Some tips to organize your Russian classes
Always anticipate any questions the student may have. As soon as you prepare a class, ask yourself what doubts the student may have.
In this way, you can structure your course based on these questions , or better prepare to answer them if necessary.
The most important thing in a private class is to listen to the teacher. In a French class, in an Italian class or in a Russian class, the teacher must be attentive to the student to understand their problems and solve them.
A Russian class can be likened to a conversation class . Don’t put yourself in the position of a lecturer. Sometimes, the student may ask you questions that have little to do with the topic you are giving. It will be up to you to know how to juggle these interruptions and get back to the main topic of the class.
You can also make a note of the question to address it in the next class.
When preparing your classes, pay attention to the clock . If you have an hour of Russian classes, you should clearly delimit it to have the time necessary to fully address the notion envisaged:
- 10 minute review of the previous lesson;
- 20 minutes of lessons with examples;
- 20 minutes of application exercises;
- 10 minute reminder of the lesson and possible assignments for next time.
You can use the didactic material that exists, but the best thing is to create your own and update it. You can use it in several different classes depending on the goals of your students.
If you’re in college, pay attention to the small age gap that can be both an asset and a weakness. Don’t be too familiar with the younger ones. They will feel more comfortable with you, but you should stick to your role as an experienced teacher , establishing a certain distance to maintain your authority.
Learning a language is a living and changing process. Do not be afraid as a teacher of not knowing everything and invite your students to investigate for themselves.
Private Russian lessons for adults or children should allow everyone to feel comfortable and safe to learn the Russian language in a good mood!
Feel free to turn to games , especially in intensive classes and group lessons, to break the monotony and learn Russian in a fun and easy way. You can also propose to see a Russian movie or imagine a sequel to an excerpt from a book by Tólstoi or Dostoyevsky!
These tips are intended to be general, since all teachers are free to organize their course as they see fit and especially according to the objectives of their students.
Experience will undoubtedly make you modify your classes to find the ideal formula for each of your students.