St. Petersburg University
Kandidatskaya, Leningrad State University
The better part of my life has been connected with St. Petersburg University: I studied there, defended my dissertation there, and for several years now have worked in the Russian Department there.
I love learning and helping others learn. Since I also love to travel, I've taught in several countries: Germany, Norway, and the United States. I've helped all kinds of students learn to speak Russian: Germans, Norwegians, Japanese, Finns, Koreans, Swedes, and, of course, Americans.
Recently I branched out beyond humans and have begun teaching computers. I'm working on getting them to read Russian classics (but not only classics) out loud and to understand spoken Russian. I'm not doing this alone, of course, but as part of a speech recognition and synthesis research team. Computers are turning out to be the worst students I've ever had, but I keep plugging along the information superhighway.
Courses
Courses offered in the past four years.
▲ indicates offered in the current term
▹ indicates offered in the upcoming term[s]
RUSS 6502 - Adv Conversation Practicum
Advanced Conversation Practicum
Students in this class will focus on expanding their lexicon and their syntactical repertoire in scholarly and journalistic speech and on preparing scholarly presentations in their area of interest. Main themes will be political, economic, cultural, and social life in Russia, as they approach interesting and sometimes controversial topics concerning contemporary Russian society and culture. Students will read assigned articles from scholarship and press, watch videos on Russian politics, society, and culture, discuss these materials, and write compositions. Grades will be determined according to participation in class discussions, weekly compositions, an oral presentation, and a final oral examination.
Linguistics Language & StylisticsSummer 2009, Summer 2010
RUSS 6511 - Rdngs Cont Ru Press
Readings in the Contemporary Russian Press
This course will focus on the development of vocabulary related to Russian media, and of reading, listening, speaking, and writing skills through reading, viewing, and discussion of various materials in the journalistic and popular press. We will discuss the political, economic, social, and cultural life of Russia as represented in the media. At home students will read assigned press materials and do grammatical and lexical exercises to develop vocabulary. In class we will watch television programs thematically linked with the assigned readings. Students will be required to convey the author’s opinion and their own, to participate in debates, and to give and respond to oral reports. Grades will be assessed according to class participation, homework, an oral report, weekly compositions, and a final examination.
Civ Cul & Soc Language & StylisticsSummer 2008
