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Conversational Russian METRO Club 2.0
We'll help you
  • To learn Advanced Russian
  • To speak Russian fluently about daily life
  • To understand fast spoken Russian speech
Is keeping up a conversation in Russian still hard for you?

When you study Russian, your learning doesn’t always progress smoothly.

After the periods when you see obvious progress, there comes a time when you feel that it doesn't matter how much effort you put into your Russian, you're not getting much of a return.


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You feel frustrated - like you hit a wall in your Russian

You constantly do something with your Russian - watch YouTube videos and movies, listen to podcasts, study some grammar, ask questions on the forums, search for helpful materials - but still have a hard time talking about even simple casual things.



You feel overwhelmed trying to follow Russians when they talk

You’re still translating their words in your head when they're five sentences ahead of you. When you hear a lot of unfamiliar words, your brain may stop listening and sometimes can perceive Russian speech as white noise – even if you are immersed in it.



You feel embarrassed that you can’t express yourself in Russian

Building almost every Russian sentence sounds like a pain. You don’t have enough vocabulary, don’t understand entirely how the Russian grammar system works and make lots of errors despite your efforts working on them. Your pretty strong accent and not-native intonation makes hard it for Russians to understand you.

It's not about you

It's called the “Intermediate level plateau”. Have you heard about it?

On the one hand, it’s the typical learning curve in language acquisition.

 But on the other hand, most Russian learners get stuck there for years and years – and this can be avoided!

Why are you stuck on the Intermediate level plateau?

There is a big gap in skills between the Intermediate and Advanced levels. An Advanced speaker can talk about daily life pretty close to the way natives do it. But when you're searching for comprehensive study materials for Advanced Russian, you're finding out that there is not much out there. Why?

  • Not your level

    Everything you could find is

    • Either too simple (for beginners)
    • Or too advanced (for native speakers)
    • Or too formal (politics, news),

    Nothing - about everyday life in the way you talk about it in your native language.

  • No system

    If you find materials for your level about daily life, they are haphazard - scattered podcasts and Youtube videos on different topics.


    And when you jump through different topics, it entertains you but it doesn't help you to develop confidence with any of them. It keeps you busy, and that’s it. No system = no or slow progress

  • "Textbook" Russian

    Most Russian textbooks don't teach you conversational, or colloquial Russian - a style of Russian that people use to talk informally.


    It’s hard to find study materials that incorporate enough colloquial Russian so you can learn to understand authentic speech and speak in a native-like way.

Once you're above "beginner", two things happen: 1) it's very hard to find learners content. 2) teachers are less responsive because your questions or contribution isn't just a two-second reply. Marina provides INTERMEDIATE content: themed vocabulary and high-frequency grammar structured to propel you forward to a high level.
Maria Johnson
IF WHAT YOU WERE DOING DIDN'T BRING YOU THE RESULTS YOU NEED,
MAYBE IT'S TIME TO TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT?
How to break through the Intermediate level plateau?

There is good news and bad news about this plateau.

The bad news is that the vast majority of Russian learners never make it through this plateau.

The good news is that there are Russian learners who managed to break through to an Advanced level and developed fluency. It didn’t happen overnight but it was pretty fast progress.

What did they do? – They focused their efforts on four areas of Russian studies.


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VOCABULARY: Learning 7300+ practical words
To talk about daily life, Russians use around 8,000 words, including hundreds of colloquial ones. You likely know around 3,000 - 4,000 words. That leaves you with 5000+ more words to learn. It's unlikely that you can figure out which words you need to learn and how to use them.

GRAMMAR: Eliminating gaps

Advanced speakers understand how the Russian grammar system works and use it confidently and accurately. "Polishing" your grammar and eliminating its gaps can be either confusing, tiring and boring, or engaging and productive - depending upon the methods used.
LISTENING: Getting out of the “translation trap”
Advanced speakers don't translate every word they hear. Instead, they follow the flow of speech, recognize familiar elements and guess unfamiliar based upon the context, language rules, and their real life knowledge. You need to learn how to do it too.

