Modern Teaching Methods Offered to Language Educators in Development Course Abroad
As part of the ongoing cultural and academic collaboration between the University of Baghdad and Chechen State Pedagogical University in the Russian Federation, a group of faculty members from the Russian Language Department participated in a development course entitled “School of Russian Language Teachers as a Foreign Language.”
This program, held from November 10 to November 16, 2024, was organized by Chechen State Pedagogical University with the support of the Humanities Support Fund and carried the slogan “I Teach the Great Russian Language.” The course followed the participation of Prof. Dr. Ali Adnan Mashwash, Dean of the College of Languages, in the Russia and Arab World Forum in Grozny in September of this year.
This professional development opportunity is part of a broader effort to foster cooperation between the University of Baghdad and various embassies operating in Iraq.
These partnerships, formalized through memoranda of understanding with foreign universities in countries where the languages taught at the College of Languages are spoken, aim to enhance educational practices, improve teaching skills, and facilitate the exchange of expertise between Russian institutions and the University of Baghdad.
During the program, the delegation was welcomed by Professor Dr. Ismail Baikhanov Baudinovich, President of Chechen State Pedagogical University.
He expressed admiration for Iraq’s historical contributions to global civilization and underscored the potential for future collaboration with the University of Baghdad, including the possibility of establishing a Russian language teaching center in Baghdad.
The training program comprised both theoretical and practical components, focusing on the latest methods and curricula for teaching foreign languages.
The curriculum also included sessions on preparing educational materials for university students and on the cultural influences—customs, traditions, and societal values—that shape language acquisition. Professors specializing in Russian language teaching from various Russian universities conducted the sessions.
In addition to academic activities, Chechen State Pedagogical University organized cultural and historical excursions for the delegation.
These included visits to the museum of the great writer Leo Tolstoy, where the participants learned about a pivotal period in the author’s life in the Caucasus and Chechnya and its impact on his literary work.
The delegation also attended cultural performances, such as a play based on Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin’s The Launch at the Lermontov Theater, a concert by the Chechen Orchestra, and tours of notable mosques in Grozny, renowned for their architectural significance.
At the conclusion of the program, a ceremony was held to award certificates of successful completion to the fourteen faculty members from the Russian Language Department. The participants expressed their sincere appreciation to the President of Chechen State Pedagogical University, the Assistant to the President for Scientific and International Activities, the representatives of the Humanities Support Fund in the Russian Federation, and the university’s faculty for their support and hospitality.
