives them the sense, from day one, that there is a larger purpose to their daily struggles with the language!”

“This is the best source of information on contemporary Russia available in English. The students are absolutely fascinated by the material.”

“Students tell me that they find the articles interesting. I think they enjoy the fact that they can read about Russian culture and everyday life in English and still make use of it for language learning.”

“We use back copies for research for class projects as well as for information the students use when they compete in the yearly Olympiada, a national contest of spoken Russian skills. My students always have a lot to say and win prizes there, and Russian Life can take some of the credit!”

“The arrival of the magazine is always treated as if it were a holiday.”

“I think that it’s a great way to get students informed about off-the-beaten-path Russia — there’s always something in there that I know nothing about, so it’s informative and entertaining for both me and the students. Thanks again to you and to the sponsors for this wonderful program!”

“The students seem to really appreciate the articles on contemporary Russian life and politics. They also like the sections that present new vocabulary... I think the magazines really help keep the students motivated. They also help us to stand out from other language sections.”

2006

“The students love the magazine... it really inspires the students to get more involved in both the language and the culture, and does a great job of putting the language into context, and making it relevant.”

“It’s a fantastic resource for making Russian society and culture come alive.”

“There is a close connection between students’ enthusiasm for their new issue of Russian Life and their sense of relevance and interest as students of Russian.”

“Students love the magazine. One copy is kept in our Language Lab and is enormously popular.”

“Your materials make them want to learn more about Russia and they always look forward to receiving the next issue.”

“Students get a good sense of the diversity of this vast country from your articles.”

“They really enjoy the magazine and it does seem to make them more committed to sticking with the language and help them get excited about eventual study abroad possibilities. I generally hand out copies of the magazine at the very beginning of every semester of Beginning Russian, and it’s been a great help in getting them ‘hooked.’”

“I use Russian Life as immediate, interesting reading the first days that the magazines arrive. There is total silence in my room that day, except as students point out their favorite articles.”

“Thank you so much for your donation. You are improving my instruction and student motivation on a daily basis!”

“This is the best conduit we have to Russian culture — contemporary and traditional, because Russian internet sites are mostly inaccessible to the students and the media here generally ignore Russia.”

“Students recognize that the magazine provides much more than a textbook can afford them. Up-to-date language, current pictures of modern Russian society, and reflections upon Russian history and politics give us something that is necessary in language instruction: We are able to feel the pulse of Russia in a way that was heretofore inaccessible.”

* From 2002 to 2009, this program was known as the Education Patrons Program.