Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 1, 2025 (24/02/2025 - 21/06/2025)
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Languages & Cultures School
This course aims to equip complete beginners with the knowledge and skills to communicate in Russian on a variety of topics at the basic level. Students will be working towards A1 in the internationally recognised Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). Students are introduced to aspects of Russian pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary, expand their pragmatic skills and grow their intercultural understanding of Russian culture and Russian-speaking communities in Australia and around the world.
The textbook Beginner's Russian, along with its supplementary materials, starts with the introduction of Cyrillic alphabet and basics of writing and typing while it also guides students through linguistic and cultural knowledge needed to accomplish a series of tasks in Russian-speaking contexts (e.g., describing one's background, living conditions, preferences in food).
Course requirements
Assumed background
This course assumes no previous study of Russian. Any students who have studied Russian formally or informally, lived in a Russian-speaking community, have Russian-speaking background or are native speakers of Russian must follow our school's formal procedure to establish their level of linguistic proficiency. This level is determined by means of an online questionnaire and/or an online placement interview conducted by Russian Teaching Staff (please direct any queries in this regard to the Russian Convener, Dr Anna Mikhaylova a.mikhaylova@uq.edu.au ). Please note that on the basis of such knowledge or abilities, enrolment in a different course may be recommended. If a student enrols in a course for which they hold incompatible qualifications, they may be advised to cancel their enrolment. Any misrepresentation in the placement process may be raised as a misconduct matter.
Incompatible
You can't enrol in this course if you've already completed the following:
Senior Russian or equivalent
Jointly taught details
This course is jointly-taught with:
- Another instance of the same course
The class is taught in dual delivery mode, which means that students enrolled externally and internally are taught at the same time in the same class.
Course staff
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
This course is delivered in 2 in-person sessions (100 minutes each) per week over two different days ﾠthroughout the teaching semester. Students are expected to attend both sessions of the tutorial group in which they are enrolled.
Learning expectations: Lesson content and self-access learning materials are shared weekly via Blackboard site. Regular engagement with the course content, active participation during class activities and conscientious completion of weekly homework tasks are essential to attaining the expected outcomes of this courseﾠ and to the overall progression towards higher levels of Russian language proficiency.
As a 2 unit course, RSSN1110 comprises approximately 130 hours of work in total. In addition to the 2 weekly tutorial sessions, students are expected to devote at least 6 hours per week to independent study, engaging, for instance with availableﾠ pre-lesson activities, post-lesson consolidation and revision tasks, etc.ﾠ Once enrolled, students are expected to check information available on Blackboard ﾠregularly in order to keep informed regarding weekly content, online learning ﾠactivities and dates for assessment tasks.ﾠ
Public holidays:
Alternative arrangements for affected students will be announced through the Blackboard site.
Class allocation:
In order to optimise the student experience, it may be necessary to reallocate students to a different class from their first choice. Before this happens, every effort will be made to enable students to voluntarily change into an alternative class that is suitable. Please note: Teaching staff do not have access to the timetabling system to help with class allocation.
Therefore, should you need help with your timetable and/or allocation of classes, please ensure you email hass.mytimetable@uq.edu.au from your UQ student email account with the following details:
· Full name,
· Student ID, and
· the Course Code
Additional information and support can be found here.
Aims and outcomes
The aim of the courseﾠis to allow students to move toward A1 levelﾠon the Common European Frame of Reference for For Russian. (See:ﾠCEFR Scale)ﾠThis means they willﾠdevelop a basic ability to communicate in Russianﾠin day-to-day situations. Special emphasis is placed on speaking and understanding spoken Russian, exchanging information about families, activities, pastimes and preferences.
You will develop an awareness of basicﾠRussian speech etiquette and an understanding of some of the ways in which Russian culture impacts on language use.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
communicate with others in Russian: talk about yourself and understand when others tell you about themselves and their schedules and living arrangements, including family composition or food preferences
LO2.
feel confident about pronouncing Russian correctly/comprehensibly, understanding and making yourself understood at an elementary level
LO3.
understand basic written instructions, signs and short communications as well as understand simple information received in aural form.
