Credit Hours: 4
Instructor: Dr. George Mitrevski
Telephone: (334) 844-6376

Delivery Systems:

This course requires a computer with Internet access. You will need to be able to adjust settings, install software and plug-ins, and be able to create files on the computer you will be using. Please be advised that public\lab computers often prevent these types of activities. You should check to ensure that you have these capabilities before participating in this course.

1. Nachalo, Book 1, 2nd edition, 2002. (McGraw-Hill), by Lubensky, Ervin, McLellan and Jarvis.
   
2. Workbook and Lab Manual to accompany Nachalo, Book 1, 2nd. Edition, 2002. Warner, Lubensky, Ervin, McLellan, Jarvis. The Workbook contains written exercises related to the material covered in the textbook. The syllabus will indicate which specific exercises the student needs to turn in to be checked and graded. The Laboratory Manual contains audio exercises. These exercises have also been written as web-based exercises that the student can complete on a computer.
   

   A Dictionary is recommended.

This course is the second course in a sequence, and it follows FLRU1013/1014 (Elementary Russian I). It is one of two that fulfills College of Liberal Arts foreign language requirement. It is an introduction to the fundamentals of the Russian Language and exposure to Russian culture and civilization. The course stresses basic language skills-speaking, reading, listening, and writing, with progressive empahasis on conversation.

The objective of the course is to provide Russian language instruction to you who often do not have easy access to the classroom Russian course, or who may need extra time to complete course requirements.

The cornerstone of the entire course will be on WebCT. The distance learning WebCT site is identical to that of the classroom course, with the addition of a section that will provide detailed procedures, or manual, that will guide you step by step through each lesson. The manual consists of a study guide for each lesson, which includes specific exercises and activities, written homework assignments, study tips, additional grammar explanations and explicit directions for completing the work for the lesson.

The course content will include approximately 400 online exercises that you will complete using WebCT. Most of these exercises are self-correcting, though you will need to submit some of them for grading.

The sequence of materials presented in the course will follow the sequence in the main textbook. The textbook consists of 7 lessons, and this course will cover lessons 1-4. Each lesson in the textbook follows a consistent format. Each lesson begins with a lesson opener. This page introduces the lesson with photographs and a summary of the story line in each part, as well as a general description of what you will be learning to say and do. There are four parts to each lesson, each essentially containing the following:

• Visual Opener. A thematic visual opener introduces each part with a short display related to a theme of that part.
• Reading. The reading material is presented in the form of a play, an ongoing story that helps tie together each of the four parts within the Lesson.
• Grammar and Practice. Grammar topics are generally introduced with examples from the readings. Each is followed by at least one exercise.
• Conversation. Useful, high frequency conversational elements focus on the development of speaking skills.

In addition, the following special features appear at various places in the lessons:

• About Russia. Concise cultural observations about contemporary Russian societal and behavioral norms and formal elements of Russian culture that expand on the cultural information in the readings.
• Supplemental Texts. Optional texts, including schedules for performing arts or sporting events, maps, diagrams, tongue twisters, short magazine articles and reviews, poems, songs, and advertisements.
• Words, words, words… Offers a special focus section on word families and vocabulary items needing commentary clarification.
• Learn to Study. These study tips provide you with hints about effective language-learning practice.

Textbook and Workbook. The Textbook for this course is Nachalo, Book 1, 2nd edition, by Lubensky, Ervin, McLellan and Jarvis. The Workbook contains written exercises related to the material covered in the textbook. Go to the "Answer Keys" page from the WebCT home page to see links to answer keys for each lesson. Additionally, you may see a link (AK) after an assigned exercise in the study guides. Click on that link to access the answer key for that specific exercises. When you click on this link you may be asked to login with your regular userid password. In the box for domain type auburn. The Lab Manual contains audio exercises. Many of these exercises have also been re-written as web-based exercises that you can complete on a computer. Your schedule will indicate which specific exercises you need to turn in to be checked and graded. You are required to do all of the exercises for each lesson, including those which you are not required to turn in. Many of the items on tests will come directly from these exercises. Refer to the online answer keys to check your answers. Large majority of these exercises have been re-written as web-based exercises online. The Textbook and Lab Manual can be purchase from an online bookstore, such as Amazon.com. Here are the links for the two books at Amazon.com: Nachalo Book 1 (Student Edition), Workbook and Laboratory Manual to accompany Nachalo Book 1.

Audio. Your textbook may come with a set of two CD's that contain the audio portion of each lesson in the textbook. These are not required, but you may purchase them separately. These audio clips are accessible online as well in RealAudio (.rm) format. If at any time it is inconvenient for you to to listen to the audio on a computer, you may listen to the audio from these CD's. If your textbook did not include a set of Cd's, you may purchase them online.

When working with audio exercises, make sure that you listen, and where necessary you repeat out loud (not in your head to yourself). You should work with the audio exercises until you can repeat every sentence after it is said, at the speaker's rate of speech, and without looking at the text. You should practice the audio grammar drills until you can do them all at the speaker's rate of speech, with no mistakes, and without looking at the text. Be prepared to spend at least one hour working with audio drills for each class lesson. Make sure that you have a place to practice out loud where you will be undisturbed. The computers in the Language Lab have headsets attached that insulate you from the activities of other students. Remember that working with the audio exercises is NOT optional. It is the most required part of the course.

