Chapter 1. Introduction

The Active Introduction is one of the modules in an array of materials used in Russian training at the Foreign Service Institute. It is essentially a catalog of sentences which can be combined (with alteration as necessary) to form different communication sequences in dialog form relating to typical daily activities (comings and goings, appointments, meetings, errands etc.).

The book is used in conjunction with a table-top city model on which activities are demonstrated and imitated. Students learn to speak Russian through engaging in a running dialog with a teacher as a communication sequence is unfolded. At first the teacher controls the sequence; later, as his mastery develops, the student assumes more control.

The central goal in developing the material was to make possible the formation of natural sequences, free from the constraints imposed by accommodation to a predetermined schedule of grammar points and a list of words to be covered. The words and grammar features occurring in the sentences, therefore, derive from the choice of what is to be communicated rather than an inventory of preselected items to be covered.

In any given sentence, some of the grammatical patterns partially exemplified in it are expanded --others are considered for the moment as isolated items to be learned in that context only.

( In view of its purpose and design, the book does not lend itself to use for self-study by beginners.)

The array of which this book is one module has been developed as an alternative to using a standard "all purpose" textbook throughout the 44-week intensive training course at FSI. It was felt that with a language as highly inflected as Russian, the one-book approach with its pre-packaged constituents did not give the student enough intensive contact with natural spoken language or with real-life situations. Even after 44 weeks, none but the most outstanding students gained confident control of noun and adjective endings, or of motion verbs. It was considered possible that they just did not hear enough Russian or use it enough to gain better mastery. In addition, the range of subject matter within which most could converse seemed too limited.

Along with the dissatisfaction felt in these areas, inadequacies were sensed in another area. The approach formerly used seemed to support the notion (already strong among students) that an intellectual understanding of grammar together with constant drills were the keys to mastering the structure of a language. It was implied that this mastery, achieved in a more or less mechanical manner, together with a store of memorized vocabulary would some­how make an individual a fluent speaker of cultured Russian.

What was lacking in this concept was a recognition of the social and cultural roles of language. Very limited attention had been devoted to these aspects of language, almost as if they were elements which would get in the way of a direct and complete delineation of language structure. It seemed possible that this approach(trying to master a language as an abstract system) had something to do with the labored and unnatural-sounding performance of some students at the end of training.

The Active Introduction thus reflects a new approach designed to present language for learning in something like its natural form and in its natural milieu: the conduct of inter-person relations in life situations. In this approach, language is viewed as a vehicle of communication and not just a patterned system. In place of a "closed" teacher-student relationship ("I teach-you learn") in training, the participants are encouraged to consider themselves as a group in which real-life social interaction takes place. The conventions governing the interaction are expected to become more Russian than American as training progresses.

As used at FSI, the Active Introduction is the starting point of the student's oral communication in Russian. The book is used in conjunction with a simply-constructed teaching aid (which is not new) often referred to as a"model village". This table-top model represents an approximation of the topography of central Moscow. The purpose of its use however, is not merely to acquaint students with a geographical area. The table model forms the stage-setting for described and discussed activities associated with daily life in a large city. It is provided with model cars, buses, planes, figures of people and other movable items which the participants actually move as they relate or demonstrate sequences. (See page for details on the form and construction of the table model.)

Students are first taught the locations on the table model (see diagram and key on page and page ). These are identified by the teacher using a pointer, and drilled a few at a time with frequent recapitulation. Pronunciation is corrected. (The short conversational exchanges on page )

"Несколько начальных разговоров" are introduced as needed to vary the activity.

When the locations have been fairly well mastered, students and teacher begin to talk about them, using the sentences in the numbered sections beginning on page and continuing on succeeding even-numbered pages. In this way a running dialog is initiated.

As new sentences are learned, they can be juxtaposed with previously learned sentences in a number of different combinations (i.e. forming communication sequences). For example, after the sentences on page have been introduced and partially mastered, they can be recombined as dialogs in different ways, such as

Спасские Ворота открыта? (pointing)

Да, они открыты. Они, кажется, всегда открыты.

ГУМ открыт?

Кажется закрыт. Это ГУМ? (pointing)

Нет, это вокзал. Это ГУМ. (pointing) etc.

This process of sequencing into running dialog, using the table model as the focus of attention, is at the core of the approach. It is extremely important that the dialog be treated as an actual exchange of information in Russian ("communicating in Russian") and not as drill ("preparation for communicating in Russian at a later time").