LO4.
write short messages accurately; master both typing and handwriting in Cyrillic
LO5.
have a knowledge of basic grammatical structures such as number and case of nouns and adjectives, verb conjugations, prepositions and verb tenses
LO6.
understand basic cultural and social aspects of the language; use appropriate forms of address
LO7.
apply a range of language learning skills and strategies that may help you throughout your language learning journey in the classroom and beyond
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portfolio |
Course Engagement Padlet
|
10% |
30/05/2025 5:00 pm
Friday, WEEK 13 |
| Quiz |
Written Assessment series
|
40% |
WEEK 4 - 21/03/2025 5:00 pm WEEK 7 - 11/04/2025 5:00 pm WEEK 10 - 9/05/2025 5:00 pm WEEK 13 - 30/05/2025 5:00 pm
Each assessment is available for 48 hours before the deadline. |
| Practical/ Demonstration, Role play/ Simulation |
In-semester Oral Assessment
|
20% |
15/04/2025
WEEK 8 |
| Practical/ Demonstration, Role play/ Simulation |
Final Oral Assessment
|
30% |
12/06/2025
Exam Week 1. Check the time of the assessment in the Assessment folder on Blackboard. |
A hurdle is an assessment requirement that must be satisfied in order to receive a specific grade for the course. Check the assessment details for more information about hurdle requirements.
Assessment details
Course Engagement Padlet
- Online
- Mode
- Oral, Product/ Artefact/ Multimedia, Written
- Category
- Portfolio
- Weight
- 10%
- Due date
30/05/2025 5:00 pm
Friday, WEEK 13
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L04, L05, L06, L07
Task description
In order to demonstrate your participation and engagement in this course, students will be required to contribute weekly to an individual PadletUQ, for which the template will be made available on the course Blackboard site. To build this Portfolio, the students will make brief weekly posts (short texts, audio recordings, videos, copies of exercises, images, etc.) demonstrating their engagement with the Russian language and culture beyond required course content. Students will have the option to respond to a prompt provided in the Padlet template or make their own. Students will also submit a final critical reflection about their engagement with the course (written in English, 200-250 words). This final reflection is due on the last day of the teaching semester, FRIDAY of Week 13 at 5pm, and signifies the submission of the portfolio for marking.
See detailed instructions and marking criteria in the relevant Assessment folder on Blackboard.
STATEMENT ON AI & MT
This task has been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex. Whilst students may use AI and/or MT technologies, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which artificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance. A failure to reference generative AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
The link to the student's Padlet should be submitted on Blackboard following the instructions in the relevant Assessment folder.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Do not apply for extensions of individual weekly posts. The portfolio assessment is marked as whole after the submission due date.
Written Assessment series
- Online
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Quiz
- Weight
- 40%
- Due date
WEEK 4 - 21/03/2025 5:00 pm
WEEK 7 - 11/04/2025 5:00 pm
WEEK 10 - 9/05/2025 5:00 pm
WEEK 13 - 30/05/2025 5:00 pm
Each assessment is available for 48 hours before the deadline.
- Other conditions
- Time limited.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L07
Task description
Over the course of the semester, students will be required to complete 4 x 10% online, non-invigilated, timed Online Written Assessments (OWA) on the course Blackboard site. Each assessment will be available for 48 hours Wed-Friday of the week it is scheduled and the duration will vary between 60-75 minutes.
These are open-book assessments, which means that students are allowed to use the textbook, their notes, ppt slides and any print or online reference materials and print and online dictionaries (but see the Artificial Intelligence and Machine Translation statement below*). This series of assessments will test the retention of the material and skills covered this semester and, as such, they are designed to provide students with an opportunity to reflect on their learning journey, aspects that they have mastered and aspects that may require further revision or consolidation.
The marking criteria for assessing these tasks will be informed by students' ability to demonstrate mastery and accurate usage of material covered in class and their:
- ability to understand a video/audio conversation/monologue related to the content of the course.
- ability to read and understand short texts on topics related to the content of the course.
- ability to write or reconstruct complete grammatical sentences.
- ability to reuse vocabulary and grammatical items studied in the course (points attributed for vocabulary and grammatical structures correctly used).
