I was amazed to find a comment on the blog when I returned to it, but I don't know enough about blogging to know how I could respond to the comment privately! Anyway, I was puzzled as to why living in Russia it wasn't easy to practise - or perhaps do a 'language exchange' session sometimes. Anyway, for some ideas, do take a look at the discussion we had about this on our discussion forum: http://groups.google.com/group/ilearn2 - it's a forum about independent learning.

Meanwhile, I should add that one reason I wanted to try and support my daughter was that she isn't very happy about the classes she is getting at University. It seems she is in a mixed class with people who already know some Russian, although it is supposed to be an ab initio group. Then she has one teacher who goes very slowly and another who assumes they know more than they do - and she gets the idea the teachers don't talk to each other. And then, there seem to be issues like departmental photocopiers breaking down and Coombers not working for weeks on end - plus the fact that the resource centre (I've seen it) is very traditional, with very out of date materials (not packaged in a user-friendly ILC way) and there is no VLE - in fact it seems as tho' the department doesn't use computers much at all! And this is at a top UK University!

Anyway, she is coming to stay for 3 weeks and one of our plans is to work on the Russian together, but I will try and learn the alphabet before she gets here (after I have put the Xmas decorations up and made some mince pies).

Getting Started: 2 December, 2006

I had the idea of learning Russian a few weeks ago.
Why?
Firstly, my daughter is doing Russian from scratch at University and I thought it might help and support her if I tried to learn it, too.
Secondly, I was intrigued by the possibility of learning a language online - and I mean solely using resources available on the internet. So, that means no local teacher, no books, not even a dictionary - just materials and ways of practising I can find online.

I was originally assuming that I would just find explanations, maybe some lessons and a dictionary online, but my cyber chums on the 'ilearn' list opened my eyes all kinds of interactive posibilities like chatrooms for learners, forums, virtual classrooms and using VOIP. Then a few people sent messages to put me in contact with people locally who are Russian or who have studied Russian.

Question: If my learning is online, and I got these contacts via online sources, am I allowed to use them? Or could I only use them over the phone or net rather than in person?
My answer: I haven't decided yet!

So, what have I done to prepare for this?

1. I posted a message on the CTEFL list about the alphabet and difficulties with learning Russian, just to find out people's opinions on problems encountered by English speakers when learning Russian.
They told me the alphabet wasn't too difficult, but 'aspect' in verbs seems to be a problem.
2. I posted a message on 'ilearn' asking if people thought it was possible to learn a language just using online sources.
Like I said earlier, respondants came up with lots of good ideas about online possibilities. Some were a bit skeptical and others were worried about the lack of oral input and communication practice, but online solutions were found. Everyone was very encouraging.
3. I started collecting links to sites with Russian practice on them.
4. I spoke with a friend who has been learning Russian on his own for a while to sound him out about online Russian resources, but he confessed to having lost interest in Russian a bit. I had hoped he'd have a go as well so we could exchange ideas and help each other. Maybe I'll send him the weblinks and see if he is willing to look at them.
5. I looked at some links, but decided they needed organising a bit as they were links to sites of links. So, I extracted some of the links and organised them into different categories like alaphabet, dictionaries, courses, tourism and so on and made them into a webpage - http://hmbaba.googlepages.com/home
6. Then I started writing this blog...

There has been a delay since the initial idea and doing something about it due to various factors:
general mulling over of the idea, Eid holiday, work, TESOL Arabia stuff, and the fact that, at this stage on a personal level due to a family crisis, I should perhaps be learning some Hungarian instead. I wonder if I can do both at the same time?
I aready know the alphabet and pronunciation and some words of Hungarian and have a bit of an idea about the grammar...