RAF-training in the preparation of foreign citizens for a linguodidactic test of the Russian language

The research solves methodological problems related to the preparation of foreign citizens for a test of the Russian language within the Integration Examination. The material of the study are videos with recording foreign citizens passing one of the subtests in the Russian language - "Speaking". During the research, the authors have analyzed the regulatory framework that fixes procedural and substantive requirements for examining the language competencies of a foreigner. The objectivity of the data obtained is confirmed statistically. The Test of Russian as a Foreign Language (TORFL) is a standardized technique in the system of methods for assessing the level of language competences of foreign citizens. The test is used for solving important social problem. It shows if a migrant is ready to integrate in Russian society. A migrant should be able to communicate in Russian orally for effective social interaction with the natives. So, TORFL checks this skill by passing the subtest "Speaking". However, a good knowledge of Russian is not a guarantee that a foreigner will successfully pass the examination. Despite the simplicity of assignments (asking for help, getting information or telling about a subject, etc.), many testers do not cope with them. There are several explanations for this. Firstly, it is the subtest form. A foreigner and a tester should simulate, or play, several communicative situations. Gaming is traditional for Russian education. It is recognized as one of the most effective methods. However, a foreigner finds it difficult to imagine his or her relative or a seller in a store instead of an examiner. In addition, the majority of migrants are representatives of Muslim culture, for which the act of hypocrisy is unacceptable. Secondly, the subtest procedure is complicated by using of a voice recorder or a video camera, which are necessary for an objective test results assessment. In this situation, even Russian native speakers will experience discomfort. Most importantly, "Speaking" is the most closed subtest. It does not have any visual methodological materials. Thus, a foreigner cannot get acquainted with the subtest procedure. The "RAF-training" (Eng. Russian as a Foreign Language) is a series of educational films made in Tyumen State University. Its purpose is to help foreign citizens in their self-study for the examination. The films are designed considering the requirements for language competencies and the lexical minimum at the basic level (A2) for labor migrants. They are equipped with the instruction, which is similar to that received by a foreigner in the examination. In the scenarios, typical speech situations and examples of the most frequent norms of the Russian language are presented. The scenes in the films ("In the Store", "At the Dentist") are close to the real examination situation. The roles of "tested persons" are performed by real foreign citizens. Their speech is distinguished by intentional lexical and syntactic simplicity. Additionally, the films have subtitles in Tajik, Uzbek and Azerbaijani. It can help migrants with their preparing for the test. The choice of languages is due to the statistical data which demonstrate key nationalities of tested migrants. The training helps to improve results of migrants passing the Integration Examination. It is confirmed by the increased average score of the subtest "Speaking". It demonstrates the typical stages of oral speech skills testing and prepares a foreigner for the procedure. It has free access in the Internet. Thus, it can be used by any foreign citizen regardless of where the examination is taken.

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