Consultation for parents "Teaching the Tatar language to Russian-speaking children"

The positive impact of bilingualism on the development of memory, the ability to understand, analyze and discuss language phenomena, intelligence, reaction speed, mathematical skills and logic is undeniable. Bilingual children do well academically and are better able to master abstract science, literature, and foreign languages. The younger the child, the greater his chances of mastering a second language to the maximum extent possible and with natural pronunciation.

In the conditions of the new language situation in the republic, the formation of a person occurs under the influence of two national cultures, traditions, two systems of ethical norms of speech and non-speech behavior. Taking into account the age characteristics of children, and guided by the State Standard for Education and Upbringing, classes are held in the kindergarten to study the Tatar language with Russian-speaking children. The lesson notes contain the following tasks:

*increasing children's vocabulary;

*children’s participation in dialogues, development of children’s memory and imagination;

*to arouse children's interest in the Tatar language;

*instill in children a love for their native land, its nature and respect for it;

*introduce historical monuments and sights of the city of Kazan, etc.

This technique was developed specifically for children - a lightweight version, in a playful form. They will learn spoken language. There is a norm - by the first grade a child should know 167 Tatar words. According to the program developers, this will be enough to immerse the child in the language environment and begin learning the Tatar language as an adult - at school.

In the middle group We are working on the project “Minem өem” (“My Home”), which includes the following topics: “Gailә”, “Ashamlyklar”, “Uenchyklar”, “Sannar”, “Kabatlau”. The classes use information and communication technologies, situation games, visual materials, audio recordings, and cartoons based on fairy tales of Tatar writers. Children also complete tasks on workbooks.

The game is an effective and accessible form of activity in teaching Russian children Tatar oral speech. Children don’t even think that they are learning, without noticing it, they learn Tatar words, phrases, sentences much better and on this basis they practice the correct pronunciation of specific Tatar sounds.

In the senior and preparatory group knowledge on topics is expanded and deepened. The projects are called in the senior groups “Uynyy-uynyy үsәbez” (“Growing up while playing”), in the preparatory groups - “Without inde khazer zurlar-maktәpkә ilta yullar” (“Soon to school”). Children develop skills:

* distinguish between speech in Tatar and native languages;

* understand speech in the Tatar language within the topics studied;

* to ask questions;

* express a request, desire, need, need for something;

* retell short texts;

* compose a story based on the picture and observations;

* tell a poem, counting rhymes, sing songs, fairy tales.

The younger the child, the greater his chances of mastering a second language to the maximum extent possible and with natural pronunciation.

Good educational results appear only when the efforts of teachers and parents are coordinated.

Good educational results appear only when the efforts of teachers and parents are coordinated. The parents of our preschool educational institution have a positive influence on their children’s desire to learn a second language. After the survey, it turned out:

In the middle group, all parents know that there are two official languages ​​in the Republic of Tatarstan, but only one family speaks two official languages. languages. A consultation was held: “Creating favorable conditions for learning a second state language.”

In the older group, parents want their children to communicate with people of other nationalities as equals. A consultation was held: “Cultivating love and respect for people of other nationalities.”

In the preparatory group, parents reported their respect for their native land of Kazan. A consultation was held: “Familiarizing children with the Native Land.”

Teaching Russian-speaking children the Tatar language

The positive impact of bilingualism on the development of memory, the ability to understand, analyze and discuss language phenomena, intelligence, reaction speed, mathematical skills and logic is undeniable. Bilingual children do well academically and are better able to master abstract science, literature, and foreign languages. The younger the child, the greater his chances of mastering a second language to the maximum extent possible and with natural pronunciation.

In the conditions of the new language situation in the republic, the formation of a person occurs under the influence of two national cultures, traditions, two systems of ethical norms of speech and non-speech behavior. Taking into account the age characteristics of children, and guided by the State Standard for Education and Upbringing, classes are held in the kindergarten to study the Tatar language with Russian-speaking children. The lesson notes contain the following tasks:

*increasing children's vocabulary;

*children’s participation in dialogues, development of children’s memory and imagination;

*to arouse children's interest in the Tatar language;

*instill in children a love for their native land, its nature and respect for it;

*introduce historical monuments and sights of Kazan, etc.

