Teaching Russian as a foreign language in the Republic of Equatorial Guinea: objectives and prerequisites

Importance. The research examines the important problem of teaching Russian as a foreign language to residents of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea. The prerequisites for studying Russian as a foreign language by residents of Equatorial Guinea are considered; the prospects for the Russian Federation to create conditions for cooperation with this state and teaching its citizens the Russian language are analyzed; the features of modern language policy in Equatorial Guinea are described.

Materials and Methods. The research presents the results of a survey conducted among students from a number of African countries currently studying at the preparatory department of the Lipetsk State Pedagogical P. Semenov-Tyan-Shansky University, which made it possible to identify the peculiarities of perception of Russia and the Russian language by young residents of modern Africa.

Results and Discussion. During the research, problems associated with the distorted perception of Russian people by the African consciousness are identified, and recommendations are proposed for working with students from the Republic of Equatorial Guinea. The research showed that modern residents of African countries, even those intending to get higher education in the Russian Federation, do not have systematic knowledge about Russia or its culture and are given almost no opportunity to study the Russian language at home. However, in general, their attitude towards our country can be characterized as positive.

Conclusion. The results obtained have theoretical value, since they allow us to draw conclusions about the problems that can be encountered when teaching Russian as a foreign language to African residents, and practical significance, since they make it possible to develop recommendations for ensuring cooperation with the Republic of Equatorial Guinea and teaching Russian to its citizens.

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