Shape Shifters: TLAC Conference Grant Application
American Councils and US Department of Education
Abstract
Fifteen teachers were selected nationwide to participate in the Teachers of Russian Summer Program at Moscow State University, in Moscow Russia. As the top university in the country, Moscow State is the source of numerous well-known linguists, and language and literature specialists. Upon our departure, we were very much looking forward to a truly wonderful and enriching experience. After our initial orientation in Washington DC, we flew to Moscow where we spent seven weeks attending seminars, workshops, and presentations, with local teachers of Russian as a foreign language. The program was well-rounded, focusing not only on language instruction but on culture (eg.history of music and art), politics and literature. Throughout the program each of the American teacher also conducted occasional seminars, sharing his or her methods of language instruction in the States with the American and Russian colleagues, as well as presentations on cultural and literary topics.