English is the official language of major world powers such as Great Britain and the USA. As native speakers of an international language and one of the most common languages ​​in the world, residents of these countries do not have much incentive to learn foreign languages. And from year to year there is a trend towards a decrease in second language learning. Why? If you already know the most current language in the world.
“Being English means not learning foreign languages,” says a British proverb.

However, people who speak 2-3 languages ​​have recently gained an advantage in Europe. That is, at the professional level of their native language, they have good knowledge of English. Moreover, it is not necessary to have perfect knowledge of the English language. It is enough to know it at a good everyday level: it is not bad to read in English and express your thoughts on simple topics.
In the USA the situation is similar. Reluctance to learn other foreign languages. However, the country provides great opportunities for its residents, so there is no particular incentive to leave somewhere, and therefore there is no need to learn other languages.

What foreign languages ​​do the British study?

Primary school for English students does not provide for the study of foreign languages. Although children start going to school at the age of 5. Back in the 60s, there was an attempt to introduce French language teaching, but parent committees reacted negatively to this idea. The attempt failed.
At the next stage of education (grades 7-11), schoolchildren study French (more than 70%), German and Spanish as a foreign language. Studying a second language begins in 9th grade, but is not compulsory. A third foreign language is not studied in schools.
In grades 12-13 at school, the study of foreign languages ​​depends on the profile of the school. If the school is focused on natural sciences, then studying foreign languages ​​takes no more than 3.5 hours a week. If the school has a humanitarian focus, then up to 4.5 hours are allocated for teaching foreign languages.

What foreign languages ​​are taught in American schools?

The United States of America is a country where English is the de facto official language (English is spoken by the majority). In US schools there is no unified school curriculum, so there is no compulsory study of a foreign language. The United States is a multinational country, and schoolchildren can learn a foreign language by communicating with peers. However, in 7 states of the country, learning a foreign language is mandatory. The first place in learning a foreign language is Spanish. The second most popular is French.

If you are looking for a regular high school where most teenagers study Russian, look not in New York or Alaska or some other area with a concentration of immigrants from this country.

No, go to class 213 at the Robert Goddard French Immersion School in Prince George's County, Maryland; today, for example, a rag doll “Aunt Motya” is jumping on the teacher’s lap. Dani Sanders sings a humorous song about the doll's misfortunes; The doll's four sons at the dinner table keep repeating:

“Right hand, left hand; right shoulder, left shoulder,” each time moving the named part of the body.

“Ah, ah, ah!” In this phrase, the English translation and the Russian original sound the same.

In 2010, according to a report by the Commission on Collegiate and Pre-Collegiate Russian Language Education, which tracked Russian language class enrollment since 1984, Sanders had 176 students studying Russian in eight classes. The Goddard School, the only one in this region, offers classes in a comprehensive Russian language teaching program. Of the nearly three hundred schools across all grade levels that provided data, Goddard has the most comprehensive secondary education program in the country.

Often, the largest Russian language classes are attended by children who continue the cultural tradition of their parents. But not Goddard. In this school, 82% of the students are African-American or Hispanic-American - in class number 213 there is not a single student of Russian origin. Even Sanders herself is from Bulgaria.

In her classroom, 33 Cyrillic letters are pinned to the board with pins. On another board are cards with numbers that Sanders drew with a thick marker. Only the homework assignment - “repeat numbers from 1 to 100” - is written in English: so that parents can help their children with their homework.

“It’s easier to learn a language if you study at home and memorize the words,” says David Williams, 12, a seventh-grader. - I think so, the more languages ​​I can speak, the more opportunities I will have to change the world. And all I want to do is change the world."

Unusual hobby

Interest in the Russian language is indeed unusual. According to a 2008 report from the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, only 10% of high school students surveyed would choose to study Russian if they had the opportunity.

The most popular foreign language - almost 40% of respondents said they wanted to learn it - was French.