The conversations on odd-numbered pages relate to the numbered sections found on the facing (even-numbered) pages. These conversations can be introduced from time to time to vary the activity. They also serve as examples of how sequences can be formed through combining learned sentences. Note that new words may occur in these conversations (e.g. простите on page ). (The conversations are available on tape.)

As progress is made through the material each day, the sequencing process becomes also a recycling process. To continually be moving on to new sentences each day is not effective. New sentences should always be combined into a running dialog with material learned earlier. It is this recycling process which ensures the repetition essential to learning. At the same time sequences should have a natural flow and must be directly related to the table model.

If this is not done, the student's recall is adversely affected and his interest wanes.

The student need not be given a copy of the book at the beginning of training although he may be provided with a copy later for reference. However, at no time should he refer to the book in class. It is more important for him to concentrate on performing (communicating) in interaction with the teacher and in reference to the table model. If he has difficulty, the appropriate remedy is further active combination and recycling with the teacher, not a study of the book. In any event, of course, the student can make little use of the book until he learns to read.

At FSI, work on the sound system is begun on the first day of training, as an introduction to the writing system and reading. After about 50 hours, material from the Active Introduction is used for reading practice.

As each sequence is presented, the teacher provides the student with its meaning. It is rarely necessary (or even desirable) to give the meaning of each word separately. If subsequently it appears that a student does not know the right meaning of a word, it should be supplied at that point. Explanation is thus given only when there is a communication breakdown of some kind, i.e. a "message" is flawed or blocked.

This principle is also followed in regard to features of grammar. For example, the sequences in #2 page demonstrate the agreement relating the forms кино, оно, открыто. It is not necessary to identify and expatiate on this feature, introducing the terms neuter gender, pronoun, short-form adjective, etc. The student should simply learn the forms and use them. If he makes an error, e.g. Кино открыт, he is corrected with Кино открыто to show this is the correct form of the "message". In this way attention is concentrated on the process of communication and not on the structure of Russian as an abstract system. The material should not be viewed as the starting point for a description of grammatical patterns.

Likewise when a new case ending is introduced (e.g. prepositional, beginning on page ), its meaning will be reflected in the meaning of the whole utterance in which it occurs: Я сейчас в ГУМе - I'm in GUM now. The student thus connects the meaning "in" with the new ending and no broader explanation is necessary.

For the student, one rule is of paramount importance: Learn what is in front of you, i.e. the sentence or sequence at hand. If he tries to learn other things related to the utterance (the whole range of meaning of words or noun endings, "another way of saying the same thing," etc.) he will immediately be faced with more information than he can possibly absorb. He may not even remember the utterance that prompted this detour.

Here are some specific comments on the text.

In many items there is the possibility of substitution. Sometimes this is indicated:

Here the partial list indicates the classes of things on the table model which could be substituted for вокзал.

In other items, the possibility of substitution may not be overtly indicated but is obvious:

Here a large number of table-model items ("masculine nouns") can be substituted for ГУМ.

Multiple possibilities for substitution may occur, e.g.

Within the context of the sequence beginning with #21 page , the first priority substitution is of the segment в эту субботу. Subsequently of course, location substitutions for Грановитую палату can be added, since these have already been introduced in #21 (page ).

In some cases the teacher may wish to include other substitutions, e.g.

Here the name of different countries or cities may be substituted, as long as this is done one at a time and preferably on different occasions.

Some items are sentence paradigms, e.g. the forms of хотеть in #11 (page ). These are intended to give the students an overview of the forms; it is not intended that they master the forms through drill before proceeding. The forms will occur in various contexts subsequently and will also be recycled. Remember that the mastery of forms through this recycling process is a key element in the approach.

It is suggested that the teacher become thoroughly familiar with the contents of the book before using it. Since the content is organized in terms of natural communication sequences, it is impractical to list where specific grammar points are introduced in the book. A detailed list should in fact be unnecessary.

It can be noted however, that nominative and accusative noun and adjective endings and the verbs of motion are given special emphasis in pages 21-79. Other noun and adjective endings receive special attention as follows:

A word of explanation about the treatment of these forms is in order here. One of the greatest problems in teaching English-speaking students is getting them to observe, imitate and take seriously inflectional endings. One of the purposes of pages 21-81 is to attack this problem, with the case endings largely limited to nominative and accusative singular. When the other forms are introduced, less space is required, since the student can pick up and use the forms with much greater ease than in the beginning. By this time the student is quite accustomed to handling inflectional forms.

At FSI, the Active Introduction forms the main (but not the only) focus of attention in the first 16 to 20 weeks of training. Thereafter it is used at intervals as seems appropriate.

The authors welcome comments on the Active Introduction and on experience with its use.