New English Language Manuals for russian Schools Emphasize Traditional Values
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Unique manuals for learning English in Russian schools have been published. They were prepared by a team of Russian teachers with the participation of priests. The head of the team of authors, one of the main initiators of the creation of unique manuals, candidate of Economic Sciences, priest Alexander Kuznetsov, told the “Parishes” portal about new publications that have received support from the russian Academy of Education, as well as a positive expert assessment from the russian Academy of Sciences and are being used in dozens of Russian schools in the academic year 2024/2025 as part of a pilot project.
Father Alexander, why did you decide to start developing new teaching materials in English?
– It’s quite simple. It is no secret that today we are witnessing external ideological aggression towards our Fatherland, the main efforts of which are focused on destructive information and psychological influence on young people. And more than ever, we need a spiritual core of the cultural code of Russian civilization, both at the personal and social levels, around which a sense of patriotism and involvement in Russian history and culture should be formed in the minds of the younger generation.
The state pays special attention to these issues: the adoption of amendments to the Constitution of the Russian Federation, amendments to the federal law on education in terms of strengthening the role of education, the famous presidential Decree No. 809 are directly focused on the protection of Russian traditional spiritual and moral values, culture and historical memory. And, of course, the ability of a future citizen to live and work, relying on traditional spiritual and moral values, the ability of a young person to make a motivated moral choice between good and evil, relates to the subject area of knowledge in terms of learning foreign languages.
For a long time now, the number of teaching hours for the school course in foreign languages has outweighed the number of hours for both literature and history. At the same time, teaching a foreign language, as a rule, is based on the study of thematic texts, which, in turn, forms in students at the subconscious level the cultural and historical values contained in such texts. and we, having analyzed the situation together with school teachers, saw that in teaching foreign languages, especially English, we actively use textbooks adapted to Western analogues. And they,unfortunately,continue to carry cultural and moral values that are alien to us today.
Why do you think this happened?
– The idea was imposed on the Russian school that the student must learn not only to speak and think in a foreign language, but also to know and accept as the norm cultural concepts, ideas, values, meanings, ideas, worldviews from the point of view of native speakers of the language being studied. This approach clearly comes into serious conflict with the words of the Russian thinker Vladimir Ivanovich Dahl: “Neither nickname, nor religion, nor the vrey blood of ancestors makes a person a member of one or another nationality… Whoever thinks in what language belongs to that people.” The question arises: by teaching a foreign language using texts with values alien to our people,what kind of society do we want to make our children citizens of – American,British?..
It is obvious that the goals of education must certainly correspond to the social order of society and its national interests. As our outstanding teacher Konstantin Dmitrievich Ushinsky argued, the purpose for which we study this or that foreign language is very important, and it determines the method of study.
And in modern methods, the strategic goal of teaching foreign languages is to achieve a level of language proficiency at which the student must acquire the features of the so-called.secondary linguistic personality – that is,the ability to
New Educational Materials Approved for Russian Schools
Publication Date: 2026/01/04 20:20:28
Two new educational materials have recently been approved for use in russian schools: a 9th-grade English textbook titled “Good News” published by Titul,and a history manual,”Glorious Russia,” published by Prosveshcheniye. Both publishing houses are on the official list of organizations authorized to publish textbooks for use in accredited educational programs.
Compliance and Legal Use
Both “Good News” and “Glorious Russia” fully adhere to the current standards of the Federal State Educational Standards (FSES) and the established educational programs for English and Russian history, respectively. This ensures that teachers are legally permitted to incorporate these materials into their curriculum.
Early Adoption and Impact
As the begining of the 2024/2025 academic year, approximately 200 teachers across 38 schools in Moscow and four schools in Tver have begun utilizing these resources. This has positively impacted around 5,000 students in grades 9-11. The initiative has received important support from the Russian Academy of Education, the Moscow Department of Education, and the Ministry of Education of the Tver Region.
Dedicated educators
The development of these educational materials was spearheaded by experienced,professional teachers.Notably, this work is being undertaken by these educators in addition to their regular teaching responsibilities, demonstrating a strong commitment to improving educational resources.
Content examples: “Good News” Textbook
the “Good News” English textbook features thematic texts focused on grammar, with storylines centered around a large family. These narratives intentionally promote a positive image of family life and a supportive home environment.
Key Takeaways
- “Good News” (English) and “Glorious Russia” (History) are newly approved educational materials.
- Both materials meet the requirements of the Federal State Educational Standards (FSES).
- Early adoption shows positive impact on students in Moscow and Tver.
- The materials were developed by dedicated teachers in their free time.
- “Good News” utilizes family-centered narratives to reinforce positive values.
Looking Ahead
The successful initial implementation of “Good News” and “Glorious Russia” signals a promising future for these resources. Continued adoption and positive feedback from educators will be crucial for their long-term impact on Russian education.Further development of supplementary materials and teacher training programs will likely enhance their effectiveness and broaden their reach.