This technique was developed specifically for children - a lightweight version, in a playful form. They will learn spoken language. There is a norm - by the first grade a child should know 167 Tatar words. According to the program developers, this will be enough to immerse the child in the language environment and begin learning the Tatar language as an adult - at school.

In the middle group we are working on the project “Minem Oem” (“My Home”), which includes the following topics: “Gailә”, “Ashamlyklar”, “Uenchyklar”, “Sannar”, “Kabatlau”. The classes use information and communication technologies, situation games, visual materials, audio recordings, and cartoons based on fairy tales of Tatar writers. Children also complete tasks on workbooks.

The game is an effective and accessible form of activity in teaching Russian children Tatar oral speech. Children don’t even think that they are learning, without noticing it, they learn Tatar words, phrases, sentences much better and on this basis they practice the correct pronunciation of specific Tatar sounds.

In the senior and preparatory groups, knowledge on topics is expanded and deepened. The projects are called in the senior groups “Uynyy-uynyy үsәbez” (“Growing up while playing”), in the preparatory groups - “Without inde khazer zurlar-maktәpkә ilta yullar” (“Soon to school”). Children develop skills:

* distinguish between speech in Tatar and native languages;

* understand speech in the Tatar language within the topics studied;

* to ask questions;

* express a request, desire, need, need for something;

* retell short texts;

* compose a story based on the picture and observations;

* tell a poem, counting rhymes, sing songs, fairy tales.

The younger the child, the greater his chances of mastering a second language to the maximum extent possible and with natural pronunciation.

Good educational results appear only when the efforts of teachers and parents are coordinated. The parents of our preschool educational institution have a positive influence on their children’s desire to learn a second language. After the survey, it turned out:

In the middle group, all parents know that there are two official languages ​​in the Republic of Tatarstan, but only one family speaks two official languages. languages. A consultation was held: “Creating favorable conditions for learning a second state language.”

In the older group, parents want their children to communicate with people of other nationalities as equals. A consultation was held: “Cultivating love and respect for people of other nationalities.”

In the preparatory group, parents reported their respect for their native land, Kazan. A consultation was held: “Familiarizing children with the Native Land.”

During the training of Tatar colloquial speech:

Children learn to understand the teacher’s speech in their native language, both at organizational moments and during the explanation of the material, and learn the vocabulary of their native language;

Get acquainted with the construction of elementary grammatical structures;

They learn to take part in games, get acquainted with songs and poems in the Tatar language.

During the learning process, children learn and recite poems by Tatar poets, such as G. Tukay, M. Jalil, Sh. Galiev, F. Yarullin, etc. They get acquainted with national fairy tales, stories of Tatar writers, such as A. Alish, N. Fattakh, A. Bikchantaeva and others play different, national, outdoor games.

In order to introduce children to the Tatar national culture, we hold national holidays: “Sabantuy”, “Sombelә”, “Kaz өmәse”, “Nәүrүz”, “Karga botkasy”. Where children participate with great desire, recite poems, sing songs, and play various national outdoor games.

When teaching children Tatar colloquial speech, educators try to bring to the child’s consciousness that learning to speak the Tatar language means not only learning words and expressions, but also learning to live in a different cultural space. Learning the Tatar language also means getting to know the culture, holidays and customs of the people, fairy tales, children's games and folklore. For this purpose, a Tatar corner has been created in each group, with dolls in national costumes, utensils, educational games, and national costumes. Children, while playing, can experience with great pleasure all the subtleties of Tatar culture.

The family plays an important role in teaching children Tatar colloquial speech. The learning ability of children depends on the attitude of parents towards their native language. In our kindergarten, information stands have been created for parents, conversations, consultations, and round tables are held on the topic “The role of communication in the family in the native language,” where it is discussed that bilingualism has a positive effect on the development of memory, the ability to understand, analyze and discuss language phenomena, and intelligence , reaction speed, mathematical skills and logic. Fully developing children who speak two languages ​​(bilinguals), as a rule, study well and master abstract sciences, literature, and other foreign languages ​​better than others.

Valeria Meshcheryakova has developed a system by which children learn and teachers are retrained. She explained how Tatar lessons can become a favorite subject and why the second state language of the republic will make your child smarter

Valeria Meshcheryakova has developed a system by which children learn and teachers are retrained. She explained how Tatar lessons can become a favorite subject and why the second state language of the republic will make your child smarter.

