A сoursebook on linguocultural studies for foreigners studying the Russian language: concept and content

The article continues studying interconnected teaching of Russian language and culture in linguistic and сultural aspect of the methodology of teaching Russian as a foreign language (RFL) from the perspective of communicative and active learning. The relevance of this study is associated with the need to develop a system of theoretical and practical recommendations on using cultural potential of language environment in teaching and learning RFL as part of communicative and active approach to teaching. The research attempts to develop the concept and content of a coursebook on linguocultural studies, aimed at extending knowledge of Russian culture and developing communicative competence of foreigners studying the Russian language. This is an important condition for linguocultural adaptation. The research was carried out on the basis of traditional folk culture realities, which most vividly reflect the peculiarities of national mentality and provide opportunities for both theoretical and practical cultural activities in teaching/learning RFL: decorative and applied art and folk crafts, traditional folk dolls, and cuisine. The methods of the research are analysis, generalization and forecasting. The research resulted in developing the concept of a coursebook on linguocultural studies and determining its content. The author makes conclusion about effectiveness of the communicative-activity approach in teaching and learning aimed at extending foreigners’ knowledge about Russian culture and Russian national mentality, forming their communicative competence and providing successful linguistic and cultural adaptation. The conclusion is based on the materials of a coursebook on linguistic and cultural studies for foreigners learning Russian.