настроение: дружелюбное
keywords: Russia, coursebooks, Starlight, impressions, tests, phonetics, grammar period, speaking, interaction, the fifth skill
WHAT ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS OF RUSSIA IN TERMS OF BOTH EDUCATION AND BUSINESS?
Well, from the business point of view I expect, as usual, professionalism and perfectly organized events. I’ve been working with you for many years and it’s never disappointing. Russian teachers’ and publishers’ professionalism for at least 6 years has been perfect.
From the educational point of view, one of the things I enjoy here is the level of teaching. In my opinion (and I say it all over the world) Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian, Polish teachers have the best educational level. I’m sure there are good teachers in other parts of the world, like in Argentina for example, their level is quite high too. But in Russia even if you go to depths of the country, you find children speaking English which you don’t find in other countries. Pupils that might have never even spoken to a foreigner, respond when one speaks to them in English. And their responses are in good English. They don’t just respond a little bit, but they speak in full English sentences, which for me is always surprising. I really enjoy talking not only to teachers, but to students in Russia because I know that I will be understood. This is one of my expectations and it’s always fulfilled.
I’ve never had any negative impression about educational level of the teachers in Russia. However, I always do have another kind of expectation: sometimes some teachers come up to me and ask me some unusual questions. Once a teacher asked me something about Lord Byron. They think that as an English course author I am all-knowing, that I know everything about the English culture and English mentality, which I don’t. Everybody has limits and so do I.