associate Professor Alla Kourova changed into a fifth grader in Moscow when she heard a music that sparked her love for languages – the day before today with the aid of the Beatles.
"From then i wanted to study English so I may gain knowledge of to sing it and play on the piano," says Kourova, who grew up in Russia, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Germany and Hungary.
Now a speaker of five languages — English, French, German, Russian and Ukrainian — Kourova has been an associate professor of instructing English speakers of other Languages (TESOL) at UCF for 13 years. She also has been teaching Russian for the past decade.
"I definitely love educating and my college students. teaching is in my blood considering that my mom become a home economics trainer," says Kourova, who received an Excellence in teaching Award from the critical affiliation of Russian academics of the united states.
As overseas schooling Week takes area Nov. sixteen to 20, she reflects on her ardour and profession for the past 30 years. while the generic focus of Kourova's lessons is language, she comprises lifestyle into her lesson plans as a result of she is aware of it is basic for retention of the language.
affiliate Professor Alla Kourova with a bunch of look at overseas students touring Russia before the pandemic. (image courtesy of Alla Kourova)Like many different teachers this yr, she has had to adapt her guideline plan as a result of the pandemic. whereas she wasn't in a position to host her usual summer shuttle with UCF overseas students to Moscow and St. Petersburg, Russia, she has been working to advance a digital version of the journey, all over which college students usually spend mornings gaining knowledge of Russian and afternoons visiting local sites equivalent to pink rectangular and the emperors' winter Palace in St. Petersburg.
but for the past ten years, Kourova has covered digital element in her intermediate lessons — long earlier than Zoom grew to be a norm for educating. through a connecting school rooms mission, these college students email and video chat once a month with students in Russia whereas discussing a given subject matter, comparable to their backgrounds or colleges. Kourova says interacting with their friends enables her students to be trained Russian language and tradition improved and boost friendships that remaining lengthy after they've earned their levels. And considering the pandemic she has been working with UCF's center for allotted gaining knowledge of to redesign and expand the challenge to consist of cultural video games, interviews and greater engaging practices through Zoom.
"[My American students] can see that Russian students are the same. they have the identical ambitions in life and pastimes. people are individuals far and wide," Kourova says.
At 10 a.m. on Nov. 20, Kourova open up a connecting lecture rooms video chatting session concerning the differences between American and Russian education methods to the public by way of Zoom. The event is part of UCF's global week-lengthy programming, in order to additionally encompass a virtual discussion on Nov. 18 with Don Gentile, workforce Shaping group chief, on the importance of Russian and 4 different essential languages in the U.S. intelligence body of workers.
Kourova may be demonstrating the way to make a Russian dish and dessert all through a Zoom cooking show, which she has begun hosting this 12 months for the Russian American pupil association, on Nov. 20 at three:30 p.m. The student corporation is notably made up of American students who need to learn greater about Russia, but additionally includes overseas students native to the county. As faculty guide Kourova, helps individuals with language-based mostly questions, making use of for scholarship and fellowship opportunities, and consults on engagement alternatives.
"Dr. okay is nice, variety and figuring out," says Alesia Lokshina, the previous RASA president and Russia native and biomedical sciences major. "She cares about all her college students and contributors within the company. She is strict, but it's as a result of she in reality cares. She tries to make people do more advantageous, so she asks a lot of them."
On Monday, Nov.6, Kouvora and RASA will also host a presentation on Russian way of life and historical past via a virtual tour of the country's embassy. The Zoom event takes place at 5 p.m. and should encompass visitor speaker Natalia Rydvanov from the Cultural workplace of the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Washington D.C.
Kourova, who studied at Moscow State college and become a Fulbright student at the school of Montana, knows first-hand the high calls for and struggles students may additionally face with researching languages and cultures. whereas at UM, she discovered new research strategies that used computer information and posted a booklet on the difference between Russian and American education techniques. She additionally visited UCF for a language convention.
"for the reason that that time it changed into my dream to reside in Florida and train at UCF as a result of i used to be impressed via the tuition, the college students and professors I met," Kourova says. "I think I'm basically blessed to have a really incredible group of americans working with me."
study greater about how UCF international is celebrating overseas training Week.
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