Russian literature in teaching Russian as a foreign language

Abstract

The promotion of the Russian language in the world is one of the main goals of the modern Russian education strategy. An important part of this problem is teaching Russian to foreigners in Russian universities. The current problem of modern Russian studies is the search for the most effective forms, methods and means of Russian language learning. Teaching Russian to foreigners should be built on an interdisciplinary basis. The most important component of teaching Russian to foreign students is literature. Turning to it, foreigners get acquainted with the history, culture and traditions of Russia from different eras. Russian literature is very popular in different countries. The works of Russian writers are studied in schools and universities in China. The article presents the authorial method of teaching the Russian language to Chinese bachelors and masters based on a graphical and symbolic analysis of Russian literature. Our methodology uses the practice-oriented traditions of semiotics, mnemonics and ergonomics. When studying Ivan Turgenev’s story “Bezhin Meadow”, we focus on the features of its analysis in the Chinese audience. This lesson is preceded by a historical-literary and cultural commentary of the teacher who uses various multimedia tools. An integral part of our methodology is the creation of an adapted educational text with marked stresses, vocabulary work and various types of retelling, grammar tasks and a graphic drawing of the analyzed text. With this approach to the educational process, foreign students develop visual memory, better understand Russian grammar and improve oral coherent speech, which contributes to a deeper and more meaningful interest in the Russian language. The use of modern technologies, while working on a literary text, helps foreign students to better understand the national flavor of Russian literature. The study has led to the need to implement new approaches to teaching the Russian language to Chinese students at the North-Eastern Federal University named after M.K. Ammosov.