Katia

What inspired you to become a Russian teacher and translator?

I was born and raised in Belarus, in Eastern Europe, and I am a native Russian speaker. Growing up surrounded by languages naturally led me towards teaching and translation, and I am a qualified Russian teacher and translator with fifteen years of experience teaching at universities and colleges. I believe learning a foreign language is a journey that opens doors to new opportunities, friends, experiences and places, and I love being able to guide students along that journey.

 

What is your academic background?

I hold degrees in International Relations, Translation, Counselling and Teaching Russian as a Foreign Language. This combination gives me a strong understanding of language itself, but also of how to communicate sensitively and how to support people as they learn, which I find just as important as subject knowledge.

 

What teaching experience do you have?

I have fifteen years of experience teaching at universities and colleges, working with young people from a wide variety of cultural and religious backgrounds. This experience has taught me to be diplomatic and to work confidently and sensitively across cultures, adapting my approach to suit each student I work with.

 

How does speaking several Slavic languages help your teaching?

As a native Russian speaker, I am also able to understand and communicate in six other Slavic languages. This gives me a broader perspective on how languages in this family relate to one another, which can be especially useful for students who already speak another Slavic language or are curious about the wider linguistic picture.

 

How would you describe yourself as a teacher?

I am a team player with strong communication skills, a good listener, and a kind, understanding person who can stay calm under pressure. I am empathetic and attentive to my students' needs and emotions, and I try to create lessons where students feel comfortable enough to make mistakes and keep progressing.

 

What do you enjoy doing outside teaching?

I have travelled extensively, but I always dreamed of living by the sea. In 2023, that dream came true when I moved to a small and picturesque town in the south of England, right on the doorstep of the New Forest and the Jurassic Coast. Ponies, donkeys and fossils are not rare here, as you might imagine, and I love exploring the area whenever I get the chance.

 

What do you hope students gain from working with you?

I hope students gain not just the Russian language, but a real sense of the journey that comes with learning it. Language learning broadens your horizons and deepens your understanding of yourself and the world, and I would like every student to finish our lessons feeling that they have grown, both in their Russian and in their confidence.