Regional Aspects In The Professional Competence Formation Of Russian Language Teachers

Toponymy of a region as a culturologically valuable material

The concept of implementing a linguo-regional approach in teaching Russian language to students in multi-ethnic classes and foreign students involves the widespread use of toponyms to represent the cultural and historical realities associated with this socially significant material, and, first of all, city place names.

In accordance with this concept, we prepare students specializing in Russian philology to implement this approach when dealing with different groups of pupils. In the course of linguistic training, students specializing in Russian philology get acquainted with the results of linguistic and cultural studies of toponymy in different regions of Russia (Ivanova, 2019; Kaksin, 2019).

Many of the practical study manuals of toponymic material carried out by students are addressed to middle-school pupils – the main contingent that University students will deal with in their professional activities. When creating educational materials, the fact that foreign-language pupils (who arrived in the region for an exchange or moved here for permanent residence with their parents) will also work with these materials – it is especially significant for them to show the cultural and historical background of Pskov city place names. This is carried out due to the thematic lesson structuring on a motivational principle. For instance, to represent the topic “History of Russia (XIII-XIX centuries) in city place names” to schoolchildren, University students prepare material on the streets of Alexander Nevsky, Bastionnaya, Dekabristov, Kutuzov, Petrovskaya, Polkovaya and others in the form of texts for linguo-regional reading and follow-up discussion of the material, e.g.:

DEKABRISTOV STREET is situated in Zavokzalye district of Pskov. Its former name – the third Luninskaya Street. In 1964 it was renamed into Dekabristov Street.

Dekabristy (the Decembrists) are the members of secret societies of 1816 – 1825, revolutionary-minded nobles. On the 14 ^th of December (hence the name – “Decembrists”), 1825, they raised a revolt against the autocratic structure of Russia and serfdom. Their goal was to abolish serfdom, introduce a Constitution, and take other steps to reform the country.

Among the Decembrists there were Pskov citizens: A. S. Gorozhansky, F. P. Shakhovskoy, and N. P. Kozhevnikov came out on the Senate Square on December 14, 1825. After the revolt was suppressed, they were deprived of their noble titles, exiled to remote garrisons, and died in exile. Among the Decembrists there were also Pskovites brothers the Krenitsyns: Alexander, Vladimir, Pavel, and Nikolai, a citizen of Gdov P. P. Konovnitsyn, a son of General P. P. Konovnitsyn, a hero of the Patriotic war of 1812, Novorzhev landowner P. S. Pushchin. The Decembrist M. A. Nazimov, who returned to his homeland after 20 years of exile, was buried at the Dmitriyevskoye cemetery in Pskov.

For younger pupils University students have developed the materials for the linguistic and region study Olympiad and recommendations for its organization, referring to the material of toponyms. For the same category of pupils there are educational materials for every lesson, where fictional characters accompany students on walks around the city’s attractions. Each of the five excursion itinerary sheets developed by students is dedicated to getting acquainted with the streets, embankments, squares of the city of Pskov, which names are also associated with the history and culture of Russia: “A walk along the Olginskaya embankment with the guide Barsik”, “Alexander Nevsky Street as viewed by the guide Snezhok” etc.

The itinerary material is grouped into categories that are marked with special graphic icons and include numerous photo illustrations in addition to the text. The first rubric reveals the origin of the street name or other urban object, for example:

Petrovskaya Street appeared on the map of Pskov in 1947. It is named after the Russian Emperor Peter the First.

Peter the Great often visited our city. Pskov is located near the border with the Baltic States, so it became the gathering place of the main forces of the Russian army during the Northern war (1700-1721).

In 1701, by the order of Peter the Great, fortifications were built in Pskov – earth field bastions. All in all, 11 bastions were constructed. Fortifications were located along the fortress walls near the Velikaya river, on the bank of the Pskov river, and in the Kremlin. We will see them during our excursions.

