AN ACTIVE INTRODUCTION TO RUSSIAN, published here for the first time in a form available to the public, has been in use at the Foreign Service Institute for about ten years. This volume was preceded by preliminary editions for internal use and represents the fourth revision.
The idea for this kind of a presentation of the Russian language grew out of collaboration between the principal author, Nina De La Cruz, and Dr. Ronald A. C. Goodison, Chairman of the Department of Northern and Eastern European Languages at FSI. It was developed and refined in the classroom and in private discussion, Mrs. De La Cruz generating the Russian language materials, Dr. Goodison recording, organizing and editing them, both suggesting change where change would help.
The FSI Audio-Visual Staff assisted with technical counsel from Joseph Sadote and photography and drafting by John McClelland. Tape recordings of the conversational component were made by Mrs. De La Cruz, Helene Mitrofanoff, and Dr. Goodison in the FSI recording studio, under the technical guidance of Jose Ramirez. Kyrill Borissow, Jr. proofread the final version.
James R. Frith, Dean
School of Language Studies
Foreign Service Institute
Department of State