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Russian Language Journal

Keywords

Russian language, Russian culture, globalization

Abstract

In our progressively globalized world, the need to build bridges between people of different languages and cultures has grown exponentially. The phrases globalization , global citizen, and increasingly interconnected world are frequently present in public discourse (Kulturel-Konak, Konak, and D’Allegro 2017). Educators can potentially play a core role in bridging linguistic and cultural gaps between people, groups, and institutions. Closing these gaps was the main goal of the Building Bridges with Language and Culture in Russia project. The project was funded by the Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad (GPA) program, which aims to improve US intercultural relations, cultural diplomacy, and intercultural competence by exchanging persons, knowledge, and skills between countries. Through the program, competitively selected American students, scholars, teachers, professionals, scientists, and artists receive scholarships or grants to study, research, or teach. Building Bridges with Language and Culture in Russia was an immersive study abroad program at a major metropolitan university in the southeastern United States. It focused on Russia’s language, culture, history, politics, and global impact. The GPA in Russia offered participants, who were US high school and university instructors, the opportunity to travel to Russia for a month to engage in language and cultural exchanges. The GPA project participants were then able to use this cultural experience to design and develop curricula, instructional modules, or lesson plans that incorporated their newly acquired knowledge.

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