Learning Russian language: The Russian Learners&#x27; Society

HELP please :smile:

I've been doing a bit of preliminary prep...So I've grasped the basics: the alphabet, basic nouns and verbs and conversational stuff...and I'd like to go on a step further. So could anyone recommend any good books which can advance my level a bit? I even looked for GCSE revision textbooks but there aren't any available at all...and I've been using the Teach Yourself series which is pretty good thus far.
I've only got just over a couple of weeks left before I start and any recommendations would be great :smile:

Reply 102

OP

Fillette

HELP please :smile:

I've been doing a bit of preliminary prep...So I've grasped the basics: the alphabet, basic nouns and verbs and conversational stuff...and I'd like to go on a step further. So could anyone recommend any good books which can advance my level a bit? I even looked for GCSE revision textbooks but there aren't any available at all...and I've been using the Teach Yourself series which is pretty good thus far.
I've only got just over a couple of weeks left before I start and any recommendations would be great :smile:

Honestly, don't do anything else or you'll get bored :p:

Get the textbook Поехали!, you'll need the level 1, it's a blue, white and red book, but I don't know if you'll find it on Amazon. If not, call Blackwell in Manchester (the one on Oxford Road) and try to have them to send it to you, or at least to save one for you. Or just go and check if Grant & Cutler have it (they should).

Reply 103

Anatheme

Honestly, don't do anything else or you'll get bored :p:

Get the textbook Поехали!, you'll need the level 1, it's a blue, white and red book, but I don't know if you'll find it on Amazon. If not, call Blackwell in Manchester (the one on Oxford Road) and try to have them to send it to you, or at least to save one for you. Or just go and check if Grant & Cutler have it (they should).

Cheers Marion :smile:

I think I'll try and look for it at Foyles in London first, which is quite good for foreign learning books- and then I'll try Blackwells. (But I assume Manc will want us to have quite a good knowledge of the basics before we go up/ or did they start teaching from the absolute basics ? )

Reply 104

OP

Fillette

Cheers Marion :smile:

I think I'll try and look for it at Foyles in London first, which is quite good for foreign learning books- and then I'll try Blackwells. (But I assume Manc will want us to have quite a good knowledge of the basics before we go up/ or did they start teaching from the absolute basics ? )

No, they assume that you have absolutely no knowledge at all and will not require you to even know a single letter of the alphabet, meaning you will already have a week during wich you'll get bored, waiting for the other to learn how to read and write (if you can, try to learn how to write Russian all joined-up, because it's way nicer than when it's not joined-up and because it'll help you learning how to read real Russian handwriting). This website is pretty good for that, and there are these files too:

http://files.spoonfulofrussian.com/podcast/movies/letter01.mov (5647 kB)
http://files.spoonfulofrussian.com/podcast/movies/letter02_04.mov (18639 kB)
http://files.spoonfulofrussian.com/podcast/movies/letter05_08.mov (61467 kB)
http://files.spoonfulofrussian.com/podcast/movies/letter09_10.mov (6486 kB)
http://files.spoonfulofrussian.com/podcast/movies/letter11_15.mov (7041 kB)
http://files.spoonfulofrussian.com/podcast/movies/letter16_20.mov (27969 kB)
http://files.spoonfulofrussian.com/podcast/movies/letter21_25.mov (24436 kB)
http://files.spoonfulofrussian.com/podcast/movies/letter26_33.mov (43448 kB)

Finally, Brown University has this excellent website to learn cursive

Reply 105

Zoedotdot

Fillette

Cheers Marion :smile:

I think I'll try and look for it at Foyles in London first, which is quite good for foreign learning books- and then I'll try Blackwells. (But I assume Manc will want us to have quite a good knowledge of the basics before we go up/ or did they start teaching from the absolute basics ? )

Go for Grant and Cutler before Foyle's, they'll almost definitely have it.

Reply 106

OP

Zoedotdot

Go for Grant and Cutler before Foyle's, they'll almost definitely have it.

Yeah, and especially as the book isn't really usual, I mean only the Blackwell on Oxford Road had it and they ran out of them pretty quickly so my teacher had to get them? Directly from St Petersburg :p:

Btw, I was wondering, do you use that Svetlana Le Flemming book too? And what grammar points have you covered during the year? I'm finding my course quite easy, so I'm wondering if it's really easy or if I'm missing out on something :s-smilie:

Reply 107

Anatheme

No, they assume that you have absolutely no knowledge at all and will not require you to even know a single letter of the alphabet, meaning you will already have a week during wich you'll get bored, waiting for the other to learn how to read and write (if you can, try to learn how to write Russian all joined-up, because it's way nicer than when it's not joined-up and because it'll help you learning how to read real Russian handwriting). This website is pretty good for that, and there are these files too:

http://files.spoonfulofrussian.com/podcast/movies/letter01.mov (5647 kB)
http://files.spoonfulofrussian.com/podcast/movies/letter02_04.mov (18639 kB)
http://files.spoonfulofrussian.com/podcast/movies/letter05_08.mov (61467 kB)
http://files.spoonfulofrussian.com/podcast/movies/letter09_10.mov (6486 kB)
http://files.spoonfulofrussian.com/podcast/movies/letter11_15.mov (7041 kB)
http://files.spoonfulofrussian.com/podcast/movies/letter16_20.mov (27969 kB)
http://files.spoonfulofrussian.com/podcast/movies/letter21_25.mov (24436 kB)
http://files.spoonfulofrussian.com/podcast/movies/letter26_33.mov (43448 kB)

Finally, Brown University has this excellent website to learn cursive

Thanks once again Marion! :smile:

I like those links... though fortunately, I've also learnt the cursive script too, so I'm using the printed alphabet less and less when I'm practising now. hmm...it is exciting, though getting to A-level standard by the end of the year is pretty scary stuff :eek:

Reply 108

OP

Fillette

Thanks once again Marion! :smile:

I like those links... though fortunately, I've also learnt the cursive script too, so I'm using the printed alphabet less and less when I'm practising now. hmm...it is exciting, though getting to A-level standard by the end of the year is pretty scary stuff :eek:

Mmmh, I'm trying to see if we actually reach that standard, lol. If so, I'm more than disappointed in the A-Level standard, but tbh, I think we cover the grammar, but we still need to get a lot more vocab. If you work regularly (and you should because we have tests every two weeks), don't worry, it'll be more than easy, Lisa explains what tests will cover and you can get plenty of preparation. I'm gonna try to set up classes to help people, because it's nonetheless a bit of a weird language at times, and classes aren't always enough, or some people don't like to get help, etc.

Reply 109

I have forgotten Russian. :frown:

Reply 110

OP

Absurd

I have forgotten Russian. :frown:

Me too

. That said, I forgot English too. A guy from Lebara tried to give me a flyer the other day and I said "no thanks" in Arabic :facepalm:

Reply 111

Anatheme

Me too

. That said, I forgot English too. A guy from Lebara tried to give me a flyer the other day and I said "no thanks" in Arabic :facepalm:

At least the Arabic is getting better! (It is, isn't it? Are you keeping Arabic or did you manage to change course?)

Reply 112

OP

Absurd

At least the Arabic is getting better! (It is, isn't it? Are you keeping Arabic or did you manage to change course?)

Shwaya (a bit :colondollar:

)
It's easier to learn the vocab, now, I still manage to forgot what I had to learn a week ago, lmao. I'm keeping it, it's not a real pleasure but I really wanna graduate in Arabic.

Reply 113

Anatheme

Mmmh, I'm trying to see if we actually reach that standard, lol. If so, I'm more than disappointed in the A-Level standard, but tbh, I think we cover the grammar, but we still need to get a lot more vocab. If you work regularly (and you should because we have tests every two weeks), don't worry, it'll be more than easy, Lisa explains what tests will cover and you can get plenty of preparation. I'm gonna try to set up classes to help people, because it's nonetheless a bit of a weird language at times, and classes aren't always enough, or some people don't like to get help, etc.

lol, if you were seriously geeky (like I can be sometimes) you would download an A-level Russian paper and see how much you can do of it :colondollar:

But classes would be awesome, and advice generally to Fresher's Russian would be very cool :yep:

Reply 114

Zoedotdot

Anatheme

Yeah, and especially as the book isn't really usual, I mean only the Blackwell on Oxford Road had it and they ran out of them pretty quickly so my teacher had to get them? Directly from St Petersburg :p:

Btw, I was wondering, do you use that Svetlana Le Flemming book too? And what grammar points have you covered during the year? I'm finding my course quite easy, so I'm wondering if it's really easy or if I'm missing out on something :s-smilie:

Yeah, Svetlana le Fleming is like our bible. We covered the whole book in the first term and then consolidated, with a couple of new grammary bits thrown in. Like we went into more detail on numbers and had more verbs of motion to learn. In the second term oral classes we worked from a book called Zdravstvuite (god I hate transliteration but cba to type in Russian at this time of night), which was just consolidation of what we'd done. So grammar would be all the cases, verbs, verbs of motion, aspects, numbers, participles, gerunds, some little fiddly bits etc. Can't remember everything I'm afraid!

In 36 hours I'll be in Russia :woo:

Reply 115

OP

Zoedotdot

Yeah, Svetlana le Fleming is like our bible. We covered the whole book in the first term and then consolidated, with a couple of new grammary bits thrown in. Like we went into more detail on numbers and had more verbs of motion to learn. In the second term oral classes we worked from a book called Zdravstvuite (god I hate transliteration but cba to type in Russian at this time of night), which was just consolidation of what we'd done. So grammar would be all the cases, verbs, verbs of motion, aspects, numbers, participles, gerunds, some little fiddly bits etc. Can't remember everything I'm afraid!

In 36 hours I'll be in Russia :woo:

Oooh, where in Russia? Have fun there! :teeth:

Reply 116

What is this Svetlana le Fleming book you speak of? My course is a bit too slow for my liking, but I suppose it'll get harder this year since the beginners class is being merged with the advanced class.

Reply 117

OP

Absurd

What is this Svetlana le Fleming book you speak of? My course is a bit too slow for my liking, but I suppose it'll get harder this year since the beginners class is being merged with the advanced class.

My class isn't :frown:

It's Colloquial Russian, by Svetlana Le Fleming, I know they use this one at Bristol too, and I heard good things about it, so I think I'll get it and see what I haven't covered 'cause I really feel like at this rate, I won't be ready for my year abroad :no:

Reply 118

Anatheme

My class isn't :frown:

It's Colloquial Russian, by Svetlana Le Fleming, I know they use this one at Bristol too, and I heard good things about it, so I think I'll get it and see what I haven't covered 'cause I really feel like at this rate, I won't be ready for my year abroad :no:

Are you in the beginners class? And why don't they merge them? I don't know whether this whole merging thing is good or bad, to be honest, guess I'll just have to see how it works out.

Thanks, I was asking for pretty much the same reason. Our textbook is a bit crap and while I have some other books to help with Russian I've been looking for something more comprehensive. Is the Terence Wade book any good, do you know? If my Russian doesn't drastically improve this year my year abroad will be disastrous, hah. :o:

Do you know where you want to go for the year abroad, by the way?

Reply 119

thatwhichiam