RussNet

[ninaczarina.livejournal.com]

There are online language-learning modules developed by the American Councils for International Education: ACTR/ACCELS at Russnet.org. You will have to register as an independent user but registration is easy and free.

Most of the modules are aimed at students who've already had some Russian instruction, so may not be suitable for beginners. However, there is an extensive module called "Business Russian," that while focusing on business vocabulary, is made for beginners, starting with the Cyrillic alphabet and leading all the way up through all of the basic grammar rules (and some not-so basics!) The other modules, found in the "High School to College Articulation Project," vary in content from a wide range of Russian culture topics like the Russian Revolution, Matryoshki, Peter the Great, Lomonosov, the Decembrists, итд.

RussNet is an invaluable resource that is being used in high schools piloting the AP Russian program. You should take advantage of it now while they are still free! Feel free to ask me if you have trouble registering or downloading the RussNet font.

Comments

[arden667.livejournal.com]

Okay, I am having problems with the fonts here. It looks like a great resource, but after following their downloading guidelines, I'm still not seeing their test sentance in cyrillic. Any ideas?

[sasha-pervaya.livejournal.com]

AP Russian! AP Russian! ::does a dance of joy:: Perhaps my distant-future children will be able to have as much fun with Russian in HS as I'm having in college!

Can't wait to try out some of the modules! Thanks for sharing!

[ugly-boy.livejournal.com]

Oh how annoying, you have to download a new font! Why on earth couldn't they use a regular Cyrillic font? Do they use accented vowels? That's the only benefit I could see... *Sigh* I should probably explore the site before I complain. Thank you for sharing this.

[ugly-boy.livejournal.com]

I don't know why I'm replying to my own comment to say this but… I've downloaded the font and it's stilla not working. Any advice?

WTF?

[ex-disinterm476.livejournal.com]

I also downloaded the fonts at Russnet and couldn't get their cyrillic characters to show up on my computer, even when I switched my text encoding to other versions on my browser. This seems to be a consistent problem worth pointing out to their site caretakers.

the RussNet font

[ninaczarina.livejournal.com]

This is not an unfamiliar complaint, but there is a good reason why Russnet doesn't use standard Cyrillic.

While today, Cyrillic font standardization seems to be the norm, just three years ago, it was quite different, and they cannot assume that everyone who is using the program has a brand new computer. People using a Macintosh had to use a different encoding than those on a PC, and it used to be that encodings never came installed on the computer, and so those without too much computer skill had to learn how to install international language programming and keyboard drivers. They wanted to avoid all that. The RussNet font, Univers, is a universal font - it will work on a Macintosh, PC, Linus - anything, and it keeps one encoding - Latin, which will be on all machines in America, new and old.

Additionally, their font uses a student phonetic keyboard, which most students prefer - for his regular old Russian, he would have to install a student keyboard, which, while not difficult, is also not as easy as it sounds, and can cause computers to crash, and all sorts of horrible things. It may be easier on newer machines, but then again, they can't assume everyone has a newer machine.

RussNet is working on ways to give people the option to have a standard Russian or a phonetic keyboard.

As for installing the font, do two things - make sure your encoding is Latin or Western - NOT CYRILLIC! This is often the culprit. If it's still not working, look in your fonts folder (usually C:\WINDOWS\FONTS). If you have ER UNIVERSIV2 and ER UNIVERSIF (sometimes displayed ERIV or ERIF), then the problem is something else. Try restarting your browser, and then your computer. If you do not have the fonts in your FONTS folder, they were probably just placed in the wrong folder. Do a search for them on your computer, and drag them into the fonts folder.

If you still have trouble, you can contact Russnet for help. Remember that Russnet is constantly being worked on and constantly changing to be made perfect, and so any feedback you have would be appreciated!

[ninaczarina.livejournal.com]

Please see my comment below for suggestions. Good luck!

Btw, you wouldn't happen to be Laurie Howard, formerly of McLean, VA would you? A few summers ago I had a roommate at Russian Governor's school named Laurie, and it's not often I come across someone with that name who also studies Russian!

[ninaczarina.livejournal.com]

see below

Re: WTF?

[ninaczarina.livejournal.com]

Try following the suggestions below, but if you still have trouble, do feel free to point it out it to the site caretakers at russnet@actr.org (mailto:russnet@actr.org).

[ninaczarina.livejournal.com]

:) Some high schools around the US do offer Russian courses currently, but not nearly as many as some would like to see, and programs that are in place are struggling to keep up support and enrollment. The hope is that the AP course will attract more students and strengthen the programs so that our distant-future children will more likely have the option. At what college and how long have you been studying Russian now?

Have fun with the modules!

Re:

[arden667.livejournal.com]

no, that wouldn't be me-- though there aren't too many of us Laurie's running around! I would be Laurie Casey formerly of Seattle, WA. ;)

Re: the RussNet font

[ugly-boy.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

It might be just... luck. I have really bad luck with fonts (I've never once been able to use a font that I've downloaded, even when I follow every step).