Here's why it is useful
- It helps in self-identification. A child with Russian language roots will always feel different from others. And it is important that he should be proud of this difference, cherish it, understand the peculiarities, and study the culture and mentality of his people more deeply.
- It forms a connection with the roots. Knowing the Russian language, children will be able to communicate with their relatives and receive support from them. They will not be left alone and will always know that their world is not limited to the country in which they currently live.
- It provides a different way of looking at things and helps find hidden meanings. Wise Russian proverbs, cunning riddles, majestic and solemn bylinas about heroic adventures, fairy tales and the central idea that good always conquers evil – are all part of the Russian language. Studying it, the child forms his moral image, remembers historical events and gets into the spirit of the Motherland.
- It expands horizons. The more ideas a child has about the world around him, the more flexible his thinking will be. And this quality will come in handy in school, work and everyday life. Moreover, understanding Russian traditions, culture, and mentality, the child is aware of his connection to them.
- It gives food for thought. When a child learns a language, the brain creates new neural connections, the amount of gray matter grows, and this has a beneficial effect on the learning of other subjects. In addition, memory and attention improve, and the child is more successful at solving puzzles and other tasks.
Konstantin Ushinsky wrote: “Learning a native language, the child learns not only conventional sounds; he drinks the spiritual life and power of the native word’s bosom. It explains to him nature as no naturalist could explain it; it introduces him to the character of the people around him, to the society among which he lives, to its history and aspirations, as no historian could; it introduces him to folk beliefs and folk poetry as no aesthetician could; finally, it gives such logical concepts and philosophical views, which no philosopher could communicate to a child.”
Learning the Russian language is an uncomplicated but important contribution to our children’s future.