At the Goddard School, founded in 1986, which provides primary and secondary education, students learn both languages. Children are admitted to this school, according to a certain procedure, in kindergarten. Teaching here is conducted only in French, with the exception of two courses: English and world languages.

Initially, the school used the world languages ​​course to introduce children to the richness and diversity of non-traditional languages ​​such as Japanese and Swahili.

But then, ten years later, says director Kona-Facia Nepay, management decided that students should study one language intensively. According to a survey of parents, Nepey says, 85% wanted their children to study Russian.

Russian? At first glance, the choice is strange. The Cold War is over. Russian language programs across the country have been cut, and some teachers believed Russian language instruction would be frozen nationwide. But in Prince George's, the language finds itself in a unique position.

"Parents thought it would help their children get into Roosevelt," Nepey said.

Eleanor Roosevelt High School, the area's most renowned and highly selective high school, was the only other school in Prince George's to offer Russian language instruction at the time. Parents of Goddard school students, according to the school administration, hoped to make it easier for their children to enter this school by knowing the Russian language. And often their expectations were justified.

Following instructions

This practice of admission benefits for children who speak Russian came to an end five years ago, say school staff. However, the Russian language has meanwhile become firmly entrenched in the cultural environment of the Roosevelt School, despite the fact that Chinese and Arabic, for example, are now as important as Russian was before the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Despite everything, after years of declining interest in the Russian language, many foreign language schools have reinstated—and even strengthened—their Russian language courses in recent years, says John Schillinger, a professor emeritus at an American university. collecting survey materials about enrollment in training courses.

The most extensive programs exist in high schools, where student numbers typically grow due to the popularity of the Russian language teacher, Schillinger says. Before high school, the language is usually taught in the form of an introductory course. The Russian language program at the Goddard School differs in scope and seriousness of approach.

"It's not just 'give them something to do for twenty minutes a day,'" says Schillinger. “They learn from university-level textbooks, which means this is a rich, intensive program.”

Make learning fun

In Sanders' class, this rich curriculum is implemented through play.

Sanders points as fast as he can to one number after another on the board, and students repeat them at lightning speed. When learning colors, students bring sets of colored pencils with them. They use dolls. They watch cartoons.

They sing songs about Aunt Mota, who is nervous that her children do not want to eat.

“Right foot, left foot,” the students sing.

Sanders hopes that by the end of school they will be able to speak Russian fluently and master the basics of writing.

“I want to be able to go to Russia, I like Russian architecture,” shares thirteen-year-old seventh grader, Ava McNabb. - This course is very fun. We learn a lot of words and expressions, and now we are starting to learn to actively use them all together in speech.”

It is generally accessible to all children living in the territory of the state, regardless of gender, social, national, religious affiliation, as well as citizenship. In addition, there is no uniform state education standard in the United States. This is because schools in different states are often subject to separate legal frameworks. The duration of the educational process also varies depending on the state and is 10-12 years. Children enter school at 5-8 and graduate at 18-19. The academic year consists of several trimesters or quarters. The system for assessing student achievements is letter-based.

Education Management System

Educational issues are regulated in the United States at three levels: federal, state and local. As already mentioned, a distinctive feature in America is the decentralization of the management of educational institutions. However, the US Department of Education monitors the implementation of programs adopted by schools. In addition, military academies report directly to federal authorities, regardless of the state in which they are located. There are eight such federal institutions in the United States.

In some states, virtually all educational matters are left to school boards. But it happens that issues of financing, approval of school programs, and purchase of textbooks are resolved at the state level. The level of students' knowledge is subject to constant monitoring. Based on its results, students are often divided into classes of different levels of performance, where they are taught according to separate, complicated or simplified programs. In the United States, there is a widespread system of federal grants allocated for the implementation of programs to improve student success.

Often the amount of money allocated to fund a school is directly proportional to the final test scores of its students. At the same time, work is underway in the United States to unify educational standards. It is interesting to note that the US Department of Education itself has existed since 1980. This is one of the smallest ministries of the state, with a staff of about 5,000 people.

