Foreign Languages Week: Meet Olga Plokhikh

September 13, 2013

“My name is Olga Plokhikh. I am an assistant professor of German at AUCA. I have been teaching German Language for more than 35 years after graduation from the Maurice Thorez Institute of Foreign Languages in Moscow in 1978. Since that time I have been working not only as a teacher of German but also as an interpreter/translator in different projects of the EU, the World Bank, GTZ, KfW, DSE and others. In the last 22 years I have worked in the academic sphere:  9 years long at the Kyrgyz State National University at the faculty of Roman and German Philology. Here I used to teach Analytical Reading, Regional Geography, Theoretical and Practical Phonetics, Conversation, Translation. Since 2000 I have been working in the AUK/AUCA. Here in AUCA I taught Economy of Germany and Austria, Phonetics, Consecutive Interpreting and Interpreting in Banking, German Language at the Department of Austrian and German Studies. After this program was closed, I have been working at the Foreign Languages Department and teaching all levels of German to students of all departments.

 

I have a lot of experience in intercultural communication participating in various programs for higher school teachers and translators in Germany, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. I participated in a TACIS - project (09.1995-11.1996), which includes German Language Teaching Methodology and German in economic field. It gave me an opportunity to get acquainted with latest achievements in Foreign Language Teaching Methodology and to communicate with native speakers.

 

In 2002-2004 I studied at the Correspondence High School  (University  Kassel//BGU Kyrgyzstan) organized by Goethe Institute and completed 8 courses: Foreign Language Teaching Methodology, Teaching Writing, Lesson Planning, Teaching Reading, Working on Vocabulary, Teaching Grammar, Listening, Didactics of Regional Studies and  completed my studies with a certificate (1/2 European Master). These studies gave me extensive knowledge for my further professional activities.

 

I was in Germany 4 times. In 1993 I received a PAD grant for internship in Stein Gymnasium in Münster/Germany. I had an opportunity to attend any class and get a new impulse for my work.

 

In 1996 I was awarded a Goethe Institute grand “Regional Geography on the basis of personal impressions” for Göttingen /Germany where I could visit German institutions and participate in social projects.

 

In 2005 I gained a new experience of  “Regional Geography on the Basis of Personal Impressions” in Mannheim/Dresden /Germany where I could  compare west and east parts of Germany.

 

In 2011 I went to the Goethe-Institute seminar “Economic German and Methodology and Didactics of German Language Teaching.“

 

My research fields are Nonverbal Aspects in Intercultural Communication and Teaching German by Support of English. It helps me very much in my teaching. In November, 2009 my scientific work “Nonverbal aspects in Intercultural Communication” was presented at the 3^rd International Interdisciplinary Conference of the Alumni Kolleg in Kirgizstan: Science and Culture in the Global World.

 

I have several publications: Didactics of Regional Studies: a Correlation of Language and Culture in Teaching Foreign Languages, Teaching Grammar at Student Centered Foreign Languages Classes.

 

My last scientific article is in the stage of publishing.

 

At the Republic Congresses of German Language Teachers I conducted seminars as a trainer/multiplier.

 

With a group of my colleagues I am participating in translation of a multilingual phrasebook.

 

I initiated and conducted German Club at AUCA. In 2012 I received a letter of gratitude from the members of the German Talking Club for the initiation and guidance of the club during certain time.

 

Every year two or three of my students receive scholarships in universities of Germany, though they study German only 2 or 3 semesters.

 

Dear students, I am really thankful to you for your efforts!

 

There is not much difference between our students and students of other universities, but the atmosphere at AUCA, the relationships between students and professors, and the opportunities AUCA affords our students are much better than in other universities.

 

Our students are more independent. Each student makes his own syllabus himself. If you are able to be responsible for yourself, and solve your problems independently – AUCA is the right university for you. The quality of your education will depend on you.”

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