The second rubric reveals the former name of the street, if it was renamed, for example:

Voyevode Shuisky Street was once called Pokrovskaya (the intercession) . It was named so because the Church of the Intercession of the Holy mother of God of the XVI century was located here. In 1923, Pokrovskaya Street was renamed as Karl Liebknecht Street*. Since 2009, it has been named after Voivode Shuisky.

The Notes provide a reference: * Karl Liebknecht was a well-known political figure of the early XX century in Germany .

The third rubric presents the location of the street: the district where it is situated, the streets that it connects. A fragment of the city map is also shown here. Pupils are asked to highlight the considered street on the map with a pencil. The fourth rubric contains information about various culturally significant objects located on this street. Pupils have the opportunity to view photos of these objects, and they imagine themselves as participants of a virtual tour:

The educational materials which are developed for schoolchildren and which represent regional toponymy in the linguistic and cultural aspect, are tested by students in the course of pedagogical practice in schools of Pskov, improving their professional linguistic and regional competence in its linguistic and methodical components.

If we are talking about foreign students, they should learn urban toponymy at the very beginning of the adaptation period in the region during the study of the topic “City and transport” (Vesnina, 2018). However, as already noted, the basic textbooks of Russian as a foreign language for preparatory faculties, with all their methodical elaboration, are not aimed at solving the problems of sociocultural adaptation of foreigners during the first weeks of their stay in the region of their study, which determines the need to develop and include in the educational process a special intensive regionally oriented adaptation course of the Russian language. In Pskov State University Master’s Degree students of “Russian as a Foreign Language” educational program specialization are involved into the development and implementation of such a course. The purpose of the course is to prepare foreign students for real engagement in dialogue with native Russian speakers within a limited set of topics. One of these topics is “The City of Pskov”. In addition to its traditional lexical content students begin to master the topographic space of a particular city.

Therefore, one of the sections of the bridging course is designed as work with a map of Pskov: foreign students, with the help of Master’s Degree students-tutors, learn to pronounce and read the names of the main streets and squares of the city, which they will also find on the front plates of city buildings.

City toponyms with a rich cultural background ( Leo Tolstoy Street, Alexander Nevsky Bridge , Geroyev Desantnikov (Russ.) (Heroes Paratroopers) Square , etc.) make it possible to familiarize foreign students with the facts of Russian and Pskov culture, history within the framework of a sociocultural commentary in the students’ native language or in an intermediary language. Here, Master’s Degree students-tutors have to demonstrate not only knowledge of a foreign language, but also linguistic country study knowledge as an indispensable substantial component of their professional competence.

The list of appellative urban vocabulary mastered by foreigners at this stage of adaptation is expanding due to the words Kremlin, tower, temple . The objects designated by them are for the Pskovites not only cultural and historical monuments, but also urban landmarks. Students find them on the city map, as well as social facilities and cultural and leisure facilities with their local names: “ Raketa” store, “Electron” stadium, “Misha” bistro , etc.

Names with elements of the language game, creolization of the text will require special comment, which is recognized by researchers as one of the main trends in the modern city onomastic nomination (Lokhov, 2020): for example, the name of one of the bars in Pskov, “SKO-BAR”, is based on playing within the colloquial word “skobar” – a Pskovite. A folk legend links the origin of the word with the personality of the Russian emperor Peter I, who allegedly praised the Pskov craftsmen – manufacturers of cramp iron (Russ. skoba) , calling them great cramp iron makers (Russ. skobari) . Linguists, as it is known, explain the origin of the ethnonym by sound transformations, which often accompany the functioning of words during their long-term functioning. Cf.: Russ. pskovsky – pskovskoy – skobskoy (all denote something or somebody belonging to Pskov). From the last adjective the nickname of a Pskovite is derived – skobar. Such information is also available to students specializing in Russian philology, who increase their linguistic competence as part of the elective courses “Linguistic aspects of teaching the Russian language at school”, “Pskov toponymy in the linguistic and cultural aspect”.

