Learn Russian: Step-by-step is the first, professional e-learning course produced by the staff of Listen2Russian.com. It is suited for the beginner who wants to speak Russian and make conversation, rather than just memorize phrases. It features a textbook (Volume 1) plus over 60 multimedia vocabulary sheets to illustrate the principles presented in the textbook.
The free section of Listen2Russian.com gave you a taste of what to expect, but in Learn Russian: Step-by-step we delve much deeper into the Russian case system and verbal aspects, topics that usually send a chill down the spine of a Russian language student! (that is, they are generally considered quite difficult, but we try to make them easy for you).
The learning techniques we employ are completely different to every other Russian textbook or language course we have encountered. Instead of presenting all the grammar rules in one book (and hoping that the student miraculously absorbs all the information!), we have categorized all the Russian grammar rules into manageable groups, and then subdivided these groups into smaller parts. Over the duration of the course we present these small parts slowly, so that the student has a chance to really learn how to use the rules without feeling overwhelmed. But don't be mistaken in thinking you will only be learning the basics of grammar – no! You will learn some of the most conceptually complex grammar rules, which, by the end of Volume 1, you will begin to realize aren't so complex after all.
If you read the average Russian textbook, then after 4 or 5 chapters you may have the feeling that Russian is just too hard – no mere mortal could possibly learn such a vast amount of information whilst retaining any semblance of sanity. But the problem lies not with the student, but with the standard textbook teaching methods – they are boring; they present too much information; they don't have enough examples; they don't motivate the self-study student to persevere in the long-term. Learn Russian: Step-by-step was written with the goal of overcoming these problems.
So in Learn Russian: Step-by-step, Volume 1, don't expect to find a discussion of every Russian grammar rule that has ever been contemplated by scholars and academics! What we present is a subset of the rules, and in the next Volume you will learn the next subset, and so on until you reach an intermediate level. In this way, Learn Russian: Step-by-step isn't a 'reference grammar' book, it's a teaching method.
We are confident you will make great improvements using our course, and develop an uplifting sense of mastery as you conquer the Russian language, step-by-step.
Author
Jonathon Walker
Contributors
Irina Krasnikova (Canada)
MPsych(Clinical), BA(Hons), BEcon(Hons)
Yana Sergeeva (Holland)
Melbourne, Australia
Learn Russian: Step-by-step, Volume 1
Student Level:Beginner
Course Delivery Method:Online
Textbook pages (including Vocabulary Section):560
Audio Recordings:1560 unique phrases
Listening Modes:Normal and Slow
Expected Self-study Course Duration:3 - 6 months
Price:AU$15.00 (approx. USD$15.00) once off payment for 1 year subscription
Subscription duration:1 year* (including 1 month Guaranteed Service Period followed by 11 months Discretionary Service Period. See below for details)
A full-color, online textbook written in easy-to-understand, plain English, with sound recordings
Textbook summary sheets of essential grammar tables and vocabulary in PDF format
A printable, comprehensive vocabulary section with sound recordings that illustrate the principles taught in the textbook
Over 1500 unique, high-quality sound recordings by a native Russian (Sveta)
Audio presented in normal and slow modes
Transcription (or transliteration) of ALL Russian words into English sounds
Stress is marked in ALL multi-syllabic Russian words with an accent ' (Many books and courses stop doing this halfway through – we never stop!)
No use of Russian italics in Volume 1 (they only confuse a beginner)
100's of example phrases that you may use in conversations. The examples only contain the grammatical principles taught in Volume 1, so you aren't left thinking "I have no idea what that means!"
And do you want to know something else that's wonderful about our multimedia language course?
It’s only AU$15.00!! (approx US$15.00 for a 1 year subscription – there are NO recurring payments).
We have made this price as low as possible so that anyone in the world can afford to use it. Some Listen2Russian.com users come from countries where it would be almost impossible to afford an expensive language course. We want everybody to have the opportunity to advance in Russian, regardless of where they live or how much money they have.