Ilnur Yarkhamov- Kazan

Parents brought preschool children Dasha, Platon, Mark, Egor, Alena and Samira to the Kangaroo school in the evening so that they could study the Tatar language. This is already the fifth lesson for the children, and they know a lot of words in Tatar. Teacher Liliya Safiullina teaches language to children according to the method Valeria Meshcheryakova, in which the main emphasis is not on grammar, but on interactivity between students and the teacher and live speech.

Small children do not know how to correctly spell Tatar words, which they pronounce perfectly, without accent. They can construct simple sentences from them. In the office where the lesson takes place, there are no usual signs with the letters of the Tatar alphabet. Mostly cards with images of animals, objects and phenomena catch the eye. The teacher pulls out the image and shows it to the children, they tell her what is drawn in the Tatar language: pesi, bozau, bala, etc.

During the 45 minutes that the lesson is going on, the teacher and students try not to use Russian speech, immersing themselves as much as possible in the new language. Although the majority of children are from Russian-speaking families, it is clear that the transition from one language to another is easy for boys and girls. They will already be able to understand Abika’s simple story and offer her some tea in Tatar.

When the lesson is over, we ask the parents why they take their children to paid Tatar language courses. Parents answer that they want their children to get straight A's at school, so in addition to reading and math, they decided to start learning Tatar in advance. At the same school, children are sent to classes in Russian and English.

We talked with the author of the language teaching methodology - Valeria Meshcheryakova. In an interview with KazanFirst, she spoke about the nuances of her methodology. According to her, the Ministry of Education and Science of Tatarstan paid attention to her language teaching system and for the second year now they have been sending Tatar language teachers to her for retraining. The results from the courses, she says, are “fantastic.”

Let's first immediately determine that there is no such unique phenomenon as the Tatar language. All languages ​​absolutely fit the scheme of such teaching; any language can be mastered. English, French, German... it absolutely does not matter which language to teach if you are dealing with children under 8-10 years old.

The age of children matters, because until the age of 8-10 years, an amazing mechanism operates - imprinting. The term comes from the English word Imprint - “to imprint”. This mechanism allows you to master any other language by analogy with your native one. That is, without translation, without analysis, without rules, simply “imprinting” it into your brain.

Therefore, it is important to have time to do this before the age of 8, that is, to put as many language models into the child’s brain as possible, since at this time he is most adapted to this. The child does not need to be forced, activated, or motivated. The brain itself is designed in such a way that it absorbs information and qualifies it, divides it into segments, and learns to compose semantic units from different parts.

If you didn’t manage to do this before the age of 8, then after that it will be difficult. But then you will have to “learn” the language. And until the age of 8, we don’t actually learn a language, we learn to communicate in a language, we learn to speak in one language or another. And these are completely different things.

I was in a lesson for preschoolers on the Tatar language. It was striking that children were not shown the Tatar alphabet or letters. They are immediately taught how to say this or that object in the Tatar language, cards with images of animals are shown.

The child should associate the sound of a word not with the word in his native language, but with the phenomenon itself. That is, you, for example, say “Astal”, but do not translate this word into Russian - “table”. You simply demonstrate the object itself on four legs and with a horizontal plane. It is very important. Then the child forms a connection between the word and the object. He doesn’t have to run through his native language to translate. He immediately forms an image of a foreign language. But this can only be done until the age of 8-10.

After 8 years, it’s already difficult to explain anything to him without translation. The brain begins to demand “how it will be in Russian”, frantically selecting analogues.

When you spoke Tatar as a child, you didn’t jump from Russian to Tatar. You simply spoke Tatar with the Tatars, and Russian with the Russians. And it was only when you were 7-8 years old that you suddenly began to draw analogies, that is, you realized that a table can also be called “Astal”, that a chair is also “uryndyk”. Or maybe you still haven’t thought about it? Maybe you don't need it? You have two language centers in your head, right?

Maybe. I have never thought so deeply about my languages ​​before. Okay, but what to do after 10 years? Or has the train already left?

We need to learn the language. There's no getting away from this. To understand what it is to learn a language and how it differs from the formation of speech, you need to understand the difference between these two phenomena: language and speech.

- Are language and speech different concepts?

