Group courses for beginners
registration for January 2024 now open
Our winter term starts on 19th January and runs for 10 weeks.
In-person groups are held at Pushkin House, online groups via Zoom. We also run hybrid in-person groups where the teacher is always present in Pushkin House, but students may attend remotely for part or all of the term.
Our small, friendly groups for beginners start at the very beginning – with the alphabet. RLC students sign up for one term at a time, so after one ten-week term as a beginner, you will be invited to rebook for the following term and move on to the next level.
Bear in mind that if you know any Russian at all, you should register to join one of our groups for non-beginners.
All beginners use RLC’s textbook Russian Made Clear. A digital copy of the book, along with access to audio files and a huge range of supplementary online exercises, is included in your course fee.
The timetable below shows the beginners’ groups running in January. Simply click on ‘book now’ to reserve your place.
Winter term
* Course fees include VAT for privately-funded students; if your course is funded by your employers, they will need to add VAT to the above rates.
‡ All times are UK time.
non-beginners’ groups
special courses
individual tuition
More about courses for beginners
try us out
We believe everyone should be able to see what we do before joining a course. If you’re not sure whether Russian is for you, why not sign up for one of our regular taster sessions? Or if you’d like to talk to one of our friendly teachers, you can book an appointment here.
enrolment
We have 4 group terms throughout the year, each lasting 10 weeks, starting in January, April, July and October. Students enrol for one term at a time, and new students can join at the beginning of any term.
online groups
The Covid pandemic forced us to become experts in online group tuition: in January 2020 all our groups were in person, and when our Spring 2020 term began, we had 57 online groups. Although online lessons aren’t for everybody, our experience over the last few years has convinced us that it is possible to make just as much progress online as it is in person.
We have only two ‘rules’ for online groups: we do not allow lessons to be recorded, and we expect all students, other than in exceptional circumstances and by prior agreement, to have their cameras switched on.
class size
Our online groups have a maximum of seven students, and our in-person groups have a maximum of twelve students. Small class sizes ensure that each student has the opportunity to contribute fully, and the teacher is able to give their attention to all members of the group.
teaching materials
All groups up to Intermediate level use RLC’s own textbooks. These have been developed by us specifically for the needs of adults learning Russian. They are the single most important way we ensure that all our students get the same high-quality service.
When you join a course you’ll also get access to a huge range of additional online materials, including audio, video and interactive online exercises, and our new podcast.
homework
We try to be realistic about the amount of homework we set; at the same time, your teacher will expect you to complete the homework you have been given. As a rough guide, you can expect to be given about two hours of homework a week.
lesson content
We realise that class time may be your only or main opportunity to speak Russian. Our approach, therefore, is broadly ‘communicative’: we concentrate on the spoken language, and we practise the language in class through conversation and oral drilling.
Lessons typically involve the following elements: free conversation introduction; homework review; targeted oral drills; listening and video practice; reading and discussion of texts; oral role-play exercises; oral translation into Russian.
hybrid lessons
A hybrid lesson is one where the teacher and some students are in the classroom, while other students attend remotely via Zoom. We have developed a set-up for these lessons which we believe allows everyone to participate effectively.
The teacher and in-person students communicate in the normal way. Remote students are shown on a large screen and communicate via microphones and speakers in the centre of the classroom. Every in-person student is provided with their own tablet on the desk in front of them. The tablets are registered to the Zoom meeting, meaning that remote students see each in-person student in their own Zoom window, rather than collectively. The teacher uses a virtual whiteboard, visible to in-person students on the large screen and to online students via Zoom.
missed lessons
Regular attendance is vital for your own progress and for the success of the group. If you do have to miss a class, you will automatically be provided with details of what you have missed and any homework set.
Some students like to arrange an individual catch-up class. This can normally be organised with your regular teacher, and is charged separately at a special discounted rate.
Students in an in-person group who know in advance that they will not be able to attend a lesson are encouraged to let us know: depending on the size and level of the group, we may be able to set up a hybrid classroom to allow remote attendance.
levels
Groups are available at all levels from complete beginner to advanced. For more information on the levels system used at RLC, please visit the levels page.
exams and certificates
Certificates of attendance stating the level of the group you have completed are available on request at the end of any term.
RLC holds the official Russian TRKI exams (Test of Russian as a Foreign Language) twice a year, run in conjunction with St Petersburg University.
We are not a registered Edexcel testing centre for GCSE or A level. However, we do have teachers who are experienced in preparing students for GCSE, A Level and University Entrance exams.