Russian: Ufa, Russia


Location: Ufa, Russia
Dates of program: June 10 - August 11, 2012
Hosting institution: Bashkir State Pedagogical University (BSPU)
Language offered: Russian
Levels offered: Intermediate and advanced

Program Structure

The CLS Russia institute covers approximately one academic year of university-level Russian study during the 8-week program, and is designed to meet the needs of students from a range of language levels and backgrounds. Students range in proficiency and experience from those who have completed the minimum required two years of college-level study or the equivalent, to heritage speakers already at an advanced level of proficiency.

Students take classes at Bashkir State Pedagogical University in Ufa. Formal classroom instruction consists of approximately four hours per day of language classes, five days per week, in addition to cultural classes and lectures led by local artists and professors. Extracurricular activities are designed to supplement the formal curriculum, including regular one-on-one meetings with peer tutors for conversational practice, as well as cultural activities and excursions designed to expand students’ understanding of Russian life and culture. Students also live with host families, which gives them an opportunity to experience life with a Russian family and practice their language skills outside of class.

A CLS Ufa student and her peer tutor at a local park.

Outcomes

In 2010, the CLS Program adopted the Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) developed by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) as an additional measure of the effectiveness and quality of the institutes overseas. Before the program, students take a diagnostic OPI test; at the end of their 8-week course of study, they take an ACTFL-certified post-program OPI assessment. The scores on these tests give students a concrete, widely-recognized measure of their speaking skills in Russian.

Student Activities

Students were invited to the restaurant “Moroshka” in Ufa to learn the fine art of preparing pel’meny—Russian dumplings filled with meat, vegetables, or potatoes. Participants relied on their Russian and worked with a local chef to prepare the dough, assemble the fillings, and cook the pel’meny to perfection. Check out photos here.

Alumni Highlights

A CLS Ufa student volunteers at the Ufa Child Development Center

During the 2011 CLS institute in Ufa, Russia, Alissa Davis and several of her classmates found time outside of class, homework, and interacting with peer tutors and host families to give back to the local community. With help from one of her instructors at BSPU, Alissa and her classmates arranged to volunteer at the “Indigo” Ufa Child Development Center, . The children at this shelter ranged in age from 5 through 15. Alissa and her classmates spent time leading an art project, playing games, and interacting both with the children and the workers at the shelter. While they enjoyed talking with the children, Alissa noted that most were quite shy. “The workers there were much more inquisitive and asked many more questions than the kids. In addition to wondering what state I was from, they asked me why I was in Ufa, how long I'd be there, what I was studying, what I wanted to do after I graduated, what my experiences were like working in similar organizations in the U.S., etc.”

Alissa has proven dedicated to working with NGOs in Russia, and her initiative allowed her and her classmates to identify and pursue this volunteer activity in Ufa. During Alissa’s participation in the CLS Program in Astrakhan in 2009, she completed an internship at an NGO working with homeless children and victims of human trafficking. Alissa is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in International Relations with a certificate in Civil Society Organizations at Syracuse University. She ultimately hopes to earn a Doctorate in public policy, and continue to work with NGOs to advance the cause of human rights.

Program Highlights

View videos, read highlights, and more on the CLS Blog!

Alumni Ambassadors



Alyssa Yorgan, '10	Phillip Bradshaw, '11	James Stevens, '11 (Kazan)