Master Russian provides a variety of tutorials related to Russian grammar, vocabulary, and writing: from detailed information about Russian cases to writing a business letter, to a list of popular Russian names. It also offers learning tips, information about Russian culture, a database of pen pals and relatively active forum. The site links to many external sites related to Russian language and culture, including commercial sites.
Type of Material:
Collection
Recommended Uses:
Original site resources could be used as an electronic textbook to develop language skills, mostly grammar, some conversational Russian, listening comprehension, and writing. The site also provides links to external sites that offer a variety of activities to practice language skills. It could also be used by teachers and students as a source of authentic materials for classroom activities or for individual work. The site forum and pen pal database could be a valuable channel for communication with native speakers.
Technical Requirements:
n/a
Identify Major Learning Goals:
To provide a variety of resources in order to develop and enrich language skills and knowledge of Russian literature and culture.
Target Student Population:
Teachers and learners of Russian language, literature and culture. Students of all language proficiency levels.
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:
n/a
Content Quality
Rating:
Strengths:
The site provides materials for different types of audience beginners or advance learners, adult or younger students. The site team developed some original pages, as well as integrated to the site structure links to external sites. Most lessons grouped by part of speech (nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, numerals), or grammar topic (cases). There are also lessons devoted to vocabulary and how-tos and tips. Some vocabulary lessons include audio files of good quality (RealPlayer is needed). The selection of external sites is very good in the whole: these sites are meant for all language proficiency levels, and target all language skills.
Concerns:
There are broken links.
Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool
Rating:
Strengths:
The site provides links to Russian mass media sites, including online newspapers, TV, and radio, as well as to high culture and popular culture resources, such as classic and modern literature, music, jokes, etc.
There are many valuable teaching and learning resources but the effectiveness of their usage will totally depend on how well the learner will organize her/his studies as the site does not provide a clear sequence of study. Therefore the materials would be best used under the guidance of an experienced language instructor. Teachers can direct learners interaction with the site materials and prescribe methods for their best use.
The site could be used to supplement the study of Russian by 1) providing tutorials of key language concepts, 2) offering learning tips, 3) connecting with native speakers, and 3) linking to many valuable external sites. Original pages lack interactivity which could be compensated by interactive exercises offered by other linked sites. While site contains resources for different language proficiency levels, it could be best used under the guidance of an experienced instructor of Russian. It is also a good source of locating authentic materials texts of classic and modern literature, music, newspaper articles, audio- and video- materials in Russian.
Concerns:
New words are presented in phrases but are not put together in dialogues or texts and as such they lack a large context.
The site has some glitches: for example, the link to Writing a Business Letter is repeated twice.
While many links to external sites related to learning Russian are very valuable and well-done, others are outdated or commercial sites that offer paid services related to learning Russian (selling dictionaries, CDs with lessons, or offering commercial courses). Master Russian provides very short annotation to both external sites and internal pages, but they rarely give a clear picture of what to expect from these pages/sites.
Overall, the materials are disorganized and could be difficult to use without guidance for novice learners. It also contains too many advertisements some of which are not related to learning Russian.
Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty
Rating:
Strengths:
One of the most valuable places in the site is the forum, which could be used to practice Russian, post and view Russian videos, to discuss general questions, or find a pen pal.
Master Russian also contains a Video page that uses YouTube videos on subjects related to traveling, culture, etc. The idea is a good one but so far the current selection offers videos only in English and includes such video as Sex and Travel.
Concerns:
Many of the links are broken.
Other Issues and Comments:
None
Creative Commons:
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