Mr Mikhail Vodopyanov
Associate Lecturer in Russian
- Phone
- +44 (0)1334 46 4387
- Mikhail.Vodopyanov@st-andrews.ac.uk
- Office
- Room 60
- Location
- United Colleges
- Office hours
- Monday 9-10, Thursday 2-3
Research areas
Education has always interested me as a way of connecting people, ideas, and cultures.
Bringing together language education and intercultural communication, my work aims to create inclusive and stimulating learning experiences that help students develop confidence, curiosity, and the ability to navigate different cultural perspectives.
I believe that learning is at its best when it is intellectually challenging, genuinely enjoyable, and accessible to every student.
My research interests span multimodal discourse analysis, translation, and linguistic and cultural memory, alongside a growing interest in artificial intelligence in language education, curriculum innovation, and inclusive approaches to teaching and learning.
I teach across Russian language modules, encouraging students not only to develop linguistic competence, but also to engage critically with the cultural, historical, and social contexts in which language is used.
Alongside teaching, I led the redevelopment of Colloquial Russian (Routledge, 2023), the core textbook for our sub-honours beginner Russian modules, contributing to curriculum development through the integration of inclusive and decolonised approaches to language education.
At a national level, I serve as Administrator of the BASEES Teaching Excellence Prizes, coordinating nominations, peer review, and prize administration for this flagship disciplinary scheme recognising excellence, innovation, and inclusivity in higher education teaching across Slavonic, East European, and Eurasian Studies.
Selected publications
-
Russian in Plain English: A Very Basic Russian Starter for Complete Beginners
Vodopyanov, M., 1 Jan 2024, The Forum, 46, p. 8-8.Research output: Contribution to specialist publication › Book/Film/Article review
-
Colloquial Russian: the complete course for beginners
le Fleming, S., Kay, S. E. & Vodopyanov, M., 8 Mar 2023, 5th ed. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge Taylor & Francis Group. 398 p. (Colloquial series: multimedia language courses)Research output: Book/Report › Book