Cultural Footprint. Rich Personality of the Teacher as a Factor of the Development of Scientific Schooling

Abstract

Between November 1st to 2nd, 2023 the Faculty of Philology of Moscow State University held a scientific and methodological seminar Linguodidactic description of the Russian language in the “mirror” of foreign language systems, dedicated to the 95th anniversary of the birth of Professor M. V. Vsevolodova and her scientific heritage. An outstanding scientist, Doctor of Philology, Honored Professor of Moscow State University, Honorary Professor of the Shanghai University of Foreign Languages, Maya Vladimirovna Vsevolodova was at the origins of the creation of one of the most important applied areas in Russian studies — Russian as a foreign language (RFL). She was one of the founders of the linguodidactic scientific school in the field of RFL, as well as in the field of functional communicative grammar. The seminar was attended by famous scientists (E. L. Barkhudarova, L. P. Klobukova, A. V. Velichko, V. V. Krasnykh) and young teachers from different universities of Russia (Kazan Federal University, Vladivostok State University, etc.). Over two days of work, seminar participants listened to 35 reports. Most of the reports were devoted to the personality of Maya Vladimirovna along with her scientific and teaching activities. In his opening address Professor A. A. Lipgart called the seminar an important scientific event and wished the participants interesting creative reports. On the first day of the seminar O. V. Chagina and L. P. Klobukova spoke of the unique personality, intellect, and work of Maya Vladimirovna. E. L. Barkhudarova devoted her report to Vsevolodova’s textbook of Russian phonetics for Polish speakers, a model of a nationally oriented pronunciation course. On the second day of the seminar there were two sections — Grammar and Cultural Studies. The work of both was opened by reports from teachers of the Russian Language Department of the MGIMO University. N. D. Afanasyeva, in her report, emphasized the importance of considering the characteristics of the national mentality of students, the need not only to give students knowledge about the Russian language as a system, but also to include them in Russianlanguage communication. The presentation contained many striking examples, which aroused great interest among the audience. T. L. Borisenko shared her experience of teaching verb types in the RFL practical grammar course. As on the first day of the seminar, on November 2nd, some of the reports were of a memorial nature and were dedicated directly to the personality of Maya Vladimirovna. The cultural significance of the work of Maya Vladimirovna Vsevolodova, the creator of a scientific school, a wonderful scientist and wise mentor who raised more than one generation of Russian scholars, goes beyond her time: her students continue her work today in different parts of the world.