Speech communication in Russia

Abstract

This study reports the results of a survey given to Russian educators to assess the status of speech communication instruction in Russia. A stratified random survey was distributed by the Sociological Center of the State Committee on Higher Education of the Russian Federation to 2,200 Russian educators. Results suggest that most Russian educators are not familiar with speech communication as an academic discipline. Even though 40% of the respondents disagreed that speech communication should be included in the Russian curriculum, half of the respondents agreed or strongly agreed that it should be included in the Russian curriculum. Most respondents agreed that if introduced to Russians, it should be included first in higher education, beginning with only one class included as part of a curriculum offered by another more traditional Russian academic department. Russian educators valued communication skills less than did U.S. personnel managers. Of the respondents 85% in the current study were unsure concerning whether they would be interested in personally teaching speech communication; 15% of the respondents indicated they would be interested in teaching speech communication. No respondents completely rejected the idea of teaching speech communication. Suggestions for establishing speech communication instruction in Russia are presented.