Defining upper beginner’s Russian

The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, which – encouragingly – very much puts the focus on DOING not KNOWING and on what you CAN ALREADY DO as opposed to what you CAN’T. They call the upper beginner of A2 the “elementary” or “wayfarer” level on the CERFL “global scale”.

As an A2 basic user of Russian should be able to:

• Understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of most immediate relevance (e.g. very basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment);

• Communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters; and
• Describe in simple terms aspects of his/her background, immediate environment and matters in areas of immediate need.

The speaking skills you need for A2 Russian

A student  should be able to communicate essentials with a native speaker in a limited range of familiar situations connected with daily routine in social, cultural and educational life.

Level A2 is a transition from an exclusively functional level to the more complex….and discursive elements and the conversational situations of Level B1……at Level A2 short conversations are possible….”

A student will be able to perform basic tasks in a range of situations such dealing with officials, transactions in shops or ticket offices, at the post office or bank, in a restaurant or library, asking for directions or going on an excursion, visiting the doctor or a clinic and telephone calls.

A student is also expected to be able to talk about your own life and background, your studies or work, experience studying Russian, how you’ve spent your day, your hobbies and interests, you home town, health, the weather….

Finally a student will have  the ability to understand of the key points and additional information of simple announcements and the key points of a dialogue.

Upper Beginner or A2 Russian listening and reading skills

Any conversation is not just about speaking. Half of it’s understanding the people you’re talking with. Then you need to understand things that are said “at” you (the dialogue of a film, the radio, announcements).

Audio: announcements over a public address system; recorded telephone messages; radio announcements (weather forecasts, traffic updates etc), communications in personal life and in meetings.

Reading: brief newspaper reports, short notices, simple (illustrated) information brochures, adverts, catalogues and posters, signs, written instructions, short letters, postcards, emails, tables of information (e.g. train timetables, shop opening times and menus).

At this level, the emphasis is getting the overall message of the “text” (audio or written) and extracting key information (even when you don’t understand everything).

Writing for upper beginner’s/A2 Russian

When it comes to writing, once again the emphasis is on producing simple texts in short sentences on the essentials of familiar topics.

This might be writing about daily life, where you live, descriptions of people, work or study. It could also be simple descriptions of events, activities or your personal.

This may sound a limited goal but, in a language as grammatically complex as Russian, it’s still quite an achievement.

As to the forms of text you should be able to have a go at producing, mentions filling in forms (for example a registration form), postcards or short personal letters, a short email, taking short notes or a short message.