Alina Vladimirovna Makin, Program Head, Lecturer IV
(RC/Slavic)
Alina Makin, M.A. in Applied Linguistics, is a
faculty member in the Slavic Department at the University of Michigan, and head
of the Intensive Russian Program at the University’s Residential College.
A native Muscovite, she was educated at what is now the Moscow Linguistics
University and the University of Leicester, England, where she studied applied
linguistics and language acquisition. In Moscow she worked as a language
teacher, translator and interpreter, and her Russian curriculum vitae
includes such diverse entries as the simultaneous translation of films at
international festivals and interpreting for American tourists on Russian river
boat cruises. At the University of Michigan, where she has worked for over
fifteen years, in addition to teaching all levels of Russian in the Intensive
Russian language program and at the Slavic Department, she also gives advanced
language seminars on the history and culture of the Russian table,
Russian everyday life, as well as polar and sometimes conflicting roles of
Moscow and St Petersburg in Russian culture. She has produced a four-part
video series (in Russian) on Russian Food (Russian food shopping in Detroit,
Russian cooking, entertaining guests Russian-style and Russian peasant
cooking). She has given public lectures on Russian foodways, mushroom- and
berry-picking in Russian culture, as well as food in Russian literature and
folklore. Her research interests include several areas of applied linguistics,
second-language acquisition and pedagogy, and the history and culture of food
and cooking.
Recently taught courses:
Intensive Russian I (RCLang
193/Russian 103) - both grammar and conversational
sections
Intensive Russian II (RCLang 293/Russian 203) - both
grammar and consersational sections
Russian readings (RCLang 323)
- seminars on the following topics: "Russian Foodways: History, Culture and
Practices of the Russian Table"; "Moscow and St. Petersburg: Two Capitals, Two
Worlds, Two Planets"; Routine, Riddle and Romance of Russian Everyday
Life"
Third-year Russian (Russian 301/302)
Fourth-Year
Russian (russian 401/402)
For more info: please write to file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Alina%20Makin/Local%20Settings/Temp/preview/resco@umich.edu
Vadim Besprozvany,
Lecturer I (RC/Slavic)
Vadim Besprozvany will be joining our program staff in the
Fall Term to teach the conversational section of Intensive Russian I (RCLang
193/Russian 103).
Vadim Besprozvany is a Lecturer at the University of
Michigan Residential College. His research focuses on the 20th century Russian
literature, Russian and Ukrainian films, analysis of verbal and non-verbal
texts. The results of his research found reflection in a number of
articles on the history and poetics of 20th century Russian literature.
Currently he is working on the monograph “Vladimir Narbut: The Poetics of
Linguistic and Cultural Bilingualism.” Dr. Besprozvany has taught First and
Second Year Russian, Advanced Russian, and Applied Russian. He received
his Ph.D. in Slavic Languages and Literatures from the University of
Michigan.
To find out more about Vadim Besprozvany, his teaching and his
interests, please visit his personal page
or write to vbesproz@umich.edu
Recently taught
courses:
Russian 201 - Second-year Russian
Russian 122 -
Applied Russian
Russian 501/502 - Fifth-year
Russian
Eugene Ivanov, Peer Tutor/Conversation Partner (RC Class of
2011)
Originally from Kiev, Ukraine, and fully bilingual in
Russian and Ukrainian, Eugene joined our program staff in the FT'07 as a peer
tutor for Intensive Russian I. In the Fall he was providing invaluable tutorial
help to all students in the course by organizing regular large-group grammar
reviews before tests and quizzes, as well as private tutorials during regular
walk-in sessions in the Greene Lounge. In the Winter Term Eugene played a
key role in helping the students enrolled in Intensive Russian II to take their
speaking skills to amazing levels of proficiency by serving as our regular
conversation partner. We are very lucky to have him return for the AY
2009. Need help with your Russian? Please write to: eivanov@umich.edu