Yes, let's stop there. Many people believe that language and speech are two sides of the same coin. There is an opinion that if you study a language for a long, long time, you will definitely start speaking it. Or, for example, if you speak a language well, then, of course, you already know it.

There's really nothing like it. For example, our children go to school in first grade. These are Russian-speaking children. Do they know Russian?

- Probably yes…

No, they don’t know Russian. They have no idea about prefixes, roots, suffixes, parts of speech, declensions and conjugations. But at the same time they speak Russian perfectly. Moreover, some schoolchildren speak simply masterfully, without ever studying the language.

Only when you come to school do you begin to study the language and understand why in this or that case you need to use this or that ending or suffix.

And there is the opposite situation: our children have been studying the Tatar language for 11 years, they can explain some grammatical concepts, but they cannot speak it or connect two words.

Therefore, we must understand that language is one thing, but speech is something completely different.

But speech has a certain other side of the coin, without which it itself does not exist. Do you know what this is?

- Practice?

No, it's thinking. Hundreds of psychologists spoke about this before me. In fact, this has been written all over the place. But for some reason our methodologists don’t take this into account.

All our thinking is verbalized - we think in words, formulate our words into thoughts, into speech. And speech itself does not exist without thinking. What we hear performed by a parrot is not speech. It's just talking. He repeated what he heard. He has no meaningful speech.

If we and our children do not study a language, but form speech, then we thereby form thinking in this language. This is an alternative form of thinking. You have a way of thinking in Russian and Tatar.

If children learn to speak in English, then they will also think in English. And thinking is, in principle, a matrix. The more of these matrices and thinking stereotypes you have, the more successful a person you are. Because if one matrix does not work, then another one turns on.

- What will happen if we, suppose, tomorrow in schools we begin to teach not the Tatar language, but Tatar speech?

If we are talking about children over 10 years old, then nothing can be done without learning the language. But how they will enter into this language learning is another matter. Now children come to first grade and immediately begin to learn the language. But this is a language unfamiliar to many of them - like Latin, for example. And it’s a completely different matter if by the age of 10 they master speech in the Tatar language.

This can be done playfully in kindergarten and in the first two years of primary school. At this time we do not study the language at all in lessons. We are simply forming speech. And when our child graduates from second grade and already speaks the Tatar language, understands Tatar speech, it ceases to seem foreign to him. In this case, you can already begin to enter the language, smoothly.

The Tatar language lesson must be taught in the Tatar language. What are they doing here? In our country, up to grades 9-11, almost all Tatar lessons are taught in Russian. This is wrong.

If children learn to understand basic speech by the second grade, then in the third grade they can begin to learn the language in Tatar.

And when a child listens to Tatar speech all the time, immerses himself in the language environment, then the Tatar language lessons themselves will become lessons on the formation and development of speech.

- I didn’t know that it was possible to distinguish between such concepts as speech and language.

Unfortunately, even some methodologists do not quite understand this.

After a lesson on your methodology at the Kangaroo school, I asked parents why their children needed the Tatar language. They told me that it would be needed because they taught it at school. In your opinion, what other motivations are there for learning the Tatar language?

For Tatar-speaking parents, teaching the Tatar language is the principle of preserving their culture. This is the duty of every parent. There are Russian-speaking Tatar parents. And it’s very good that they are returning to their roots. What their parents did not teach the Tatar language, they want to compensate in their children. They're great.

Why should you learn the Tatar language? The first reason is that the children live in Tatarstan; in any case, they can meet Tatar-speaking people and communicate with them. It is much easier for a person who knows the Tatar language, or even just understands it, to communicate with his boss, his subordinates, and his work colleagues than a person who does not speak the language.

The second reason is cultural. It’s not normal when people live side by side and know nothing about the culture of their neighboring people. And you can understand culture only through language; culture and language are inextricably linked.

Therefore, if you want your child to be culturally developed, so that he is introduced to the culture of the people he lives next to, then, of course, you need to study the language.

The third reason is linguistic. The Tatar language is a kind of entrance to the Turkic-speaking world. If you know the Tatar language, then it means you understand the Bashkirs, Kazakhs, and Azerbaijanis; the Turkish language is much easier.

The fourth reason is that knowledge of a second language helps to activate thought processes in the child’s head. Thus, the boundaries of his consciousness expand. The child learns to see the world from different points of view.

