Learning with passion

Fantastic experience and a mass of impressions

The joint project between JINR and the city's schools "English without borders" has concluded. From 17 November to 8 December, a series of meetings were held at educational institutions between JINR staff members from Member States and schoolchildren for conversations in English. The guests discussed their culture, traditions and scientific activities. This event provided an excellent opportunity to practice English skills in a live conversation and to learn something new.

The speakers prepared their own programmes. They were creative, using their teaching skills to engage the students. Everything was done with great respect for the young audience.

During the meetings, part of the time was dedicated to reports. The latter were accompanied by slides and videos. It was followed by questions and discussions. The students were active and inquisitive.

JINR staff members and interns visited 13 Dubna schools: Lal Mitu (India), Madalina-Mihaela Miloi (Romania), Barak Ramin (Netherlands), Elmekawi Ahmed Hassan Abdelrahman (Egypt), Lucas Andrian Garcia (Argentina), Mohammad Saleh Rasa (Afghanistan), Abdeljawaad Khlood Ahmed Ali (Egypt), Aniruddha Dey (India) and Darija Markovic (Serbia).

Project curator and senior specialist in the International Cooperation Department Irina Zelenkova presented the main results:

"Our project promotes the development of language skills of schoolchildren and fosters cultural understanding. The English language curriculum includes a section on "Regional studies" that introduces the realities of the country of the language being studied. We expanded the content of this section. Schoolchildren were given the opportunity to learn about other countries from the perspective of representatives of those countries. Clear organization on both sides and the students' high motivation enabled us to achieve the project's secondary goals, that is, to foster a friendly attitude toward representatives of other countries and to introduce them to the cultural values of different nations.

One of the key efficiency indicators is feedback from the schools. After each meeting, everyone was positive and genuine interest was evident in the children's eyes. The students kept communicating with JINR staff even after the end of class. As the teachers emphasized, such visits help to increase the students' motivation to learn a foreign language and to enrich the educational process. All JINR representatives received repeat invitations.

The students showed excellent English proficiency. They asked questions fluently and maintained conversations. It proves that they can understand and discuss topics beyond the school curriculum and also have a large vocabulary.

The project will be implemented in future. The schools have set themselves the task of carrying out a survey among the students to determine the topics for future meetings. JINR's goal is to build a team of staff ready to meet the students' needs."

JINR staff members having participated in the new project shared their impressions.

Madalina-Mihaela Miloi at School No. 7

VBLHEP junior researcher Madalina-Mihaela Miloi from Romania says,

"I knew that the Institute implements numerous projects promoting multiculturalism and I knew that the time would come for me to speak about my national culture. The first such event was 'English without borders". I'm glad the Institute trusted me by allowing me to represent it and my country.

Preparing a report that wasn't a scientific one proved challenging. I had to change my communication style, to present the information and to organize everything in a pedagogical manner. I wanted to deliver an engaging lesson, not just a report. I prepared various quiz-style questions and asked the children to express their opinions.

I believe, teaching plays a vital role in a scientist's career and I want to be prepared for the moment when I've transformed a young person into a respected specialist. Participating in this project has improved my teaching skills.

I was asked questions about my opinion of Russia, the similarities and differences between it and Romania, what advice I could give to a young person dreaming of becoming a scientist, how I decided to come to Russia and how many languages we study in Romania and which ones. We had a wonderful time and I even received compliments from them. The most unexpected thing was hearing that I was beautiful. We exchanged positive energy, I felt very good during my report and the questions continued after the school bell. It was a wonderful experience and I would gladly repeat it."

FLNP researcher Elmekawi Ahmed Hassan Abdelrahman from Egypt says,

"I would like to express my gratitude for the opportunity to participate in the project "English without borders"; it was a very interesting event.

I think most of the students enjoyed my report. I saw that the children never looked away from the board while I was speaking. They also asked me many questions afterward. They asked me about education in Egypt, what languages they study there, what city I'm from, what my favorite Egyptian dish is, whether there are Nile cruises, what my hobbies are, how many years I have lived in Russia and how I have learned Russian.

I was a little nervous but I was glad to have the experience of speaking to schoolchildren. If the project continues, I would be happy to participate in it again."

Lucas Andrian Garcia at Lyceum No. 6

A second-year Master's student at the HSE Institute for Statistical Studies and Economics of Knowledge and a JINR intern Lucas Andrian Garcia from Argentina says,

"Participating in the project was a great pleasure. The photographs of Argentina about our culture, sports, cuisine and landmarks immediately piqued the students' curiosity. The best part was the interactive question-and-answer session. The students were engaged, attentive and asked brilliant questions. It was also very touching when they waited for me after the meeting to continue the conversation and invited me to come see their projects next time. It showed a genuine interest that went beyond a formal report.

The children's questions were varied and insightful. They were interested in my personal decision to move to Russia and how I have adapted; the differences between the education systems in Russia and Argentina; my academic and professional path at HSE and today, at JINR; the number of Russian cities I've visited and my impressions; and of course, a few questions about football.

Many demonstrated a high level of English proficiency. It allowed us to engage in deep conversation that impressed me greatly. Their interest in life choices and cultural comparisons seemed very mature for their age.

It was a fantastic experience. It reminded me why I love teaching and cultural exchange. I felt like I was talking with future scientists, diplomats and citizens of the world. I am very grateful to the JINR Department of International Cooperation and the school for the invitation."

A second-year master's student at the Institute for Statistical Studies and Economics of Knowledge at the National Research University Higher School of Economics and an intern at JINR Mohammad Saleh Rasa from Afghanistan says,

"My talk at the school in Dubna was a wonderful experience for me. The students were incredibly attentive and engaged, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere from the very beginning.

I told them about Abdul Ahad Mohmand, the first Afghan cosmonaut to fly as part of the Soviet Intercosmos programme, as a great symbol of scientific partnership. I also introduced them to my university, the Higher School of Economics, explaining why it is one of Russia's leading universities thanks to its advanced programmes and strong focus on research, to show them the excellent opportunities for their future education. They asked very thoughtful questions! They wanted to learn about my path: my hobbies, how I have developed my skills. The students were curious about what it's like to live and to study in Russia. The meeting felt more like a warm conversation than a formal presentation.

I showed them a video of Afghanistan's stunning natural beauty and their friendly reaction was the best feedback I could have received. I hope our meeting inspired the children to dream of future education and adventure."

Maria KARPOVA,
photos by Igor LAPENKO