- ability to write short, coherent sentences/texts (points attributed for structures and phrases correctly used).
- awareness of Russian-speaking practices (e.g., when to use formal and informal terms of address) and other social and cultural practices.
Please note that OWAs are non-invigilated digital assessment tasks which students will complete using their own device. Students should make sure that they have access to a reliable internet connection when completing each task. Only one attempt will be allowed for each OWA.
Further information, including submission links, will be provided on the Blackboard site for this course.
STATEMENT ON AI & MT
This task has been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex. Whilst students may use AI and/or MT technologies for preparation, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which artificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance. A failure to reference generative AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct. To pass this assessment, students may be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension of their written submission independent of AI and MT tools.
Submission guidelines
Follow the instructions on Blackboard under the Assessments tab.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 14 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Only 14 calendar days extensions are allowed for this assessment tasks as demonstrating consolidation of knowledge required for this task is necessary for progression with the further course material. Individual results and general feedback is provided within two weeks.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Follow detailed instructions and marking criteria posted on Blackboard in the relevant Assessments folder.
In-semester Oral Assessment
- Identity Verified
- Mode
- Oral
- Category
- Practical/ Demonstration, Role play/ Simulation
- Weight
- 20%
- Due date
15/04/2025
WEEK 8
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L05, L06, L07
Task description
The In-semester Oral interview (20%) held in week 8 will assess students' oral and aural skills as well as their ability to initiate and engage in conversation with classmates. In pairs, students will take turns to ask one another questions and to talk to each other about topics covered in class as well as respond to questions from the assessment markers. The interview will last approximately 5-7 minutes. Emphasis will be placed on oral production, comprehension and fluency as well as accuracy in grammatical structures and lexical knowledge acquired throughout the semester. Students will be able to sign up for the interviews in Week 7.
Marking Criteria: Preparation guidelines and detailed marking criteria will be available on Blackboard.
This is an individually marked assessment item but it requires students to work in pairs during the interview. Each student will be evaluated using the oral assessment rubric based on their fluency, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and comprehension.
The interviews will be recorded for marking and self-evaluation. If a member of the pair is absent on the day of the assessment, the course coordinator will negotiate a solution with the remaining partner. One of the markers or other willing classmates who have already finished the assessment can step in as the partner for the student without a pair. If a student who has already been marked steps in to help the student without a pair, they will not be marked, only the student without a pair will.
STATEMENT ON AI & MT
This task has been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex. Whilst students may use AI and/or MT technologies, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which artificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance. To pass this assessment, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension and ability to use Russian independent of AI and MT tools.
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 14 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Only 14 calendar days extensions are allowed for this assessment tasks as demonstrating consolidation of knowledge required for this task is necessary for progression with the further course material.
Final Oral Assessment
- Hurdle
- Identity Verified
- Online
- Mode
- Oral
- Category
- Practical/ Demonstration, Role play/ Simulation
- Weight
- 30%
- Due date
12/06/2025
Exam Week 1. Check the time of the assessment in the Assessment folder on Blackboard.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L05, L06, L07
Task description
The Final Oral Assessment (30%) will be held in the Examination Period via Zoom. It will assess students' oral and aural skills as well as their ability to initiate and engage in conversation with classmates. In pairs, students will take turns to ask one another questions and to talk to each other about topics covered in class. The interview will last approximately 5-7 minutes. Emphasis will be placed on oral production, comprehension and fluency as well as accuracy in grammatical structures and lexical knowledge acquired throughout the semester.
Students will be able to sign up for the assessment in Week 13.
Marking Criteria: Preparation guidelines and detailed marking criteria will be available on Blackboard.
This is an individually marked assessment item but it requires students to work in pairs during the interview. Each student will be evaluated using the oral assessment rubric based on their fluency, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and comprehension.
The interviews will be recorded for marking and self-evaluation. If a member of the pair is absent on the day of the assessment, the course coordinator will negotiate a solution with the remaining partner. One of the markers or other willing classmates who have already finished the assessment can step in as the partner for the student without a pair. If a student who has already been marked steps in to help the student without a pair, they will not be marked, only the student without a pair will.
