Implementing a multimodal online program for very young learners of Russian: Educators' perspective

CALL and MALL learning programs have been introduced by preschool teachers into their language classrooms (Sadykova, Kayumova, Khalitova, Gimaletdinova, 2017; Segers Verhoeven, 2003), despite reports saying that some of these programs have little educational value (Kazanci Okan, 2009). This exploratory mixed-methods study aims at examining how Russian language kindergarten and preschool teachers integrate resources of a Russian language online school Live Fairytales™ (Zhivye skazki, 2017) and what design elements of this multimodal digital resource they find conducive or impediment to successful language acquisition by young learners. The data come from the reports of six teachers and survey responses of 18 educators who described and reflected on their experiences integrating resources of the Russian language online school. The data show that teachers made productive use of the digital resource by utilizing its multimodal presentation of the content, integrating interactive activities mostly in a whole-class format, and creating an engaging and enjoyable learning environment of play. Visual representation of material was reported to be the most valuable and necessary for accompanying audio input, introducing or practicing vocabulary, supporting listening comprehension, and overall motivating very young learners to stay on task. This study extends our understanding of what early childhood educators expect from quality digital resources and how they integrate them into educational programs that support language acquisition of bilingual and multilingual preschool children.

Translation Possibilities of Occasional Contextual Modifications of Phraseological Units

The article is devoted to the problem of translation of modified phraseological units including proverbs. A short review of works of European scientists concerning the difficulties that translators face is presented. Some interesting examples of modified idioms and proverbs taken from the novels “The Moonstone” and “The Woman in White” by W. Collins serve as good illustrations of the challenge that translators have to accept. The training algorithm is put forward that beginners should follow in order to avoid typical mistakes while translating modified idioms and proverbs

Translation Possibilities of Occasional Contextual Modifications of Phraseological Units

The article is devoted to the problem of translation of modified phraseological units including proverbs. A short review of works of European scientists concerning the difficulties that translators face is presented. Some interesting examples of modified idioms and proverbs taken from the novels “The Moonstone” and “The Woman in White” by W. Collins serve as good illustrations of the challenge that translators have to accept. The training algorithm is put forward that beginners should follow in order to avoid typical mistakes while translating modified idioms and proverbs

GENDER-MARKED IDIOMS DEFINING A MALE PERSON IN TATAR AND ENGLISH

Abstract. Gender studies represent an intensively developing field of knowledge. Gender means a set ofconcepts and norms of behavior, usually associated with persons of male and female gender. Gender issues are at the center of a new interdisciplinary field of human sciences, called “gender studies”. The main concept of the categorical apparatus of this direction is “gender” (sociocultural sex), which involves the study of male and female behavior, thinking, and communication. Gender has an all-pervasive ability, which determines its arrangement in the collective and individual consciousness. Phraseological units are a vivid example of the embodiment in the language of characterological features of the worldview of representatives of a particular linguistic community and the means of historical translation of the cultural attitudes of the native speaker of a language. Being stereotypes of the people's consciousness, they serve as a valuable source of information about the people's perceptions, behavior and attitude to this or that phenomenon of culture and represent a fragment of the language picture of the world. This article, firstly, seeks to outline the main steps that gender studies have taken in the field of Tatar and English phraseology. Secondly, it shows the general criteria of selecting gender-specific phraseological units from lexicographic sources. Thirdly, it analyses gender-specific phraseological units nominating a male person in the Tatar and English languages in the comparative aspect.Keywords: gender marked phraseology, phraseological unit, male gender, Tatar, English, comparative study

Adjectival Phraseological Units with the Parametric Component

The article is devoted to the comparative study of the Tatar and English adjectival phraseological units with the parametric component. Structural and semantic peculiarities are taken into consideration. The main methods of research are those of general linguistic methods and special linguistic methods. The purpose of the article is to find out common and specific features of the adjectival phraseological units with the parametric components in the English and Tatar languages. The investigation is based on the material from English and Tatar monolingual and polylingual dictionaries. The adjectival phraseological units of the Tatar language have not been studied enough. The Tatar and the English languages are structurally different and the study of the adjectival phraseological units with the parametric component is of great interest.  Comparative and non-comparative adjectival phraseological units with parametric components have been analyzed in the article, the frequency of the structures in both of the languages was found out and the explanation of the phenomenon was searched for. Semantically the adjectival phraseological units with the parametric component may express negative or positive attitude to reality, spheres of life, communicative process, or to a person, and that depends on the usage of this or that parametric adjective of the antonymic pair. General and specific features have been found out as well as exceptions. Based on the data got from the research the conclusions on the structure and semantics of the adjectival phraseological units with the parametric component are presented in the article

Teaching a Second Language to Very Young Learners

Учебно-методическое пособие предназначено для магистров 1 и 2-го курса профиля "Мультилингвальные технологии раннего развития детей" отделения русской и зарубежной филологии Института филологии и межкультурной коммуникации им. Л. Толстого. В пособие включены восемь практических занятий по методике обучения дошкольников иностранному языку, приводятся образцы уроков, дан материал для индивидуальной и групповой работы студентов.3

Educators’ assessment of digital resources for preschool Russian language learners

