Russists from Algeria, Libya, Russia, Morocco and the United Arab Emirates – about 100 people in total – have gathered in Tunis for the International Forum for Russian language teachers from North Africa and the Middle East TERRA RUSISTICA. This is reported by the press-service of the “Russkiy Mir” Foundation, with the support of which the event is organised.

The forum participants will discuss the issues of teaching Russian as a foreign language, as well as in a bilingual environment (taking into account different types of bilingualism), peculiarities of subject training in Russian language of employees for projects in energy, transport, construction, tourism and other spheres, implemented with the participation of Russia. Aspects of professional development of national teaching staff, development of educational literature, application of information technologies in teaching Russian language and country studies will be touched upon.

The agenda of the forum includes the issues of student motivation management, organisation of project activities for pupils and students, application of communicative approach in teaching Russian as a foreign language.

A rich programme of master classes is also waiting for the forum participants. There will be a literary workshop on writing fiction texts, a master class on the methodology of virtual country excursions in teaching Russian, a master class on the use of language corpora, and a school for young lexicographers.

The event is organised by the International Association of Teachers of Russian Language and Literature (MAPRYAL), the Tunisian Association of Teachers of Russian Language and Literature and the Russian House in Tunis.

The choice of Tunisia as a venue for the TERRA RUSISTICA Forum is not accidental: today it is the only country in North Africa where the Russian language is taught in secondary schools and studied by about 1200 schoolchildren. There is a national school of Russian studies in this state, qualified specialists-philologists and teachers are trained by the Higher Institute of Languages (ISLT) under the University of Carthage.

In 2022 a professional pedagogical association – the Tunisian Association of Teachers of Russian Language and Literature was established. The Russian language courses at the Russian House in Tunisia have been operating for more than half a century, and schools of additional education are being opened to educate children with bilingual experience. The total number of Russian speakers in the country is estimated at 15,000.

Photo: MAPRYAL