The Problem of Teaching the Chinese Language in Russian Universities

Relevance. In the early 90s of the last century, relations between Russia and China intensified to a large extent. To this day, these relations are developing at all levels and in different areas. The constant interaction between the two countries contributes to a wider study of the Chinese language by Russian students. The relevance of the study is determined by the increased demand for the study of the Chinese language in universities, and the insufficient development of the theoretical foundations, technological and methodological support for this process.

Aim. To substantiate approaches to teaching Chinese in Russian universities and to identify problems that prevent students from mastering the Chinese language.

Methodology. To address the research objectives, the author employed such methods as analysis, synthesis, classification, and generalization. Didactic analysis of sources revealed the extent of the topic coverage, while classification and generalization methods were utilized to uncover challenges and issues in teaching the Chinese language to Russian students.

Research Materials: The study relied on scientific publications and methodological resources concerning the problems and peculiarities of teaching the Chinese language to students majoring in humanities in Russian universities.

Scientific novelty / theoretical and/or practical significance. Special emphasis in the article is placed on the analysis of different approaches in teaching Chinese in Russian universities and an attempt to define a unified approach in teaching Chinese, which develops the methodology of pedagogical research in the modern socio-cultural situation in teaching Chinese in Russian universities. The scientific novelty of the study is that it clarifies the concept of developing a unified approach, taking into account the document “Standards for assessing the level of proficiency in the Chinese language in the field of international Chinese language teaching” (“国际中文教育中文水平等级标准”). The article is of an applied nature, its practical significance lies in the development of a unified approach to the methodology of teaching the Chinese language, designed to help overcome deficits in the development of the Chinese language.

Result. Based on the analysis of requirements outlined in the Federal State Educational Standards (FSES) for foreign language education and the Chinese language, it is revealed that while there exist unified state programs for teaching Chinese in schools, they are absent at the university level. Through the classification and generalization of scholarly works in the field of Chinese language education, conclusions are made regarding the lack of a unified approach to teaching Chinese language in Russian universities, which leads to challenges in teaching phonetics, characters, grammar, and selecting appropriate textbooks for specific stages of learning.

Conclusions. The research identifies a range of challenges in teaching phonetics, characters, and grammar of the Chinese language. The identified issues are specific to the Chinese language and are associated with its unique nature, as well as the absence of a unified approach to teaching Chinese language.

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