Public schools

American children attend school at their place of residence, providing the directorate with certificates of rented housing in the given district and copies of paid utility bills. Each district is assigned one or more schools, depending on the number of people in need of school education. Public schools are governed by school boards, elected representatives of school districts. And they are financed from money from the local budget. Often, public schools are funded through property taxes.

in the USA

Of course, there are exceptions to any rule. Slightly more than 10% of the total number of educational institutions are private schools. In the USA, as in other countries, education in them is paid, and therefore is not available to everyone. To enroll in a private school, you must pass an entrance examination. Statistics show that demand exceeds supply by an order of magnitude. And there's a reason for this. Education in US public schools is less likely to allow talented children to realize their potential. At the same time, private schools graduate students with the opportunity to enter the most prestigious higher education institutions. Which schools in the USA should I choose? Everyone decides for themselves.

Church schools

In addition to public and private schools, the number of so-called church schools in the United States, subordinate and funded by religious and charitable organizations, has recently been growing. Education in such schools is characterized by a high level of discipline, obedience and religious spirit.

Preschools

Incorporation into the educational process begins for American children at the age of five. It is then that they begin to go to grade zero, which is an analogue of kindergarten. Here, little Americans are involved in society in a playful way. The main goal of visiting kindergarten is to get used to communicating and absorb general educational information, and gain some experience.

Also, little Americans are taught to read and write in preschool institutions, gradually moving from playful lessons to serious lessons. Although in many states attending grade 0 is not mandatory, for almost all children, education in US schools begins with this small step. At the end of grade zero, children take an entrance test. And then follows a three-stage stage of schooling. It seems difficult to count how many schools there are in the United States, because each new stage is a different school.

Primary school

Until fifth or sixth grade, American schoolchildren attend an educational institution called elementary school. A distinctive feature is that classes in all subjects are taught by one teacher. American children in elementary school spend the bulk of their school time reading and learning their native language (speaking and writing). There is practically no homework assigned here. Children do all their work in class, using school textbooks that cannot be taken home with them.

It also ends with a graduation test, based on the results of which the child can be enrolled in secondary school.

High school in the USA

Here, Americans begin to study specific subjects, in contrast to the previous stages, aimed at increasing the amount of general educational knowledge. Each individual subject is taught by a specialist. Students are required to study English, mathematics, social and natural sciences, and engage in physical education in secondary school. In addition, students have the opportunity to choose subjects to study independently.

Secondary ones are professional, academic and multidisciplinary. Vocational schools usually enroll students who have not achieved enough credits to attend an academic school. Here the number of general education subjects is reduced to a minimum. Training is concentrated around practical disciplines. There are programs that involve training in special workshops. Graduating from an academic high school gives the graduate a set of knowledge that allows them to immediately enter a university. Well, multidisciplinary schools are something between academic and vocational.

High school

Thus, high school graduates in the United States have different general education backgrounds. This is also connected with the activities of career guidance organizations. Usually, every school has a psychologist who helps students decide on their future career choice. The choice of subjects to study is carried out in accordance with the profession of interest. The last 4 years of schooling in the USA correspond to secondary education in post-Soviet countries, this is the so-called high school.

Graduates spend their last year preparing to enter college or higher education. To successfully complete a school education, a student must earn a certain number of credits, that is, attend the number of compulsory school classes specified in the program. The rest of the time, the teenager attends lessons of his choice from among additional disciplines. Based on the results of the final test, students are admitted to the university.

To summarize, we can say that school education in the United States differs significantly from the domestic education system. But the quality of knowledge acquisition directly depends on the desire to learn. The form of education plays only a secondary role.

The United States of America is a country located in the north of the American continent . The total area of ​​the country is 9.9 million square meters. km. In terms of territory size, the United States ranks fourth among countries in the world.

