Russian 5 (RUSS30001)

This subject is designed to provide students with a thorough exposure to pre-20th-century historical and social issues in Russia. Drawing on the dual meaning of the Russian word istorija (i.e., history and story), the theme-oriented instructional units emphasise personal and public stories in Russian history, while connecting oral narratives with written narratives. Students improve their ability to narrate, compare and contrast and establish causal relationships in speaking and writing. Through the integration of all modalities, this course promotes accuracy, fluency and complexity in language use. The development of advanced reading and writing is considered the primary means for expanding students’ language abilities at this stage of language instruction. In this theme-based subject, students gain background knowledge about public events in pre-20th-century Russian history and then read and view personal narratives about these events for the purposes of examining the intersection of the public and private spheres of contemporary Russian society. The texts themselves provide the textual, informational, and lexico-grammatical features that serve as the basis for developing students’ abilities as advanced learners of Russian.