Language Week at Volga Region University concluded with a rousing chord – the global educational campaign "Tatar Dictation," which was attended by Rector Rafis Burganov.

The first tests took place on Tuesday and Wednesday, with students and staff able to test their knowledge by writing dictations in English and French. The Department of Foreign Languages ​​and Linguistics, headed by Zoya Pavitskaya, was responsible for administering them.

She shared that the All-Russian English Dictation has been held at the university for nearly eight years, and this year it attracted a record number of participants – 162 students and staff from the University of Sports and Tourism, as well as 25 representatives from a secondary school in the Tyulyachinsky District. The dictation in French was held at the university for the first time, but has already attracted 40 participants. It's worth noting that French is studied by both undergraduate and graduate students, as well as college students majoring in Tourism and Hotel Management. As Zoya Pavitskaya emphasized, French is the language of hospitality, and therefore is recognized among specialists in this field.

Today, a dictation was held in Tatar, the native language of many residents of the republic. The global educational campaign "Tatar Dictation" has been running since 2016 and is one of the projects uniting compatriots living in the Republic of Tatarstan, the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, and abroad. 2025-2026 has been declared the anniversary year for the campaign.

Aliya Garipova, Associate Professor of the Department of Foreign Languages ​​and Linguistics, read a text by Tatar writer Gabdelkayum Nasyrov (Kayum Nasyiri) to the participants. According to preliminary estimates, the event brought together approximately 120 participants. Along with students and university staff, Rafis Burganov, Rector of Volga Region University, participated in the dictation. He demonstrated his commitment to preserving and promoting the Tatar language among young people..

"The 'Tatar Dictation' campaign is a truly significant event that brings together all our compatriots in one place. I believe this is a very important undertaking for us. I sincerely wish you continued learning our native language and other languages; it's beneficial for all of us. Good luck to everyone!" Rafis Burganov said to the university students and staff before the dictation.

Speaking about the results of the language dictations at Volga Region University, Zoya Pavitskaya, Head of the Department of Foreign Languages ​​and Linguistics, noted that this year was truly remarkable – a record number of participants came together to test their knowledge. Among them were university and college students, staff, and faculty, including department heads.

"Dictations are a wonderful opportunity to test your knowledge and enrich your vocabulary. Anyone who's participated for several years understands that these aren't school tests where grades are given. I try to motivate students so they can experience the joy of learning. I believe that learning languages ​​should be an engaging journey, because we love learning when we're both interested and learning.

Furthermore, students enjoy writing dictations with their teachers and feeling their involvement in the process. For example, our department's Associate Professor Sufiya Karimova, setting an example for the students, participated in dictations in both English and French. And I think the students really appreciated Rafis Timerkhanovich's participation today," Zoya Pavitskaya shared.

Text: Adelina Khramova

Photo: Alina Gilmullina