SPEAKING: Developing fluency 

Advanced speakers don't build sentences from individual words. Instead, they think in Russian and speak with sentence chunks popping up in their heads. They have slight or no accent and use native “fillers” & “connectors” to make their speech cohesive and smooth.
There are no magic pills. But there are effective solutions.
These solutions are not just advice. They are programs that are built around one specific goal.
Your guide to Advanced Russian
Hi, I'm Marina.
I help Intermediate Russian learners to bypass the pitfalls, overcome difficulties and become fluent and competent speakers of Russian. I'm originally from Russia but now I live in the United States.

30+ years of teaching Russian to adults
Beginning, Intermediate, Advanced, Superior Russian courses at the universities in Russia & in Latvia, in the U.S. at the University of Utah and in U.S. government intensive Russian programs.

Top-notch Russian language training

B.A./M.A. in Russian language from the Lomonosov Moscow State University. Ph.D in Russian language from the V.V. Vinogradov Russian Language Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Marina Koker, Ph. D.

Russian language professor, Russian courses and textbooks author


Instructional design

I designed 12 Russian language courses (online and offline) and wrote two textbooks for Advanced/ Superior Russian learners.


Best methods

I've been constantly looking for the most efficient ways of teaching Russian. I’m using task-based and proficiency-based methods, and I've created my own “7-Step Comprehension Boosting Method" that helps develop listening skills quickly and in a stress-free way.


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I used my expertise and best methods and tools known to me to create my METRO Club as a program that is laser-focused on one goal - bridging the gap between the Intermediate and Advanced Russian.
  • The best part of the program is Marina’s fantastic teaching skills and her passion to help her students learn. 10 out of 10.
    David Bagdy
  • If you are Intermediate to Advanced Marina has a lot to offer and will give you time and attention you can’t find elsewhere.
    Maria Johnson

The vast majority of Russian learners who reach higher levels of proficiency are those who used EXPERT HELP.


Introducing the

Conversational Russian METRO Club 2.0

It's “all-in-one” comprehensive program in Advanced Russian with four critical tools that help you to break through the Intermediate level plateau and start fluently talking about everyday life.








1. Online course in Advanced Russian


2. Unique brain-friendly method


3. Access to the experienced teacher


4. Fun club activities



1. Online course in Advanced Russian


YOUR level: The course is focused on helping you to develop all Advanced level skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing.


SYSTEM: 140+ podcast lessons on 12 topics will teach you in a very systematic way to talk about Russian everyday life.


CONVERSATIONAL Russian: In each podcast, you'll hear the exact language Russians use to speak about it between themselves. The course include 7300+ practical words (including hundreds of colloquialisms) and 2000+ commonly used grammar models.



2.Unique brain-friendly method

My proprietary "7-Step Comprehension Boosting Method" will train you to understand fast spoken Russian through a sequence of steps that our brain finds logical

3. Access to the experienced teacher

I will answer all your questions about grammar and vocabulary and will help you sound like a native in your writing and speaking



4.Fun club activities
You’ll become a part of a community of motivated Russian learners from all over the world and participate in group speaking sessions
12 everyday life topics
Click on the arrows / dots below to view each topic
940+

minutes of audio
7300+

new words, including
800+

colloquial words
2000+

grammar/ vocab infographics & exercises

I can say that this is the best Russian course I have ever taken, even better that the course we took in university.

Haval Stuni
Your results in the METRO Club

Your listening and speaking skills will start improving from the first month in this program.

You'll start getting compliments on your Russian in just 3-4 months.

Your ability to talk in Russian will completely transform at your half-way point through the program.


