Future Philologists from Mongolia Enhance their Knowledge at INRTU
A new cohort of the educational program for students from the Mongolian National University of Education (MNUE) has launched at INRTU. They have arrived at Irkutsk National Research Technical University for a semester to improve their knowledge in philology and teaching methods for Russian and English.
According to Nina Berngard, Head of the International Office, ten female students are undergoing inclusive education at the Baikal School of BRICS. The third-year students are studying a continuing professional education program, "Russian Philology: Modern Approaches to Education." They are mastering methods of teaching Russian and English, lexicology, the theory of intercultural communication, and a special course on English pronunciation. The classes will run from February to June. Upon completion of the course, the Mongolian students will receive certificates, and after successfully graduating from MNUE, they will receive professional development diplomas from INRTU.
"The Government of Mongolia is interested in improving the qualifications of its teachers.The Mongolian National University of Education is the only university in Mongolia that trains specialists in Russian studies. This explains the special role of this educational project. We are pleased to support it for the third consecutive year,"
said Nina Berngard.
The classes are taught by eight INRTU staff members. For example, Nataliia Petrova, a senior lecturer at the Baikal School of BRICS, gives lectures twice a week on the discipline "Methods of Teaching Russian as a Foreign Language." Specifically, the course covers the specifics of teaching speech activities (reading, listening, speaking, writing), as well as modern ways, methods, and techniques for presenting educational material. During one of the first classes, Nataliia Petrova explained what RFL (Russian as a Foreign Language) is, how speech differs from language, and what motivates language learning.
"We will get acquainted with the history of the development of RFL teaching methods and the main textbooks. We will learn important terms and concepts, and learn to analyze teaching materials for the Russian language. Today's topic is very important in the education of foreign philology students. Theoretical knowledge about teaching methodology as a scientific discipline will definitely be useful for the students in their professional development,"
the lecturer noted.
The Mongolian students share their first impressions. They are satisfied with the teaching level and life on the INRTU campus.
Gunj Gerelmaa from Ulaanbaatar plans to become a schoolteacher. She studied Russian for 15 years in her home country and has a good command of grammar but lacks conversational practice. Therefore, she enrolled in the university's philology department and was very happy about the opportunity to go for additional studies in Irkutsk.
"Some of the teachers who work with us at INRTU speak the Buryat language well, which is close to Mongolian. This makes it easier to understand the subjects, especially lexicology and morphology. I love children, so I want to become a good teacher. I hope I succeed. I arrived in Irkutsk quite recently, and I like it here. The city has many historical buildings, and the air is quite clean. The vastness and comfortable spaces of the technical university are impressive,"
Gunj Gerelmaa noted.
Enkhtuya Uuriintuya grew up in the border aimag of Dornod, which has developed historical, trade, and cultural ties with Russia. As a child, she often watched Russian cartoons, for example, "Masha and the Bear." Thanks to her mother, who traveled to the Russian Federation many times for work, Uuriintuya gained a good grasp of conversational Russian. Studying at the university helped her improve her grammar.
"I like the atmosphere in the INRTU dormitory, which is located next to the academic building, which is very convenient. After classes, I communicate with my foreign neighbors; we gather in the kitchen and cook delicious meals together. In the future, I plan to enroll in a master's program at one of the universities in the Russian Federation and gain even more knowledge. All this is necessary to get closer to my dream - to create my own educational and scientific center specializing in projects in the field of Russian and English languages,"
Enkhtuya Uuriintuya shared.
