Russian has been taught at our school as an optional compulsory subject for several years and many students have taken advantage of this opportunity. When they have decided to take Russian, they study the language for a period of two hours a week for two years. The aim of our work is to make sure that the students achieve competence in writing, reading, listening and speaking. At the beginning of the course the focus is put on speaking and understanding but also on giving them an overview of the country and its people, culture and history. Later, they are exposed to original texts from current newspapers and books. As a foreign language Russian has gained in importance due to the expansion of economic and cultural relations between the East and the West. It is a matter of fact that shops in the centre of Vienna and winter skiing resorts depend on Russian customers. Shop assistants, ski instructors, hotel staff etc. should therefore be able to speak Russian. In today’s age of globalisation it has become essential to learn about this fascinating part of the world through the medium of language. In Austria the number of students who study Russian is on the rise not just in the optional compulsory subject but in general as more and more schools recognise the importance of the language and offer courses in Russian.