Coming back to the adaptive regionally oriented course of the Russian language for foreigners, we note that the conditional speech exercises in the “City” section are combined with the heading WHAT? WHERE? WHERE TO? and traditionally are structured as dialogic unities. Dialogue conversations brought to automatism are used by foreign students in real speech practice, which is an indispensable component of the adaptation course. Sometimes this practice is organized as an interactive game where groups of students compete, traveling along the itinerary list and choosing the best ways of transfer).

Within the tutoring practice, the importance of which for future teachers is also emphasized by foreign educators (Sirotova & Michvocikova, 2019), Master’s Degree students specializing in Russian philology not only play the role of teachers, strictly following the plan, but also help foreign students solve everyday problems, optimize their integration into the educational the process, knowing it from the perspective of a student and from the perspective of a future teacher. At the same time, we appreciate methodical creativity and the development of experimental models for the representation of linguistic and regional, and linguistic and country study material, which testify to the high level of professional competence of the future teacher of Russian as a foreign language.

Non-native speakers students who speak Russian at the level of A2-B1 and seek to integrate into the Russian-speaking youth society, are particularly interested in unofficial city names, playful transformations of urban place names. Such material is actively developed by onomatologists in linguistic and cultural and sociolinguistic aspects (Klimenko & Ruth, 2018; Kachalkova & Ruth, 2019).

Pskov students, specializing in Russian Philology, are involved in the development of materials for the upcoming linguocultural dictionary of unofficial Pskov toponyms, where the context of the use of these units will reflect the lively speech of local youth, and linguistic and historical commentaries will reveal the motives of the official names of urban objects, their sociocultural significance and the mechanism of the language game, used in the formation of slang urban toponyms. Here are examples of dictionary entries developed by students as part of an elective workshop on lexicography at the Experimental Dictionary Laboratory of the Pskov University and tested on pedagogical practice in groups of foreign 4th year Philology students and in senior classes of a linguistic gymnasium:

ALTAI , Russ. Informal colloquial name of  Altayev Street. < The street got its official name in honor of the writer Margarita Vladimirovna Yamshchikova (1872-1959), who worked under the pseudonym Alexander Altayev. Her father was originally from Pskov, she often came to the Pskov region, where she wrote many of her works.

Such a dictionary, developed by future teachers of the Russian language as part of the concept of forming a regional component of their professional competence, will be interesting and useful not only to foreign students and high school students, but to other categories of youth, as well as those who work with youth.

Formation of professional competence of a teacher based on regional phraseological material

The linguistic country study and linguistic regional study potential of phraseology can also be realized by a teacher of the Russian language when working with schoolchildren in multi-ethnic classes, and with foreign students studying in Russian universities.

In the system of preparation for this type of activity, we are expanding the professional linguistic and cultural competence of our students as part of the elective courses “Cultural and historical aspects of the educational representation of Russian phraseology” and “Linguistic and cultural and linguistic and regional aspects of educational phraseography”.

Replenishing the luggage of linguistic and historical knowledge, students study the methods of reconstructing the image of the region on the basis of proverbs and sayings (Mokienko, 2018), assess the cognitive potential of paroemias in interregional zones of contact among languages and cultures (Lomakina & Mokienko, 2016). Particular attention is paid to the comparative analysis of ethnoculturally marked phraseological units, which is carried out both on the basis of phraseological analogues (Kuznetsova, 2018), and on the level of single image components of phraseological units (Kuznetsova, 2019). The lexicographic aspects of working with regional and regionally marked phraseological material are also reflected in the training system of the Russian language teacher.

According to our concept, a philologist must not only gain practical skills of usage, but also learn how to write dictionary entries, which will help to improve not only the lexicographic, but also the linguistic and historical component of his professional competence. With this goal, future teachers of the Russian language were involved in working on materials of the forthcoming publication of the “Complete Dictionary of Folk Phraseology”, a large-scale lexicographic project developed by Pskov lexicographers together with scientists from St. Petersburg University. The dictionary will unite phraseological units of different Russian regions and by the amount of material it will have no analogues in Russia (Mokienko & Nikitina, 2018).