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This is how your Russian SKILLS will transform
  • LISTENING
    You'll comfortably keep up with casual conversations at a normal rate, stop translating every word in your head when listening, follow the flow of speech and look for context clues to make sense of what is not familiar to you.
  • SPEAKING
    You’ll speak fluently in a native-like way about daily life because you’ll think in Russian with sentence chunks popping up in your head - the same phrases that Russians use, with authentic intonation and pronunciation.
  • GRAMMAR + VOCAB
    Russian grammar will make total sense to you. Your vocabulary will be broad enough to talk about daily life - very close to the way you can do it in your mother tongue. You’ll be able to speak informally with common colloquialisms and minimal errors.

This is how your LIFE can change

Travelling to Russia
You’ll be able to experience Russia in a deeper way than ordinary tourists: - visit places outside of typical tourist traps, talk to locals, feel at ease in cafes and restaurants, on trains and in hotels.
Living in Russia
You’ll confidently deal with all daily life situations you encounter: you'll know what to expect and how to behave and talk because you’ll understand how Russians live. Your life in Russia will become more enjoyable and less stressful. And you'll earn the respect of locals because you’ll speak their language fluently.
Using Russian for work or business
You’ll pass a test at the Advanced level and increase your chances of getting a good job at an international company. You’ll attract more Russian-speaking clients and get more business in your country.
Speaking Russian with your spouse, friends, co-workers
You’ll get along with Russian people well and feel comfortable around them because you’ll understand not only what they say, but also what is important to them and why. At Russian dinner parties you'll not only enjoy the food, but also connect with people and sing along with them. You'll instantly become one of their own!
I find there are changes, in a big way, to my vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, and thus the ability to communicate in both directions. Russian people who haven’t seen me for a while, ask me what I have been doing to achieve the improvement.
Tony Lyver
What our members say

METRO Club brings together Russian learners from all over the world: foreign language teachers and engineers, Russian Orthodox monks and priests, lawyers, government contractors and business owners from Russia and France, Canada and Spain, the U.S. and the United Kingdom.

  • Catherine Gaudiot
    France
    I now feel much more confident and I’m better able to express myself
  • Michael Lutz
    Russia
    Marina wants you to understand and speak the language as a native
  • David Bagdy
    United States
    METRO Club is put together in a very user friendly manner. It is sure to hone all your language skills.
  • Tony Lyver
    Canada
    I realized I had just listened to the normal pace and understood it
  • Fr. David
    United States
    I was able to communicate with hosts and strangers in Russia
  • Bobby Hayes
    United States
    Professionally developed learning materials are outstanding 
Choose your plan

Choose the amount of support you need from the Russian language expert.

Pay once a month with PayPal or any major credit card. You can stop or change your membership any time.

S T A N D A R D

$39.99/mo
  • Online course in Advanced Russian: 1 lesson per week/ 4 lessons per month
  • 7-Step Comprehension Boosting Method
  • Teacher's help: ask me any questions in our private Facebook group
  • Club activities: two-three 60-min. speaking sessions/ month (in small groups via Zoom)
  • Private Telegram chat for extra practice and community support
  • Teacher's help: your homework corrected and explained for every lesson
  • Email support
  • Lifetime access to the lessons
P R E M I U M
$99.99/mo
  • Online course in Advanced Russian: 1 lesson per week/ 4 lessons per month
  • 7-Step Comprehension Boosting Method
  • Teacher's help: ask me any questions in our private Facebook group
  • Club activities: two-three 60-min. speaking sessions/ month (in small groups via Zoom)
  • Private Telegram chat for extra practice and community support
  • Teacher's help: your homework corrected and explained for every lesson
  • Email support
  • Lifetime access to the lessons

Once you enroll in any plan, add one-on-one SPEAKING SESSIONS with Marina for fastest results with your speaking skills. Read more

BONUS
Sign up by 11:59 pm EST 4/16/22 and get this BONUS course on Russian Verbs of Motion

Mini-course “Russian VOM Foundation”

  • All the meanings (2-9 meanings for each VOM pair) of all 18 Russian Verbs of Motion
  • Clear algorithm to choose a VOM pair

3 lessons:
  • Lesson 1. VOM for Beginners: 6 VOM pairs, 41-min video lesson, PDF with the slides, PDF with 12 exercises with keys.
  • Lesson 2. VOM for Intermediate: 6 VOM pairs, 41-min video lesson, PDF with the slides, PDF with 12 exercises with keys.
  • Lesson 3. VOM for Advanced: 6 VOM pairs, 37-min video lesson, PDF with the slides, PDF with 10 exercises with keys.

