The Art of Teaching Russian

A comprehensive guide to Russian-language instruction combining the latest research, pedagogy, and practice.


The Art of Teaching Russian offers practitioners current research, pedagogical thinking, and specific methodologies for teaching the Russian language and culture in the twenty-first century. With contributions from the leading professionals in the field, this collection covers the most important aspects of teaching the Russian language.

The book begins with an overview of the past and current trends in foreign language education and in Russian instruction in the United States. Other topics include the effects of ACTFL's World-Readiness Standards on the field; different pedagogical approaches to teaching at various levels of proficiency; curriculum and materials development; and teaching Russian culture to develop students' intercultural competence. The collection concludes with a discussion on how to use technology in the Russian-language classroom to enhance students' learning.

The Art of Teaching Russian includes practical approaches for successful teaching, supported by original research. Teachers and graduate students will rely upon this collection to enhance their instruction.

Evgeny Dengub is a senior lecturer at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He is coauthor of Panorama: Intermediate Russian Language and Culture (Georgetown University Press, 2017).

Irina Dubinina is an associate professor of Russian at Brandeis University, where she directs the Russian-language program. She is coauthor of Rodnaya rech': An Introductory Course for Heritage Learners of Russian (Georgetown University Press, 2019).

Jason Merrill is a professor of Russian at Michigan State University and is the director of the Kathryn Wasserman Davis School of Russian at Middlebury College. He is the coauthor of the textbooks Russian Folktales: A Reader for Students of Russian and Animation for Russian Conversation.