Surely modern textbooks on the Tatar language pass through your hands? Do they make progress in terms of methodology?

Among the classic ones, I would like to highlight the textbook by Nigmatullina Ruzalia Rakhmetovna. He, in my opinion, is the only one who, even in middle and high school, contributed to learning to speak the language.

I see that textbooks are changing. But mostly it concerns design. The font becomes larger and the exercises become easier. But I don’t see any serious movement towards teaching speech. Yes, you can feel the influence of foreign textbooks. But so far this is unsystematic.

We have been running an experiment in the education system of Tatarstan for the second year now. Last year I was given 100 teachers, 50 from Chelny and 50 from Kazan, and I trained them in my language teaching technology.

They worked on it for a year in the first grades. And the results are fantastic, even in comparison with the English language, the level of proficiency in Tatar speech among children is very good.

It seems to me that this happened because the teachers themselves are native speakers. After all, English is mostly taught by non-native speakers.

This year we hired 200 teachers. Last year's students joined them as tutors.

Children ask for more Tatar language. Children note that the Tatar language is very beautiful, and that everything is working out well on their path to mastering the language. Children like the very feeling that everything is working out, because they are praised for it. If children make mistakes in their speech (and without this, mastering a second language is impossible), then the teacher praises them and simply gives them the correct option.

It is in such a friendly environment that the child begins to speak the language, reveals his abilities, relaxes, and his thinking begins to form.

The only problem that we cannot yet solve is providing all children with quality benefits. This requires both financial investment and human resources.

- How can we determine the level of proficiency in the Tatar language today if we teach it as speech?

When we start working in first grade, in the first quarter we gradually immerse children in the language environment. During the first lessons, the teacher can still speak Russian so that the children feel comfortable. The amount of Tatar language is gradually increasing, and since November, lessons have been conducted entirely in the Tatar language.

If a child feels comfortable in a lesson that is taught for 45 minutes in the Tatar language, then this means that he understands everything. This means that he already passively speaks the language.

- Many teachers of the Tatar language pass through you. How do they respond to your technology?

This year I was amazed at how different people can perform well. I thought that a person who has worked at a school for 10-15 years has no prospects, he cannot be changed, he is tied hand and foot by his experience of traditional work at a school.

Actually this is not true. Even very experienced teachers have shown how ready they are for change. When I see their lessons, I almost cry with happiness. In general, I must admit that the creative and professional level of the teachers with whom I worked is very high. And I am grateful to all of them for the perseverance and diligence with which they mastered a completely new technology.

Teaching the Tatar language to Russian-speaking children in preschool educational institutions

Teaching the Tatar language to Russian-speaking children in preschool educational institutions

The positive impact of bilingualism on the development of memory, the ability to understand, analyze and discuss language phenomena, intelligence, reaction speed, mathematical skills and logic is undeniable. Bilingual children learn well and master abstract science, literature, and foreign languages ​​better. The younger the child, the greater his chances of mastering a second language to the maximum extent possible and with natural pronunciation.

In the conditions of the new language situation in the republic, the formation of a person occurs under the influence of two national cultures, traditions, two systems of ethical norms of speech and non-speech behavior. Taking into account the age characteristics of children, and guided by the State Standard for Education and Upbringing, classes are held in the kindergarten to study the Tatar language with Russian-speaking children. The GCD notes pose the following tasks:

*increasing children's vocabulary;

*children’s participation in dialogues, development of children’s memory and imagination;

*to arouse children's interest in the Tatar language;

*instill in children a love for their native land, its nature and respect for it;

*introduce historical monuments and sights of Nizhnekamsk, etc.

This technique was developed specifically for children - a lightweight version, in a playful form. They will learn spoken language. There is a norm - by the first grade, a child should know 167 Tatar words. According to the program developers, this will be enough to immerse the child in the language environment and begin learning the Tatar language as an adult - at school.

In the middle group we are working on the project “Minem Oem” (“My Home”), which includes the following topics: “Gailә”, “Ashamlyklar”, “Uenchyklar”, “Sannar”, “Kabatlau”. The classes use information and communication technologies, situation games, visual materials, audio recordings, and cartoons based on fairy tales of Tatar writers. Children also complete tasks on workbooks.

