Heroes of folk tales as a tool for overcoming cognitive and linguistic errors in Russian as a foreign language classes

Abstract

The paper is devoted to the analysis of effective appeal to fairy tales’ characters during the classes of Russian as a foreign language. The authors put forward the concept according to which teachers of Russian as a foreign language can refer to the folklore of students' native countries, which helps activate the process of accepting an educational task by a foreign student. The proposed concept has been tested during the work of teachers in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the People's Republic of China. The authors insist on the need for careful verification of common stereotypes about certain characters of foreign fairy tales, since untested misconceptions can also lead to cognitive errors made in turn by the teacher. The article presents reviews of popular fairy tales in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, as well as analyzes of the magical plot of the Chinese horoscope emergence. The authors initiate a discussion about the correct translation of Chinese horoscope terms.