Hoy en día padres y educadores ven el crecimiento exponencial de los recursos digitales que se dirigen a estudiantes de idiomas muy jóvenes, que incluyen los bilingües y multilingües emergentes. Sin embargo, sabemos muy poco de cómo los educadores utilizan los recursos digitales en el aula. Este estudio tuvo como objetivo examinar las prácticas educativas de los educadores de la enseñanza temprana que trabajan en el desarrollo del habla de niños bilingües de años 3 a 7. Treinta y cuatro educadores que trabajan en guarderías y preescolares bilingües en Rusia fueron reclutados para completar un cuestionario. Los resultados del estudio demostraron una visión positiva de los educadores sobre los recursos digitales como herramientas para los bilingües emergentes. Las características multimodales e interactivas de las herramientas digitales se evaluaron como las más eficaces. Se encontraron patrones comunes entre los participantes del estudio en la enseñanza en las prácticas empleadas. Si bien la mayoría de los educadores se mostraron dispuestos a dejar que los niños trabajen con la tecnología digital de forma independiente, todavía veían los recursos electrónicos como herramientas que simplemente amplifican la interacción educador-niño dejando el papel crucial del conocimiento para el educador.Nowadays, parents and educators see the exponential growth of digital resources that target very young language learners including emerging bi- and multilinguals. Little do we know, however, about how educators use digital resources in the classroom. This study aimed at examining educational practices of early childhood educators working on speech development of bilingual children aged 3 to 7. Thirty-four educators working in bilingual kindergartens and preschools in Russia were recruited to complete a questionnaire. The study results demonstrated educators’ positive view over the digital resources as tools for emergent bilinguals. Multimodal and interactive features of digital tools were assessed as the most effective. Common patterns among study participants were found in the teaching practices employed. While most educators showed readiness to let children work with digital technology independently, they still saw electronic resources as tools that simply amplify educator-child interaction leaving the crucial role of knowledge mediators to the educator

Teaching a Second Language to Very Young Learners

36Учебно-методическое пособие предназначено для магистров 1 и 2-го курса профиля "Мультилингвальные технологии раннего развития детей" отделения русской и зарубежной филологии Института филологии и межкультурной коммуникации им. Л. Толстого. В пособие включены восемь практических занятий по методике обучения дошкольников иностранному языку, приводятся образцы уроков, дан материал для индивидуальной и групповой работы студентов

Elevated Levels of Serum Biomarkers Associated with Damage to the CNS Neurons and Endothelial Cells Are Linked with Changes in Brain Connectivity in Breast Cancer Patients with Vestibulo-Atactic Syndrome

Vestibulo-atactic syndrome (VAS), which represents a combination of motor and vestibular disorders, can be manifested as a clinical complication of breast cancer treatment and has a significant impact on patients’ quality of life. The identification of novel potential biomarkers that might help to predict the onset of VAS and its progression could improve the management of this group of patients. In the current study, the levels of intercellular cell adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1), platelet/endothelial cell adhesion molecule 1 (PECAM-1), NSE (neuron-specific enolase), and the antibodies recognizing NR-2 subunit of NMDA receptor (NR-2-ab) were measured in the blood serum of BC survivor patients with vestibulo-atactic syndrome (VAS) and associated with the brain connectome data obtained via functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies. A total of 21 patients were registered in this open, single-center trial and compared to age-matched healthy female volunteers (control group) (n = 17). BC patients with VAS demonstrated higher serum levels of ICAM-1, PECAM-1, and NSE and a lower value of NR-2-ab, with values of 654.7 ± 184.8, 115.3 ± 37.03, 49.9 ± 103.9, and 0.5 ± 0.3 pg/mL, respectively, as compared to the healthy volunteers, with 230.2 ± 44.8, 62.8 ± 15.6, 15.5 ± 6.4, and 1.4 ± 0.7 pg/mL. According to the fMRI data (employing seed-to-voxel and ROI-to-ROI methods), in BC patients with VAS, significant changes were detected in the functional connectivity in the areas involved in the regulation of postural-tonic reflexes, the coordination of movements, and the regulation of balance. In conclusion, the detected elevated levels of serum biomarkers may reveal damage to the CNS neurons and endothelial cells that is, in turn, associated with the change in the brain connectivity in this group of patients

Breast Cancer Treatment Decreases Serum Levels of TGF-β1, VEGFR2, and TIMP-2 Compared to Healthy Volunteers: Significance for Therapeutic Outcomes?

Various complications from a breast cancer treatment, in the pathogenesis of which excessive tissue fibrosis plays a leading role, are a common pathology. In this study, the levels of TGF-β1, VEGFR-2, and TIMP-2 were determined by the immuno-enzyme serum analysis for patients during the long-term period after breast cancer treatment as potential markers of fibrosis. The single-center study enrolled 92 participants, which were divided into two age-matched groups: (1) 67 patients following breast cancer treatment, and (2) 25 healthy female volunteers. The intergroup analysis demonstrated that the patients after breast cancer treatment showed a decrease in the serum levels of TGF-β1 (U = 666, p p p = 0.082). It was also found that the type of treatment, the presence of lymphedema, shoulder joint contracture, and changes in lymphoscintigraphy did not affect the levels of TGF-β1, VEGFR-2, and TIMP-2 within the group of patients after breast cancer treatment. These results may indicate that these biomarkers do not play a leading role in the maintenance and progression of fibrosis in the long-term period after breast cancer treatment. The reduced levels of TGF-β1 and TIMP-2 may reflect endothelial dysfunction caused by the antitumor therapy