In the alphabetic-core part of the dictionary, where phraseological units will be combined into macro-entries under figurative cores, it will be possible to observe differences in phrase-forming activity of these core components and regional features of their associative potential. Students should reflect this regional specificity of expressions in the comments that they learn to develop along with interpretations of phraseological units. So, for a macro entry with the heading FOX, where all-Russian phraseological units are presented, as hitry kak lisa (Russ.) (literally: sly like a fox; - “about a cunning, dodgy person”), pustit’ lisu v kuryatnik (literally: let the fox go into the chicken coop - “create conditions for an unreliable person to commit misdeeds”) etc., the students lexicographically developed the Pskov phraseological unit with other evaluative connotations of the image of this animal:

Lisa bliny pechyot (literally: a fox is making pancakes ). Psk. About the low morning fog over the meadows, swamps. < The image of a phraseological unit is based on folk ideas, reflected in the Pskov folklore, where the fox is endowed not only with cunning and wiles, but also with practicality and domesticity.

The unique figurative cores of phraseological units have also been identified, the functioning of which is explained by regional interlanguage contacts: Nabit’ punyu: (literally: to fill the barn). Psk. To be full, to eat a lot of smth. < The word “punya” (‘a barn’) is borrowed into the Pskov dialects from the Baltic languages, with native speakers of which the Pskovites have been in contact for a long time living in neighboring territories.

Having mastered the ways of semantization and linguistic and region study commentary on phraseological units, students begin to take on linguistic and methodical tasks – working out the educational materials that reveal the ethnocultural and regional cultural background of phraseology in its representation to schoolchildren and foreign students. For senior pupils, a dictionary is composed, titled “Proverbs and sayings of the native land”, designed to attract pupils to the language and culture of the Pskov region. In this dictionary, the Pskov materials most relevant for the current sociocultural situation will be developed at a level appropriate for schoolchildren and selected for the “Complete Dictionary of Folk Phraseology”.

Younger pupils are offered the materials for the phraseological quest in paper variant, which is developed by students as part of the elective course mentioned above. Pupils (also within the framework of pedagogical practice) will be offered itinerary lists representing 10 stages of the cognitive game. At each stage, pupils have to master one of the culturally valuable Russian phraseological units. Mastering a phraseological unit, the quest participant goes through several levels, as in a computer game – the meaning of a phraseological unit, the history of its origin, use in speech. At each level there are interesting text fragments and cognitive tasks. The stages of the quest are united by a plot story – its virtual participants (schoolchildren) gather in the Pushkin Hills, where the mysterious Chief Guardian of Phraseological Secrets invites them to participate in the quest, they meet with the characters of their favorite books and films – experts in phraseology, and, passing the stages of the quest, they pursue the aim – to meet the Chief Guardian of Phraseological Secrets (which then turns out to be a phraseological dictionary).

The regional aspect of the phraseological representation to schoolchildren is enhanced by that the quest action takes place against the background of the culturally significant realities of the Pushkin Hills Museum Reserve and in the Pskov urban sociocultural context. The format of the cognitive game allows to include into the text a large amount of regional and local history information. Here is a fragment of one of the itinerary lists, working with which pupils master a phraseology unit vo vse lopatki (Russ: in all the shoulder blades) – ‘at full speed, very quickly’:

We have time before meeting with the next Connoisseur. Let's go on an excursion along the forest paths of the Pushkin Museum Reserve from the village of Bugrovo to Lake Malenets. Let's go in a cart – an old wagon in which a horse is harnessed.

The coachman sits down on the obluchok (Russ. coachman’s seat, the front part of the cart), we are sitting behind. <…>.

As for horses, they were Pushkin’s favorite animals. He adored them. Horses are mentioned 579 times in the poet’s works. Pushkin often painted horses – beautiful, graceful and elegant. The horse’s head is one of the very first drawings of the poet in a lyceum notebook.

A.S. Pushkin enjoyed horseback riding, traveled a lot in carriages (horse-drawn carts). From Mikhailovskoye, he often went to the neighboring Trigorskoye estate to visit the family of his friends – the Osipov-Wulf. Here is what he once wrote to his charming wife Natalya Nikolayevna: “There is a filly here, which walks in a harness or you can ride it. It’s great, but if something frightens it on the road, it takes a bite of reins, and runs ten miles over hillocks and ravines – and here you won’t stop it until it gets tired”.