I look forward to the new lesson every week, like a little boy opening a present!

Bobby Hayes

When you invest in the right resources, you’ll learn much faster.
What will happen after you pay
Open our email

Check your inbox and open our Welcome email

Get access


 Get your login to our learning platform to access lessons and join our private Facebook group

Start learning


Access Lesson 1 immediately and start learning. Join our Facebook group and ask questions

What you’ll find in each lesson
Once a week you'll have a new lesson available for you
  • It includes an audio (a podcast episode) + 15-30 page PDF with a transcript, vocabulary breakdown, grammar and vocabulary teaching points in infographics, grammar and vocabulary exercises, and listening, writing and speaking practice.
  • You can access it at our private platform, download and self-study from anywhere at your pace in simple steps using our "7-Step Comprehension Boosting System" for best results.
  • By the end of the week you'll be able to comfortably talk (understand and speak) about this topic.
Audio
Transcript
Teaching points
Exercises +
Practice
Quizlet
Audio
  • A 3-5 min. story
  • About one aspect of Russian everyday life the way Russians see it
  • In authentic practical Russian
  • At a normal and at a slower pace
Most complex words and grammar concepts are explained in s fun to work with and easy to understand visual way:
  • In infographics and word clusters with color coding
  • In mind maps.
Full transcript of the audio includes
  • Accent marks on each word
  • Highlights on key vocabulary
  • Pictures to illustrate the main concepts
Key vocabulary (40-60 words) is divided into 5 groups to guide you where to use it: topical, general, colloquial, idioms, connectors.
Each word includes translation, accent, grammar notes, and model sentences.
Quizlet is an app that uses a spaced repetition system with digital flashcards and interactive games to help you memorize a lot of words while having fun playing with them.

We created our decks of digital flashcards for each METRO Club lessons on Quizlet, and you can access them from your phone or computer.
Vocab and grammar exercises with keys for your self-check

  • LISTENING practice: fill-in-the-blank key vocabulary/grammar
  • WRITING/ SPEAKING practice: apply what you learned to your daily life and life in your country
  • SPEAKING practice: mimic authentic intonation and pauses
Vocabulary
breakdown
5-9

minutes of audio
56

new words, including
7

colloquial words
12

grammar/vocab infographics + exercises

Everything is online so no matter where you live, you can participate in everything.

Written exercises excellently reinforce the main podcast episode. The lessons are short enough to keep my interest but are indeed full of new material plus some reuse of earlier terms.

Tony Lyver
Take a look inside of the lesson
Listen to a sample of the audio and flip through the PDF pages to see if that's the right level for you.

The podcasts truly train your ear to pick up the language the way natives talk. I listen to the same weekly podcasts daily during breakfast and can understand how my brain is trained by the end of the week. The quick native speech on Monday seems to be normal speed by Friday.

Michel Lutz
Ready to give our METRO Club a try?

METRO Club is the perfect program for you if...

  • You are currently at Intermediate or low Intermediate level
  • You prefer to mostly self-study at your own pace and have access to an experienced teacher for questions, guidance, error corrections and working on speaking skills
  • You are open to trying a new method

  • You can spend around 30 min. a day/3 hours per week to go through the program in small steps


…and you want to use Russian in a variety of daily life situations because you...

  • Currently live in Russia and need to confidently navigate through local life and succeed in your plans
  • Want to confidently travel around Russia outside of typical tourist traps, know what to expect there and enjoy the trip
  • Want to build deeper relationships with your Russian family members, friends, partners, or customers
  • Want to better understand Russian life, traditions, mentality and spirituality
  • I appreciate receiving podcast and reading material every week. It encourages me to work regularly.
    Catherine Gaudiot
  • With the METRO Club I go at my own pace, adapting my studies to the busy circumstances of daily life without feeling like I am failing or falling behind.
    Fr. David

Our members recommend ...