PopulationThe United States was initially formed through mass immigration mainly from Europe and the importation of black slaves. The ethnic spectrum includes the indigenous population of America - Indians, Eskimos, Aleuts, as well as Spanish-speaking peoples. As of 2000, the population of the United States is 274.2 million people.

Official language - English (state). About 32 million US residents also speak a second language, the most popular being Spanish, Chinese, Russian, Polish, Korean, Vietnamese, Portuguese, Japanese, Greek, Arabic, Hindi, Urdu, Yiddish, Thai, Armenian, Navajo.

State system : The USA is a presidential republic.

Capital – Washington(more than 543 thousand residents without suburbs).

History of relations between the USA and Russia

The United States wanted to establish diplomatic relations with Russia under Catherine the Great , but she refused, perhaps due to fear of the American Revolution. For twenty-eight years after the formation of the States, these connections practically did not exist. Frederick La Harpe, his teacher and consultant, suggested that Alexander I establish diplomatic relations with America. Later, President Jefferson himself wrote a letter to the king.

In 1808 A.Ya. was appointed Dashkova to the position of the first Russian Consul General and Charge d'Affaires in the United States; from August 1811 he became envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of Russia to the US Congress.

1918 - the beginning of the American military intervention in the North of Russia (the landing of American troops in Murmansk and Arkhangelsk).

In 1933, an exchange of notes took place between the People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs of the USSR M.M. Litvinov and US President F.D. Roosevelt on the establishment of diplomatic relations between the USSR and the USA.

1947 - the first Voice of America radio broadcasts in Russian began.

In 1967, the Soviet-American space experiment "Soyuz - Apollo" began.

Russian language in the USA

1. Reasons for studying Russian in the USA

One of the most important reasons for studying Russian in the USA is the desire for cooperation in the field of business and services. The Russian state encourages foreign investors in every possible way.

But, despite its desire to “go to the West,” Russia is still largely perceived as an “eastern” country. One student I know from the USA said: “Learning Russian seems to be as unusual as learning Chinese or Arabic.” That. the incentive to learn a language is its “unusuality”.

2. Statistics on the number of Russian language learners in the USA

Currently, the number of Russian language learners in the United States is about 35 thousand people, including 27 thousand students in higher educational institutions (private and public), 6.5 thousand in schools (private and public). According to various estimates, about 2.5 thousand students study the Russian language in institutions.

In the informal hit parade of the popularity of foreign languages ​​among US residents, Russian took fourth place. It was far ahead of Spanish (7,031 bachelors), French (2,514) and German (1,125). At the same time, the Russian language was ahead of Japanese (321), Italian (237), Chinese (183), Latin (79), Portuguese (33) and Greek (26).

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in 2001, 340 American college graduates received a bachelor's degree in Russian.

3. Russian language in US schools (Russian School at Yale University)

Russian is taught in a fairly limited number of schools in the United States. In those schools where it is taught, most often it is not compulsory (an elective, a subject of choice). Often, teaching the Russian language depends on the population of the city, or more precisely, on the number of Russian-speaking residents. According to the Associated Press, Russian language began to be taught in the elementary grades of several schools in the state of Alaska. Non-state Russian school organized at Yale University. They study at school Russian language (various levels), Russian classical and modern literature, world and Russian history. The Moscow government is ready to provide all the necessary methodological assistance, educational materials for the creation of schools teaching the Russian language. To solve this important problem, according to different opinions, there are two ways: working with municipal authorities and creating private schools. The American non-governmental academic organization College Board has launched an initiative introducing in American schools a program for advanced study of the Russian language and, accordingly, testing those students who intend to continue their studies in higher educational institutions.

4. Russian language in US higher education institutions

Currently, there are a number of well-known centers for teaching the Russian language and training Russian specialists. Among them, the university enjoys a special reputation "Bryn Mar"(Pennsylvania), where is also located Russian Language Institute. According to experts, the programs "Bryn Mar" are distinguished by high quality of education. They provide for the possibility of obtaining various academic degrees in the field of the Russian language, incl. and doctorate.

