Teaching Russian abroad: the concept of additional professional training

¹ The Kosygin State University of Russia, Institute of International Education, Moscow, Russia
² St. Petersburg State University, Faculty of Philology, St. Petersburg, Russia

^* Corresponding author: apozdnyakova@live.ru

Abstract

The importance of a qualitative renewal of the additional professional training system for Russian language teachers of foreign schools gives rise to many problems of both theoretical and organizational nature. The following ones are particularly relevant: 1) the determination of professional deficits of teaching staff; 2) the identification of gaps in the current system of additional professional training for Russian as a foreign language teachers; 3) the correction of the identified professional deficiencies through additional educational programs on various directions and degrees of complexity. The solution to these problems is impossible in the absence of the concept of additional professional training system for Russian as foreign language teachers, formed on the basis of an ethno-oriented approach, which involves the development of models of advanced training for teaching specific ethnic groups. Such a concept can be implemented through a system of diagnostic and educational events held remotely in a controlled segment of the Internet (on the platform of a specific educational institution or its autonomous substructure). Since the organization of additional professional training for Russian as foreign language teachers of foreign schools is closely related to the type of educational institution in which the teacher works (national state, national non-state, weekend school, schools under the Russian Orthodox Church, etc.), it is advisable to consider the educational content of advanced training programs from two points of view: 1) from the point of view of the requirements for the training of the contingent of students, 2) from the point of view of the requirements for the personality of the teacher of a particular educational institution. Taking these factors into account is important, since it directly affects the nature of the training content and the technologies used. This study offers the options for modular educational programs for additional training in three fields of activity (subject, organizational, methodological, psychological): 1) the program “Difficult cases of Russian grammar and Russian word usage”, aimed at eliminating gaps in the field of subject competences; 2) the program “Problems of teaching the Russian language in a limited language environment”, aimed at eliminating gaps in the organizational and methodological sphere; 3) the program “Psychological foundations of organizing educational activities in a foreign language”, aimed at eliminating gaps in the field of psychological competencies. Sequential remote implementation of modules included in additional professional training programs will provide access to up-to-date methodological knowledge for a large number of teachers of Russian as a foreign language.