And as soon as the coachman told us this, something strange happened: either our Pegasus simply decided to warm up, or, like that filly, was frightened of something (maybe Pegasus is its descendant, and this is hereditary?), but suddenly it rushed off very fast with all its might. At the same time, the horse threw up its front legs so high and powerfully that we could see how its shoulder blades move on its back (horses’ shoulder blades are connected with the front legs).

• Well, it rushed in all the shoulder blades (at full speed)! Whoa, Pegasus, here we are! The coachman shouted.

• In all the shoulder blades? So this is our phraseological unit!

• So, after all, this are the Connoisseurs in phraseology - Sharik-the-dog and Matroskin-the-cat from Prostokvashino! – The coachman-Sharik takes off his hat, and Matroskin jumps out of the travell bag:

• Congratulations! – The coachman said. – You have become participants in the stitch-up of “The Riddle of Phraseologism IN ALL THE SHOULDER BLADES”.

Well then. Not bad for a quest. But before making a conclusion about the origin of this phraseological unit, I want to learn more about these amazing animals – horses.

Next, the participants of the quest are invited to tell a story about the history of the Pskov hippodrome and the equestrian clubs of Pskov, and then an etymological generalization and the next level of development of phraseology are given.

The methodics for the representation of phraseological units and paroemias against a linguistic and historical background is also being implemented in the developments prepared by Master’s Degree students of the “Russian as a Foreign Language” educational program for their teaching practice. The name of their group linguistic and methodical project is “Proverbs and Sayings in the Stories of Pskov and the Pskovites”. The result of the work will be a selection of texts for regional study reading, where the trigger for the story is a phraseological unit or a proverb.

Here is a fragment of one of these stories:

UMA PALATA (brainy). (Literal translation of a phraseological unit: a chamber full of brain , where «chamber» means «palata»). 

You probably know that in Pskov, on the Sovetskaya (former Velikolutskaya) Street, the Menshikov Chambers are located – an architectural monument of the XVIIth century.

In those days, the family of merchants Menshikovs was one of the richest in Pskov and owned several houses – massive stone buildings with built-in wooden upper floors. The huge interior rooms in such houses were called chambers: they were living rooms, bedrooms, dining rooms and even “funny chambers” – a banquet hall or dance floor, as we say now. In 1710, a terrible fire broke out in Pskov. Almost the whole city burned out, and the Menshikov chambers were also significantly affected. Currently, the buildings have been restored, they house a museum and exhibition halls.

On Nekrasov Street there is another attraction of Pskov – Pogankin Chambers. This building was built by Pskov masons in 1671-1679 by order of the merchant Sergei Pogankin, who held high positions – he headed the mint works, customs, traded linen, leather, lard and other goods in Pskov, other Russian cities, and abroad. And his family received the nickname Pogankin after the arrival of Tsar Ivan IV in Pskov. When the tsar demanded money from the merchants, one of them, the ancestor of Sergei Pogankin, asked the tsar how much money he needed. Then the outraged Ivan the Terrible uttered that very famous phrase: “Oh, you filthy (Russ. «pogany»)! Are you really so rich that you can give as much as I want?

In 1902, a museum was opened inside the building, which still works today. In its huge halls you can see the paintings of ancient Pskov, silverware, samples of folk applied art.

So what did the word «chamber» mean before? Right, a big room inside a stone building. All kinds of meetings took place in such chambers – the boyars resolved important state issues here. Then the phraseological unit «uma palata» appeared, that means, “very clever”: that is how people began to talk about a very smart person, while also exaggerating his mental abilities.

The use of such regional study texts in the practice of teaching Russian to foreigners allows us to optimize the process of their sociocultural adaptation in the region of study. And the development of such training materials by future teachers of the Russian language is one of the ways of forming their professional competence on phraseological material.