Video. The video program that accompanies this course presents selected scenes from the storyline comprising the readings in each lesson. The video clips have been digitized and placed on a secure server, and you will be provided links to them in the course schedule. After you click on a link you will be presented with a login screen. In the space for your userid, you should type it in this format: "auburn\userid". The video clips are an important component to the course. You are expected to watch each assigned video clip several times until you feel comfortable comprehending the content and to complete all of the accompanying exercises for each video clip. The contents of the video clips will be incorporated in classroom activities, in quizzes and in tests.

Notebook. Being well organized in this course is essential for learning russian successfully and for getting a good grade. You should purchase a 3-ring binder (about two inches thick) and 15 dividers for keeping your notes, study guides, and other learning materials.

1. Reading. You will have regular reading assignments from the textbook. Additionally, you will have extensive reading assignments that are based on Russian web pages. All reading assignments are accompanied by a set of self-correcting on-line exercises. Some reading assignments will be turned in for grading.
2. Writing. You will be asked to write commentaries based on reading assignments. Additionally, you will write short essays on topics covered in each section of a lesson.
3. Speaking. You will
   1. a. be expected to practice speaking in Russian with the instructor and with others in the course using synchronous communication programs.
   2. b. have regular assignments consisting of listening and repeating simple dialogues at the end of each section. After each such assignment you will be asked to engage in short conversations with the instructor using telephone or online chat messenger.
   3. c. have numerous such exercises that will help you acquire a good speaking skill. The other requirement related to speaking is that you are expected to record your replies and submit.
4. Listening. Listening activities will comprise the most important part of the student’s regular homework assignments. You will develop good listening skill by working with the audio resources that accompany the textbook. You will have frequent assignments where you will be asked to listen to an audio recording and record (in writing or orally) your replies. Large portion of the tests and quizzes will consist of listening exercises.

You are allowed to submit your home works/assignments and quizzes whenever you want to but they have to be completed in an order before you go to the next section. There will be three one hour tests and a final examination during the course. Each test will cover one lesson from the textbook and will comprise reading, writing, listening and speaking activities. The speaking portion of the test will be conducted one-on-one with the instructor. The grades for the course will be figured this way:

3 Tests 40% of final grade
Homework/Assignments 10%
Final 25%

The letter grade percentages for the course are:

A=90-100
B=80-89
C=70-79
D=60-69
F=0-59

After the first session, you must select a proctor to supervise the final proctored examination. Examples of proctors that may be used are academic administrators in the learner’s locale: school superintendent or principal, academic dean or department head at a college, another independent learning office test supervisor at a college, or an education officer at a military installation. All proposed proctors are verified for appropriateness by Distance Learning and Outreach Technology (DLOT) learner service staff at 334-844-3106 or audl@auburn.edu. The tests and final examination are given under the same circumstances as it would be on campus. You are expected to get the Examination Proctor Information form properly filled in and signed by the proctor before sending it to the DLOT office. The form is available at this website address:

http://web6.duc.auburn.edu/outreach/dl/forms/il_proc_final.pdf.

Once the form is received, the DLOT office will verify the proctor and informs you and the proctor. At the time of the tests and final examination, both you and the proctor are expected to fill in the Examination Information Verification form. This form is available at this website address:

http://web6.duc.auburn.edu/outreach/dl/forms/dlot_proc_verify.pdf.

This form along with any written material is mailed in a confidential self addressed sealed envelope to DLOT office. When the examination is received by DLOT, the staff records it and forwards it to the faculty for grading and reporting.

A combination headphone and microphone is necessary for this course. The recommended equipment is the Telex Discovery headset which can be purchased at many electronics retail stores, or online.

In order to do the coursework there should be access to a computer with working speakers and an Internet connection.

The class will be fully web-based and semi-self-paced. Each week assignments will be due on a due date. You should stay on track, so the quizzes can be focused on each week's topic.

This type of course allows quite a bit of freedom, for instance, in determining at what time of day and where you do your coursework. It does, however, as you can see, entail quite a bit of self-discipline and determination in order to keep up with assignments.

You are responsible for your own learning. You are expected to do the following:

• the structured regular homework exercises as they are assigned
• review all assigned readings
• listen REPEATEDLY to the audio materials that accompany the text book and the workbook/laboratory manual
• watch all assigned video segments as often as necessary so that the language and structure presented become familiar.

As a distance education student, it is the responsibility of the student to share a significant responsibility for preparing and discussing course material. All the required readings must be completed prior to class. If a serious situation arises and the student anticipates, he/she will not be able to meet a deadline, it should be discussed with the instructor, before the due date.

If the instructor is contacted, regarding the problem at least several days before the due date, and judges it to warrant special consideration (usually due to illness or injury) the instructor and the student will negotiate an alternate due date.

If the instructor has not been contacted and special consideration has not been granted, assignments turned in after the due date will be penalized 10% of total possible points for each day late. Assignments completed later will receive a no credit.

Auburn University is committed to providing accommodations and services to students with documented disabilities. Any learner with a qualified disability which requires accommodations should contact The Program for Students with Disabilities, 1244 Haley Center, Auburn University, AL 36849, 334-844-2096 PH, 334-844-2099 FAX. More information is available on their website at www.auburn.edu/disability. The office will fax or mail the required forms to learners to apply for services. Learners who have questions to participate in this course should contact the above office in advance to ensure proper accommodations. .  

Plagiarism is the act of presenting directly or indirectly someone else's work as your own. Plagiarism is a major type of academic dishonesty and will not be tolerated. Similarly cheating on tests in any way, falsifying bibliographies, fraudulent quotes, and similar practices are intolerable forms of academic dishonesty. The University's policy for academic misconduct in the Learner Code of Conduct will be followed for this course (Tiger Club, pp. 83 and 92). If you have any questions regarding its contents, they are suggested to contact the instructor.