STATEMENT ON AI & MT
This task has been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex. Whilst students may use AI and/or MT technologies, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which artificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance. To pass this assessment, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension and ability to use Russian independent of AI and MT tools.
Hurdle requirements
In order to PASS the course, students must achieve a total mark of 50 overall, AND a minimum of 40% in the Final Oral Assessment.ﾠ Students who do not achieve 40% in the final oralﾠassessment can only receive an overall grade of 3 or less for the course, even if their total mark is greater than 50/100.Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 0 - 24 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: None of the course requirements (assessment tasks and participation) are met. The student fails to communicate in basic Russian. |
| 2 (Fail) | 25 - 44 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student fails to demonstrate basic understanding of the grammar and vocabulary covered in the course. The student has failed to developﾠthe requiredﾠproficiency level in the four skill areas (listening, reading, writing and speaking)ﾠto meetﾠthe course objectives. The studentﾠstruggles to communicateﾠin basic Russian. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 45 - 49 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: The student demonstrates little to noﾠunderstanding of the grammar and vocabulary covered in the course and fails to produceﾠcomprehensible sentences in basic Russian,ﾠwith no progress beyond minimal vocabulary and aural/oral skills. |
| 4 (Pass) | 50 - 64 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student is able to communicate in basic Russian despite limited use of communication strategies. The student's use of vocabulary is limited and errors in grammatical structures and pronunciationﾠwill occasionally affect meaning. |
| 5 (Credit) | 65 - 74 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student attempts to use a range of vocabulary and grammaticalﾠstructures in basic Russian.ﾠﾠThe student's use of vocabulary is adequate. Fluency and accuracy areﾠsubject to fluctuation; while errors occur, they do not, on the whole, affect meaning.ﾠThe student occasionally uses communication strategies effectively.ﾠ |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75 - 84 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The studentﾠproducesﾠcomprehensible sentences with fluctuatingﾠconsistencyﾠand generally responds fluently, appropriately and confidently. In speech and writing the student uses a wide range of vocabulary and grammatical structuresﾠwith consistent accuracy.ﾠﾠUnderstanding of spoken and written basic Russian is very good.ﾠThe student uses communication strategies effectively.ﾠ |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85 - 100 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student uses a wide range ofﾠcommunication strategies effectively.ﾠUnderstanding of spoken and written basic Russian is excellent. The studentﾠproduces comprehensible sentencesﾠconsistentlyﾠand responds fluently, appropriately and confidently. In speech and writing, the student uses a wide range of vocabulary and grammatical structures with consistent levels of accuracy and attempts to use language creatively. |
Additional course grading information
Marking criteria and/or marking rubrics are available in the ‘Assessment’ folder in Blackboard for this course
Past experience has shown that regular attendance at classes and completion of homework are essential to obtain a good grade in this course.
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Additional assessment information
*ALL work submitted for assessment should be the work of the student AND NO ONE ELSE (i.e.,ﾠother students, tutors, native speakers, relatives etc.). To pass this assessment, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension of their written submission independent of AI and MT tools.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.
Own copy required
You'll need to have your own copy of the following reading resources. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
| Item | Description |
|---|---|
| Book |
Beginner's Russian with interactive online workbook
by Kudyma; Anna; Miller; Frank J.; Kagan; Olga; Lavery; Michael A. - 2022 Edition: Second edition Publisher: Hippocrene Books ISBN: 9780781814409; 9780781887397 |
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Multiple weeks From Week 1 To Week 13 |
Not Timetabled |
Homework and preparation for in-class activities Homework and preparation for in-class activities: Some weekly tasks will be done by you independently online at your own pace (either before or after class) in order to ensure that class time is used mostly for communication in Russian and for clarification of difficult points. Keep track of weekly homework on Blackboard. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L07 |
Tutorial |
In-class work In-class work (General Contact): Every class hour builds on the material from the previous one. Regular preparation, attendance and active participation are key to successful learning and progress in the course. You will engage in a range of activities asking you to listen to, speak, read and write in Russian at every lesson. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L07 |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.
Course guidelines
Students should Complete the Course Advisor Questionnaire (https://courseplacements.languages-cultures.uq.edu.au/) to ensure correct placement in the course.