The game is an effective and accessible form of activity in teaching Russian children Tatar oral speech. Children don’t even think that they are learning, without noticing it, they learn Tatar words, phrases, sentences much better and on this basis they practice the correct pronunciation of specific Tatar sounds.

In the senior and preparatory groups, knowledge on topics is expanded and deepened. The projects are called in the senior groups “Uynyy-uynyy үsәbez” (“Growing up while playing”), in the preparatory groups - “Without inde khazer zurlar-maktәpkә ilta yullar” (“Soon to school”). Children develop skills:

* distinguish between speech in Tatar and native languages;

* understand speech in the Tatar language within the topics studied;

* to ask questions;

* express a request, desire, need, need for something;

* retell short texts;

* compose a story based on the picture and observations;

* tell a poem, counting rhymes, sing songs, fairy tales.

The younger the child, the greater his chances of mastering a second language to the maximum extent possible and with natural pronunciation.

Good educational results appear only when the efforts of teachers and parents are coordinated.

Lexical minimum for educational and methodological allowancefor Russian-speaking children in the Tatar language.

They began to introduce the new system in the first grades, and now teaching according to Meshcheryakova’s methodology is carried out in the second grades. The peculiarity of the new system is that Russian-speaking primary school children are taught the Tatar language in a relaxed playful way. “We know that not all children manage to speak the Tatar language. And the problem lies precisely in the teaching methodology. But communication technologies, if used correctly, certainly help. We are told that the textbooks are not the same. But textbooks are only a tool for a teacher’s work, the most important thing is the methodology of teaching the subject, that is, the correct techniques, methods and technologies,” noted Roza Shayakhmetova, head of the department for the development of additional professional education of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Tatarstan. According to her, the interim results confirmed the effectiveness of the technique. “This technology must be used. The technique works well because children and their parents like such lessons. Previously, they simply copied exercises, studied grammar, learned long poems or prose by heart, but spoke the Tatar language poorly. Teachers are also glad that there is an effect,” noted the news agency’s interlocutor. According to the teacher of the Tatar language and literature of the Kazan gymnasium No. 102 named after. M. S. Ustinova Tulkunai Abdulbarieva, the lessons are very dynamic, interesting and fun. “The lesson is completely built on game moments. Moreover, all games are different - to develop attention and communication skills. I said to my children: “Do you believe that you and I will soon speak Tatar, and you will understand everything and even be able to answer me?” And then they become convinced that this is the case, because it is a very natural process. At first, three words are enough - eye, yuk and tugel. Like all children, due to their age, they are interested in learning something new. By learning a foreign language, children learn about the world,” she shared. Tulkunai Abdulbarieva believes that the system is also interesting because it radically changes the attitude of parents towards such a subject as the Tatar language, forms a special perception of children for learning and allows the teacher to develop. “I would even name such wonderful moments in my ten years of practice, when Russian-speaking children declared that they wanted to become teachers of the Tatar language. Naturally, not everyone, but there are those who have become interested in this profession. It is very pleasant to hear from a small child, to see his enthusiastic eyes. That is, there is some popularization of our profession, albeit among children,” she said. – One parent admitted to me that her child learns the Tatar language with greater joy than any other subject. Such words are one of the highest assessments of our work in this system.” The main goal of the classes is to teach children to speak a language that is not their native language. “That is, we do not study linguistic signs, we learn to speak, we form speech. And a child’s speech is formed directly during play. This is the most appropriate area for a child. You need to be able to communicate,” the teacher added. In lessons that last 45 minutes, the child, for example, takes on the role of a teacher, and the teacher becomes a student. Or, for example, a situation plays out in a store, where someone plays the role of a seller, and someone plays the role of a buyer. “Simple life situations are taken as a basis. Speech is formed from beginning to end. At the same time, the system allows not only to develop speech, but also reveals the artistic abilities and talents of the child,” assured Tulkunai Abdulbarieva. “In the process of playing, the child develops verb forms that help compose sentences,” supported Roza Shayakhmetova. – So far, only a small number of teachers are involved in this project. Teachers need to be prepared and trained to work according to this system. The system follows the natural path of mastering the native language, forms the correct pronunciation in children, teaches by “playing”, creating a love for the Tatar language and a desire to speak it. During the