“Selet” is a source of inspiration and a pledge of personal growth
According to the participants of the movement, «Selet»[1] is a source of inspiration and a pledge of personal growth. The director of the «Selet» language school Nariman Dimukhametov is absolutely sure about that.
- Nariman, could you, please, tell us about yourself.
- I was born in Nizhnekamsk. Grew up. Came to Kazan to conquer the world (laughing). I entered the Kazan State University, the department of oriental studies. I graduated from the Confucius Institute, the department of Chinese language. I studied Chinese for 5 years, and of these I lived in China for one year. Verbal environment is a great practice! That’s my advice for everybody!- How did your journey as a «seletarian» start?
- It all began in my first year of university study. Already then I was closely connected with «Selet». I found myself there and I started to participate in such projects as «Selet-Tel» and «Selet-Bugulma». I was involved in many other projects too, including the «Selet» Prague school. I reached my activity’s apogee when I opened my own project – the «Selet» language school.
- What is the main idea of this project?
- At the Prague school we were always asked: «What problem does your project have?». We wanted to make our language school not only a place for learning languages. People keep going to schools and universities anyway. That’s why we decided to step aside the «teacher-student» interaction system. We are on our way to create a special environment for studying languages. This semester we introduce a tutoring system. If a participant has some problems, his/her tutor will necessarily follow it up and contact me. In this case the participant will be given some additional lessons.
- There are some meetings held for the participants of the language school within the framework of the EnglishClub. So, what are they?
- The EnglishClub is a big subproject. Last semester we opened several study groups where we invited native speakers. One of them was Paul Spitzer, a teacher at KFU. EnglishClub is just an ordinary live communication. Here you can raise a theme of your interest; you can talk and listen to others. This semester the atmosphere is going to be even friendlier – a warm chat over a cup of tea or coffee. Coffee is free (laughing).
- Nariman, the 16th room of the «Selet» House has been repaired recently. But we suppose that the changes aren’t over with it.
- Yes! Slowly but confidently we come to a stylistic design of the rooms. We want to create an atmosphere where one can fully dive into a certain language environment.
- Motivation and evaluation systems are one of the stages of development. How are they built up at your language school?
- Each 2 weeks we hold small tests. This check-up is necessary to know if there’s a progress or not. If the test is failed we don’t grade the work as a «poor» one. It’s just a reason for us to think whether the given material was easy to understand and should we do it once again.
- What else new can the participants of the language school expect this semester?
- We start a new course – «English: the Unified State Exam». We’ve decided to get connected to the preparation since the USE in English language becomes obligatory. At the moment I’m negotiating with the teachers.
- What are the further plans of development of your language school?
- In the nearest future we plan to realize off-site language schools. We want to hold the first English-Tatar off-site school at the year-round academic camp called «Fansar» in Bilyarsk. We are going to exclude the usage of the other languages. Thus, one of the counsellors is going to speak only Tatar, while the other - only English. Another step in the development of our language school is studying abroad at a college. I think in one or one and a half year we can carry this out. Perhaps, we will add in the motivational system, thus the best student will have the chance to study for free.
- Nariman, your wishes to all the pupils and students.
- In the Turkish language there is a saying: «One language – one new personality». Dear friends, time waits for no man! So hurry up to learn foreign languages!
Fill in the form and join our friendly «language» family!
[1] «Selet» (Tat. «Сәләт») is translated from the Tatar language as «a talent», «a gift»