It should also be noted three public universities in Ohio, Texas and Indiana. The pedagogical faculties at these educational institutions offer various academic degrees in the field of Russian language and literature. The main centers for training Russian specialists at the bachelor's and master's levels are Indiana University, and also Middleberry College in Vermont. The program for teaching Russian as a foreign language is popular in University of pcs. Maryland(College Park), providing a master's degree. Russian language is studied by students of departmental educational institutions such as US Department of Defense Language Institute, Foreign Service Institute of the US State Department. IN Indiana University, V Middleberry College In the state of Vermont there are summer courses for intensive study of the Russian language. In addition to state and non-state universities, there are other forms of studying the Russian language.

Other forms of teaching Russian in the USA

In the USA there is also an extensive system of studying foreign languages ​​outside the school and university sectors, for example, in large private companies, religious schools, church parishes, as well as in various circles and clubs.

Internships in Russia, educational programs in the Russian language for foreign students, problems in learning the Russian language, nationally oriented textbooks

Many students from the USA, who have reached a fairly high level in mastering the Russian language, decide to go for an internship in Russia. Currently, faculties or departments for US citizens studying the Russian language exist in many large cities - Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, etc. Students come not only to “immerse themselves in the language environment”, but also to get acquainted with the culture and way of life of Russians people.

Teachers of Russian language and literature in the USA

According to ASPRYAL/AKSEL, there are currently 450 teachers of Russian language and literature working in American schools, 1,200 in higher education institutions, and 450 in government departments.

In the USA Russian specialists are among the most recognized experts in the field of education and science, both in the system of secondary and higher education. They conduct active research activities on the study and teaching of the Russian language and literature, as well as methodological work, for example, developed by them.

Activities of the American Council for International Education (ASPRYAL/AKSEL)

The American Council on International Education (ACCEL) is a non-governmental organization specializing in teaching and international exchange.
Russian-language media in the USA

a) newspapers and magazines

· newspaper " Review»

· « Russian Bazaar»- http://www. russian-bazaar. com/

· « MAKC International » - http://www.makcmagazine.com/

· « Evening New York» - http://www. ever. com/

· « Courier» - http://www. courierweb. com/

· « Continent - USA» - http://www. continent. org/

· « Our Texas» - http://www. OurTx. com/

· « http://www. horizont. com/

There is also a chain of audiobook stores in Russian.

b) television and radio broadcasting

· TV RTN/WMNB; RTV

· Russian radio broadcasting is divided into live broadcasts from Russia (Russkoe Radio, Europa Plus, Radio Mayak, Melodia Chanel etc.) and broadcast in the USA (New Life, New Horizons, No Limits Radio SF, Radio Svoboda etc.). It is possible to listen to almost all Russian radio stations using a special antenna or via the Internet.

Errors made in Russian speech by US students studying Russian

The main errors are related to the discrepancy between the articulatory bases of the Russian and English languages, and the complex grammar of the Russian language. There are also spelling errors and lexical compatibility errors.

In recent years, there has been a certain rise in the study of the Russian language and, according to the observations of experts from the American Council on International Education, this trend is quite stable, and further positive development of the situation is predicted. In particular, in 2000-2002. There was a 20% increase in the number of American students who applied to study in Russia through ASPRYAL/AKSEL. In addition, orders for Russian language textbooks for beginners increased by 20% compared to last year. The number of students studying Russian in the distance learning system ASPRYAL/AKSEL “RussNet” has increased, where there are 7 thousand users. Another encouraging symptom is that American Council specialists consider the latest initiative of the non-governmental academic organization "College Boagd" (the introduction in American schools of a program for advanced study of the Russian language and testing for those students who intend to continue their studies in higher educational institutions).

Many students come to Russia for internships and often stay here for scientific research or work. Russia is developing, investors and cultural experts - all kinds of people - are attracted by its past and future, its people and culture.