2020 National Conversations on Teaching of Russian

Series of talks each featuring a panel of experts who will discuss the issues we are all confronting in the Russian language teaching field due to the COVID19 crisis, help brainstorm possible solutions, think about the future of the field, and support professional networking.

Members of the panels will represent large and small universities, both state and private colleges, and K-12 programs.

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    Much is changing in our profession due to the global health crisis, and we have to rethink, readjust and reinvent how we teach the Russian language and culture, build communities of learners, organize extra-curricular events, and support our students while also keeping our own balance. The uncertainties created by the pandemic make it difficult for us to plan for the fall and even the spring semester, study abroad programs and co-curricular activities. Perennial questions of inequalities in the American society exacerbated by the economic crisis and the recent events of police brutality against people of color are also on the minds of both teachers and students as we were preparing for the 2020-21 academic year. ​

    Conversation 1
     July 10 2PM EDT

    Changes to the pedagogy at the post-secondary level (programmatic goals, methods, classroom-based assessment)
    Panelists: William Comer (Portland State University),  Lynne deBenedette (Brown University), Cynthia Martin (University of Maryland), Shannon Spasova (Michigan State University), Kristen Welsh (Hobart and William Smith Colleges)
    Moderator: Irina Dubinina (Brandeis University)


    Conversation 2
     July 17 2PM EDT
    Inclusivity in the Russian language classroom 
    Panelists: Lindsay Ceballos (Lafayette College), Thomas Garza (The University of Texas at Austin), Lauren Nelson (Pritzker College Prep), Rachel Stauffer (James Madison University)
    Moderator:     Colleen Lucey (The University of Arizona)


    Meeting Chat

    Conversation 3
     July 24 2PM EDT

    Co-curricular activities and events; building communities of learners
    Panelists: Evgeny Dengub, UMass Amherst, Kathleen Evans, Indiana University Bloomington, Laura Marshall, The University of Wisconsin-Madison,  
    Lee Roby, Friends School Of Baltimore, Iza Savenkova, Dickinson College, 
    Maria Shardakova, Indiana University Bloomington
    Moderator: Irina Dubinina (Brandeis University)


    Presenters' Slides

    Conversation 4
     July 31 2PM EDT

    Changes to the pedagogy at the K-12 level (programmatic goals, methods, assessment)
    Panelists:
    Emily Matts Henry (American Councils)
    Paavo Husen (Illinois Mathematics and Science Acade, retired)
    Ken Petersen (American Councils)
    Katerina Ratushnyuk (Staten Island Technical High School)
    John Rock (Smith Middle School, Glastonbury)
    Betsy Sandstrom (Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology)
    Jane Shuffelton (Brighton High School, retired)
    Mara Sukholutskaya (East Central University)
    Mark Trotter (Indiana University)
    Moderator: Nataliya Ushakova (Staten Island Technical High School); president (ACTR)

    Conversation 5
     August 7 2PM EDT

    Study abroad and Flagship programs and intensive summer programs
    Panelists: 
    Karen Evans-Romaine, Co-Director of the Russian Flagship program, University of Wisconsin-Madison
    Graham Hettlinger,     Director of Higher Education Programs, ACTR
    Jason Merrill, Director of the Middlebury College Kathryn Wasserman Davis School of Russian
    Jeannette Owen,     Director of the Critical Language Scholarships Program, ACTR
    Nana Tsikhelashvili, Director of the Middlebury School in Russia 
    Irina Walsh, Co-Director of the Russian Language Institute, Bryn Mawr
    Moderator: Evgeny Dengub (UMass Amherst)

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