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Here’s an example of one more textbook designed to shore up the old system of rule-getting and rule-using. Other than the use of the word “acquisition”, there is no hint that this textbook contains anything like even a communicative approach, let alone a CI approach. It is still slogging through grammar rules, i.e. rule-getting and rule-using.
Note the following phrases:
“the content and academic structure of a formal, serious language course remains at its core” and “professionalism “……..
practical, working knowledge of the concepts of basic Russian grammar “……………
And the whole last paragraph, presenting language study as a slog needing detailed grammatical explanations and glossaries, no doubt to be memorized. And of course it offers “a serious approach”.
All of that is to encourage those teachers, most Russian teachers, that they will not have to be bothered with engaging students with the language as a form of communication but can continue, with the support of this textbook, to give interminable lectures on grammar points, assign fill-in-the-blank exercises and then give fill-in-the-blank tests to test for grammatical knowledge and still consider their students well on their way to proficiency.
Over the past 14 years, we have worked with and supplied many textbooks and teaching materials to countless teachers and students of all ages. Road to Russia impressed us with its approachability for new students — the context and design of the book enjoys widespread popularity. And at the same time, it is an attractive choice for teachers, for though the material is designed to appeal to students, the content and academic structure of a formal, serious language course remains at its core. It is for this combination of approachability and professionalism that we selected Road to Russia for publication as a new, revised North American edition, which we completely updated and revised from the original. –
If you are a teacher, Road to Russia is designed as an introductory text for either the high school or the college level. Once completed, your students will have a practical, working knowledge of the concepts of basic Russian grammar and will be well positioned to continue their studies at a low-intermediate level — allowing the high school student to test out of beginning Russian once they enroll in a university program
Learning a foreign language can be a difficult journey and at times seem to be a hopeless task, disconnected from everyday life. The long distance runner may finish in a cheering stadium, but most of the course is more isolated — the inner drive of the runner is the key force in motivating them, the knowledge that the race is not won in a single step. Rather each step is a process of moving closer to the goal. Bringing the Russian language closer to the student giving them this sense of accomplishment, no matter the stage of the race, is crucial to encouraging them to push on. Although Road to Russia offers students a very comprehensive and serious approach to language acquisition, it does not seek to overwhelm them through formidable exercises. Rather it assists them, encouraging them, by complementing assignments with Russian-English glossaries and very detailed explanations in English (also invaluable for those who prefer independent study). These aids help to reinforce and develop the student’s natural curiosity about the new language.

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