Rhode Island College

M.Ed. In TESL Program Language Group Specific Informational Reports

Produced by Graduate Students in the M.Ed. In TESL Program In the Feinstein School of Education and Human Development

Language Group: Ukranian Author: Jennifer Banos Program Contact Person: Nancy Cloud ([email protected])

Language Profile: yкраїнська Jennifer Banos*Rhode Island College * TESL 539 Spring 2012

http://www. lmp.ucla.edu/Profile History of the

• Dates back to 988 when the capital of Kiev was converted to Christianity. • Ukrainian is an Eastern Slavic language, closely related to Russian and Belarusian. • Spoken by 51 million people in and many other countries. • One quarter of all live outside of Ukraine. • This is the second most widely spoken of the , divided into 3 dialects. • Ukrainian is the official state language of Ukraine, while the preferred spoken language in most cities is Russian. (www. Tryukraine.com)

Where in the world are Ukrainians living? (http://www.encyclopediaofukraine.com/picturedisplay)

Ukrainian Ukrainian (українська абетка) * alphabet is used

* total of 33 letters and an are used to create 38 (22 , 6 hard , 4 soft vowels and a )

*Generally following a system of one sound corresponding to one , with exceptions.

*Language structure is grammatically free with no fixed order for marking subject, object possessor, etc. follows. Neutral order follows http://omniglot.com subject~verb~object word order.

• “Younger” school Навчання (grades 1~4) (schooling) •Literacy rate is nearly • “Middle” school 99.4% ! (grades 5~9) •Preschool education is recognized as important  • “Senior” school •Nine years of secondary education is compulsory (grades 10~11) (ages 7-15) •There is an emphasis on education for all citizens, 2 years of upper supported by their secondary or constitution. (CIA World Factbook, vocational school Wikipedia) Common challenges of learners from Ukraine Phonology Vowels: Absence of long-short distinction poses great challenges Consonants: θ (think, both), ð (this, mother), ŋ (sing, finger), w (wet, window) do not exist in Cyrillic alphabet so words like “thin” sound like “sin”, “youthful” sounds like “useful” and “then” sounds like “zen”. Rhythm and stress: Most Slavic languages tend to lose secondary stresses in long words, like “competition” and “compatibility” Itonation: Irregular, tending to shoot up abruptly, or sound impolite with an abrupt fall at the end of a question. (Avery & Erlich, 1996)

Common challenges of English Language learners from Ukraine (continued)

Written communication Writing: Great challenges in lack of letter-sound correspondence, in words such as knife, break, risen, etc. Punctuation: Many similarities between English and Slavic writing rules, though there tends to overuse of commas to set apart subordinate clauses, such as: “ don’t know, which book to pick.” (Avery & Erlich, 1996) Grammar Common errors may sound like… Word Order~ Such Slavic languages often “Yesterday on table lied my book.” begin with adverbial phrases of time and place Articles~ Slavic languages do not use “Have you mother?” articles, so often they are omitted or use “Have you the mother?” of them is often incorrect Quantifiers~ often confusion with few “I have many money.” (of), a few (of), little (of), a little (of), much (of), many of Gender~ Ukrainian nouns are masculine, “Where is book?” “She is on table.” feminine or neuter. “Where’s my umbrella?” “He is here.” Number~ problems with distinction “I have one news” between countable and uncountable “I have a good advice.” numbers

(Swain and Smith, 2001)

Communication style

• Ukrainians can be direct, but no rarely means no, and they will usually assume that your “no" doesn’t mean no as well. For example, if they say no when you offer them food, they expect to be offered it again and again, and vice versa. • Many Ukrainians will dance around a subject, especially if it’s a difficult or uncomfortable topic. They may try not to tell you things if they’re afraid they will upset you – even things you think you should know. • - Ukrainian businesspeople are generally less formal than in many other countries. - Shake hands with everyone upon arriving and leaving.

culturecrossing.net/ kwintessential.co

Meeting and Greeting

• - Ukrainian businesspeople are generally less formal than in many other countries. - Shake hands with everyone upon arriving and leaving. - Handshakes are quite firm. - Maintain eye contact during the greeting. - It is common to repeat your name while shaking hands. - Academic and professional titles are commonly used with the surname. - If someone does not have an academic or professional title, use the honorific "Pan" for a man and "Pani" for a woman with the surname. culturecrossing.net/ kwintessential.co Social Taboos!

1.Putting your thumb in between your middle and index finger while making a fist is an obscene gesture. 2. It is a bad manner to sit on the floor, on the ground, on the stairs. 3. It is forbidden to walk and sit on the grass in many public places, especially where flowers grow. 4. It is considered bad manners to talk loudly, to talk waving hands, etc. 5. People in USSR were taught not to talk in public transport and not to act attracting others attention. A person who is loud and noticeable may be met with hostility, especially in small towns. culturecrossing.net/ kwintessential.co

Посилання

Books Avery, P., & Ehrlick, S. (1992). Teaching American English Pronounciation. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Swan, M., & Smith, B. (2001). Learner English: A teacher’s guide to interference and other problems. Second Edition. New York: CambridgeUniversity Press.

Internet Sites • Ager, S. (2008). Ukraine. Omniglot : the online encyclopedia of writing systems & languages. Retrieved February 2, 2012, from http://www.omniglot.com • Ukraine (n.d.) Guide to language, culture, customs, doing business, and etiquette. Retrieved on February 4, 2012 from http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global- etiquette/ukraine. • Languages of Ukraine; getting by in a bilingual society (Nov, 2010). Retrieved February 4, 2012 from: www.tryukraine.com/info/languages.html

Images Map of Ukraine. (1992), Retrieved February 3, 2012, from: http://www. lmp.ucla.edu/Profile

Ukrainian alphabet. (2008). Retrieved February 4, 2012, from: http://www.omniglot.com

Ukrainians:world distribution. (2001). Retrieved February 6, 2012, from:http://www.encyclopediaofukraine.com Additional sites of interest:

www.youtube:Ukrainian lullaby For access to what might be a soothing and familiar lullaby to students both young and old.

http://www.pronuncian.com/Podcast/Default.aspx?Episode=102 For access to audio feedback of Ukrainian phonemes

M.Ed. in TESL Program Nancy Cloud, Director Educational Studies Department Rhode Island College, HBS 206 #5 600 Mt. Pleasant Avenue Providence, RI 02908 Phone (401) 456-8789 Fax (401) 456-8284 [email protected]

The M.Ed. in TESL Program at Rhode Island College is Nationally Recognized by TESOL and NCATE