training, teachers study methods of teaching Tatar as a non-native language. The teacher needs to prepare for each lesson very carefully. A teacher who immerses children in a language environment (lessons are taught entirely in the Tatar language) becomes for children a true native speaker and translator of the culture of the Tatar people. Students develop a positive attitude towards the Tatar language and culture. The number of hours per week for studying the Tatar language is the same – three plus one.” She said that the specificity of the methodology lies in the fact that its author meets with teachers weekly, watches their video lessons, and provides consultations to improve teaching. Primary school and Tatar language teacher at Kazan gymnasium No. 8 Albina Vaganova has also been working under this system for the second year. “The system differs from the traditional, classical one in that there is no translation. We don't use dictionaries, but children understand vocabulary through images. We have a lot of visual materials and toys in our lessons. We also do a lot of listening. The child listens to the CD at home and listens to the same material through the teacher in class. Day after day, while playing, the child repeats situational exercises, what actually happens in our lives. That is, games in the store, buffet, school - this is what they encounter every day. And in class, situations are simply played out,” she said. It is especially pleasing, according to Albina Vaganova, that the children do not notice how the lesson is going on. “For a whole lesson we use 12–13 games. And all this is so systematic, consistent, one game follows from another, and fairy-tale heroes come to us. In a lesson, a teacher has to be both an actor and a singer. We use music, the world around us, and mathematics. We're already counting to one hundred. And the children’s results inspire us, they are eager to go to class, and their parents are happy too,” she said. Workbooks specially designed for this system, which children receive in the school library, help children learn the Tatar language. “The workbooks are very visual and come with an audio CD. Children, while listening to the disc, complete tasks, can color them in their notebooks, or connect something with arrows. There isn't much writing here. And it’s not like we teach grammar,” noted Albina Vaganova. Fania Gayazova, a teacher of Tatar language and literature at Kazan school No. 117, is also convinced that it is possible to interest Russian-speaking schoolchildren in learning the Tatar language by correctly using communication technologies in the classroom. “We teach children communication, not the structure of language. We have a lot of vocabulary, and we spend little time on writing. Children are very willing to go to lessons, study with interest, because they do not get tired and are not afraid to make mistakes. Our children do not sit at desks, they sit on chairs that are arranged in a semicircle. Why is this necessary? This makes it convenient for them to get up and move during the game,” she shared. – If the child does not understand the question and cannot answer, then the teacher helps him with leading questions or asks another student. We often use gestures, facial expressions and movements in class.” Fania Gayazova emphasized that the child learns all the necessary vocabulary and grammar during the game, and the children remember everything without translation. “We also sing a lot during classes. Children remember vocabulary, including songs. In first grade alone we learned 24 songs. “And the children sing with such desire,” she concluded. “We are very grateful that we were given the opportunity to participate in this system.” We now know how to work in a Russian-speaking audience, because the Tatar language for Russian-speaking children is a foreign language. And we are now teaching it as a foreign language.” Reference In order to improve the quality of teaching the Tatar language as a non-native language, the implementation of the project “Methodological certification of Tatar language teachers working in Russian-language groups of schools in the Republic of Tatarstan” began in the 2016–2017 academic year. 100 Tatar language teachers working in Russian-speaking first grade groups (1,363 students) from 78 schools in Kazan and Naberezhnye Chelny became participants in this project. The “Road Map” for methodological certification of Tatar language teachers working in Russian-language groups of schools in Tatarstan has been approved. The operator of the project is the state autonomous educational institution of additional professional education “Institute for Educational Development of the Republic of Tatarstan”. In the 2017–2018 academic year, the geography of project participants expanded, and accordingly, the number of Tatar language teachers working in it increased. These are five cities and two districts. There are 200 new project participants: Naberezhnye Chelny - 70 people, Almetyevsk - 15 people, Nizhnekamsk - 15 people, Kazan - 70 people, Zelenodolsky district - 20 people, Verkhneuslonsky district - 5 people, Laishevsky district - 5 people. Thus, in the 2017–2018 academic year, 300 teachers in the republic teach the Tatar language according to the author’s system of V. Meshcheryakova. 5,733 schoolchildren of first and second grades (4,370 people - 1st grade, 1,363 - 2nd grade) from schools in Tatarstan are participating. For example, these are lyceums No. 116, 121, gymnasiums No. 6, 52, 19, 3, 122, 102, schools No. 33, 117, 161, 72, 64 of Kazan.