ILS teacher of Russian Language and Literature Valentina Kovaleva was a participant in the All-Russian Congress for Teachers of Russian Language and Literature organized by the Society of Russian Literature and Lomonosov Moscow State University.

“The congress is a serious platform for exchanges of experience and new methods for teaching the Russian language, including Russian as a foreign language,” explains Valentina Kovaleva. “During the congress we discussed issues such as reader literacy, Russian language and speech culture, the role of literature teachers in modern society, and the reading culture of modern young people. There were many different sections, with more than 1,200 teachers from all regions of Russia coming together to discuss these very important questions.”

The congress’s work featured the following:

• Russian literature in the system of Humanities. Russian language as a storehouse of spiritual values. Russian language and speech culture.
• The literature teacher’s role in modern humanities space. The professional portrait of a modern teacher. Continuous philological education. Teacher – student – parents.
• Modern approaches and technologies for teaching literature. New federal educational standards and basic educational programs. New generation textbooks. Educational and methodological approaches for Russian language in schools with non-Russian language learning.
• Psychological and pedagogical issues of preschool, school, and higher education. Shaping the reading culture of modern young people. Russian language in overseas schools.
• The role of museums and libraries in forming the modern sociocultural environment.

“I am certain that every Russian language teacher takes a very responsible approach to her or his work,” continues Valentina Kovaleva. “A Russian language teacher is not just a person who teaches how not to make mistakes with words or how to put commas in the right places. It is a person who instills a love of Russian culture, who teaches others to understand and love the Russian language, and who gives extensive knowledge in the field of Russian literature. Every time I attend the congress I am reminded of the great importance of the dialogue between teachers from schools and the universities and institutes that prepare future teachers.”

Among those attending the congress were teachers, methodologists, supplemental education teachers, teachers of Russian language and literature from universities and institutes, representatives of government educational bodies, and the heads of educational institutions, as well as representatives of museums, libraries and publishing houses.

“ILS participates in international forums as well as Russian forums,” explains ILS Principal Olga Shevchenko. An ILS delegation took part in the Chinese-Russian pedagogical forum “One region, one way” organized by the Shaanxi State Pedagogical University and Lomonosov Moscow State University, the international conference “The road to school” in Berlin, organized by Rossotrudnichestvo, the Russian Center in Berlin, the Berlin MITRA Society for Russian-Language Parents and Teachers and the Ethnosphere Center for Municipal Education in conjunction with the International Pedagogical Society in Support of Russian Language, and many others. Our goal is wide-ranging communication with colleagues wishing to share their experience and incorporate best pedagogical practices.”