Teaching philosophy

I view language teaching as an act of intellectual partnership, in which students learn through guided exploration, meaningful interaction, and sustained support. At the center of my teaching is careful attention to who my students are, how they learn, and what helps them feel confident using a new language. My pedagogy is grounded in individualized support, communicative and task-based instruction, cultural engagement, and reflective teaching practice.

Across different instructional contexts—beginning Russian, mixed heritage/non-heritage groups, and intensive courses—I pay close attention to students’ strengths, anxieties, and learning preferences. This allows me to design lessons that support the whole group while offering individualized pathways to success. In practice, this means providing explicit scaffolding and low-stakes practice for students who struggle with alphabet literacy, pronunciation, or grammar, while offering enrichment and extended tasks for more advanced or heritage learners. For example, I have created personalized microdrills and met individually with students who needed additional support with Cyrillic literacy, and I regularly use multilevel speaking tasks that allow students at different proficiency levels to participate meaningfully in the same activity.

These practices shape students’ learning experience in tangible ways. In course evaluations and informal feedback, students consistently note that they feel seen, supported, and respected in my classroom. Many report increased confidence and motivation to continue studying Russian despite initial difficulties, which I consider one of the most meaningful outcomes of my teaching.

My classes are guided by communicative and task-based principles, with a balance of interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational skills. I design activities that require students to use Russian in context, including role-plays, guided dialogues, information-gap tasks, collaborative projects, and short creative assignments. I also develop interactive slides, multimodal homework tasks (such as video projects), and real-life scenarios that encourage students to apply Russian beyond the textbook. To support clarity and reduce cognitive load, I carefully structure my Canvas pages and assignments. In addition, I organize regular conversation hours that provide students with an informal, low-pressure space to practice speaking and build confidence.

Authentic materials—contemporary videos, music, social media posts, and short news segments—play an important role in my courses. Students often share that exposure to authentic content motivates them to explore Russian-language media independently.

Beyond the classroom, I am committed to supporting students’ academic and personal growth. I regularly mentor students, provide individualized feedback, and help them prepare for essays, competitions, conference presentations, and fellowship applications. Several of my students have received awards and certificates for their Russian-language work, and others have gone on to competitive internships, graduate programs, and continued study of Russian language and culture. Many students highlight the supportive classroom atmosphere and sense of community as key reasons they chose to continue with Russian.

I aim to create an inclusive, respectful learning environment in which students feel comfortable taking risks and making mistakes. Learning a new language requires vulnerability, and by normalizing errors and emphasizing progress, I help students participate confidently regardless of their starting point. I strive to make Russian accessible, engaging, and relevant, and I see each class as an opportunity to support students’ linguistic, intellectual, and personal growth.