Please note, however, that the price may increase in the future if the cost of supporting our membership database exceeds the return.
The textbook (not the vocabulary section) is presented entirely in Adobe Flash, which is the same format as the free section of this website.
The textbook is only viewable online, and cannot be printed. Unfortunately there is no way we can protect the copyright of a document whilst enabling hardcopy printing, as it is possible to configure the printing function of Microsoft Windows to create an electronic document (which can subsequently be distributed over the Internet in violation of copyright). We have investigated the options thoroughly but if you know a solution to this dilemma then please let us know!
Textbook summary sheets of essential grammar tables and vocabulary are presented in Adobe PDF format. They can be viewed online, downloaded to your computer, and printed for personal use.
The vocabulary section (featuring hundreds of example phrases) is also presented in Adobe PDF format. The vocabulary sheets can be viewed online, downloaded to your computer, and printed for personal use.
This is an online multimedia course, and so there are several technical requirements that are important to review:
1. Adobe Flash Player Please ensure you have the latest version of the Adobe Flash Player Older versions won't run our content correctly, and are also vulnerable to security holes (you shouldn't be browsing the web with old versions of Flash).
2. Adobe (PDF) Reader Current version is 9, but version 8 should also work ok. If you don't have Adobe Reader installed you can download it from this link
3. Current version of Internet Explorer, Firefox or Safari Please ensure you are using the latest version of Internet Explorer, Firefox or Safari. You can usually check which version you are using by clicking on the Help menu in your browser, and then selecting "About . . . "
Minimum versions that are confirmed to work with the Listen2Russian.com language course:
- Internet Explorer: Version 7 (and fully patched)
- Firefox: Version 12
- Safari: Version 4
Other browsers such as Opera and Chrome are not confirmed to work with the course content (but we welcome your feedback!).
4. A monitor A monitor that allows a viewing resolution of at least 1024 pixels (width) by 768 pixels (height).
You can check your screen resolution at this link. This language course was not designed for mobile / cell phone technology.
5. 'Cookies' enabled in your browser. A 'cookie' is a very small text file that sits on your hard drive and allows you to browse each page in the members section without being asked for your login details each time you load a new page.
All modern browsers support cookies by default – cookies would only cease to function if they have been deliberately turned off in the browser options.
The purchase price includes 1 month access to Learn Russian: Step-by-step, Volume 1 under the Terms and Conditions of the Guaranteed Service Period.
The Guaranteed Service Period includes time extensions if the Listen2Rusisan.com server goes offline for more than 72 hours during this period (please see the Terms and Conditions for detailed specifications).
PLUS
11 Months Discretionary Service Period
At the conclusion of the Guaranteed Service Period, eligible customers will then be granted 11 months access to Learn Russian: Step-by-step, Volume 1 under the Terms and Conditions of the Discretionary Service Period. ('Eligible Customers' are those who have not violated the Listen2Russian.com Account Sharing Policy).
The Discretionary Service Period does not include any time extensions if the server goes offline for any amount of time (please see the Terms and Conditions for detailed specifications).
There is NO extra fee for the Discretionary Service Period.
Therefore, most customers will be able to access Learn Russian: Step-by-step, Volume 1 for one year, notwithstanding any unfortunate circumstances that preclude Listen2Russian.com from operating online.
Question: Why not simply offer 1 year access? Why split access into a Guaranteed Service Period and a Discretionary Service Period?
The internet, and life generally, is too unpredictable to offer a 1-year guaranteed service. The Listen2Russian.com website has been operating since November 2006 with ZERO downtime, but who knows what disruptive events may happen in the future. Over time technology changes, laws change, and the political climate changes - if this website was operating back in the 1960s we would probably be jailed as Communists!
Therefore, we would like to offer our customers a high-quality, e-learning experience with guaranteed content availability for 1 month, followed by the same exceptional experience for the next 11 months if circumstances allow.
If you have any questions about this arrangement please contact us.
