Vladimir, Russia

KORA Russian Language Center

Russian

Intermediate and advanced

June 15 – August 16, 2010

Dates are inclusive of travel and the pre-departure orientation in Washington, DC. Students are required to participate in the full program, including the pre-departure orientation. All travel will be arranged for participants following selection.

The CLS Program offers courses designed to develop students’ listening, reading, speaking, spoken interaction, and writing skills. The program at the Russian Language Center “KORA” seeks to maximize students’ linguistic and cultural immersion into Russian society. Students will receive a minimum of 20 hours per week of formal classroom instruction in courses such as applied grammar, conversation practice, pronunciation, Russian fiction, and the language of mass media. Students will also consult with instructors as they work on an essay project. Participants will also be required to take part in organized semi-formal and informal learning activities that will promote interaction with the host community and culture. These activities will support the formal classroom instruction.

Cultural enrichment lectures and activities will also be arranged, and students will have opportunities to visit places such as museums, concerts, and theaters in Vladimir.

All components of the CLS Program have been developed as part of the language acquisition process. CLS participants are required to attend all program components, including, but not limited to, language instruction (formal/informal), cultural activities, and excursions. Absences will only be excused for medical or other approved reasons.

Students will be housed with host families. Host families will provide two meals a day on weekdays and three meals a day on weekends. Lunches during the week will be provided by KORA.

The “Russian Language Center “KORA”” was founded in 1991 by faculty from Vladimir State University. It began offering courses to foreigners in 1999 and has since trained more than 500 foreign students. All faculty members are specially trained in the instruction of Russian as a foreign language, and many have teaching experience in the West.

Although only 200 kilometers from Moscow, the pace of life in Vladimir is leisurely. Residents of Vladimir have more time to spend with family and friends, and this is reflected in their warm hospitality. With a population of 360,000, Vladimir is a regional capital, yet it still maintains its small-town charm. One of Russia’s oldest cities, Vladimir is part of the historic “Golden Ring.”