  • I would recommend METRO Club to anyone that has a general foundation of vocabulary, a cursory understanding of the grammar, and is ready for the next step. But even if you aren’t ready for the next step, private lessons with Marina will help you up your level quickly to understand the podcasts.
    Michael Lutz
  • I enthusiastically recommend this Club to all who, like myself, had trouble moving beyond the rudiments of Russian but wish to grow in their understanding and appreciation of this rich language.
    Fr. Philaret
  • The lessons are tailored to constantly reinforce what we have just learned. Listening to the podcasts greatly helped me to develop my listening comprehension. It’s very rewarding to see that you understand better and better every week.
    Catherine Gaudiot
  • I heartily recommend Conversational Russian Metro Club for all A2 - C learners who prefer independent study
    Bobby Hayes
  • I feel anyone who has the basic foundation of grammar will find a surge in vocab and style enough in the first month, to envision what completing the whole “Metro” series will do for them.
    Tony Lyver
  • I would recommend RMA/METRO Club to anybody who wants to learn Russian in a way that lasts a lifetime!
    Fr. David
  • The Metro Club is for serious learners of Russian. There are too few resources available today that can take a serious learner past the beginner level. Metro Club has nailed it
    David Bagdy
  • I would recommend METRO Club to anyone who already has a solid foundation in Russian but feels a bit stuck and would like to overcome this by developing their skills with the help of quality teaching materials with good helping tools.
    Flora Nagy

Frequently Asked Questions

Not sure if your level in Russian is right for this program?

Contact me and briefly explain your situation. If you're qualified, I will invite you for a complimentary 15-min. assessment of your current level in Russian via Zoom or Skype.



Email me at Marina@RussianMobileAcademy.com

Call / message me on Whatsapp +1-801-824-5760.

Message me on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn.

I have been in your shoes...
... with my own learning English and immigrating to the U.S., so I totally understand the challenges you face with learning Russian.

That’s why in my METRO Cub I am here for you - not only to train your Russian skills, but also to support and encourage you when your life is getting on the way of your learning.

Learning a language is not a sprint but a marathon, and having a coach behind your back helps you keep moving.

Would you like us to work together as a team to bring your Russian to fluency?

Marina is easily the best teacher I have ever had with Russian. She knows the language inside and out and can answer any questions I have regarding the history or context of certain words. She also focuses on the stress in the word, as well as government forms (which words/grammar come after certain verbs) and that is not something most teachers even discuss. She wants you to understand and speak the language as a native from the outset of your studies.
Michael Lutz
Read the full testimonials


Catherine Gaudiot
France

I started studying Russian four years ago, but I worked alone off and on.

Self-study isn’t stimulating and I didn’t make much progress.


I joined the Metro Club 9 months ago. I appreciate receiving podcasts and reading material every week. It encourages me to work regularly. The club offers a wide range of topics and several lessons on a specific topic. It helps me to learn more about Russian culture and way of life.


The courses are tailored to constantly reinforce what we have just learned.

Listening to the podcasts greatly helped me to develop my listening comprehension.


It’s very rewarding to see that you understand better and better every week.

The reading material with grammar notes, word clusters and infographics offers a strong basis for developing your understanding and speaking skills.


I now feel much more confident and I’m better able to express myself.

What I particularly appreciate is Marina’ dedication and cheerful benevolence, her attention and reactivity. She is accessible to her students, who may refer to her when they have doubts. Whenever I asked her a question, I got a quick, accurate and helpful answer.


That is invaluable.


I would recommend the program to motivated, intermediate students, who are ready to work regularly, at least four or five hours a week, in order to reach an advanced level.



Michael Lutz
Russia

Good day to all! My name is Michael and I have been learning Russian on and off for 7 years. I had previously tried self-study with Rosetta Stone, as well as some textbooks, and while living in Moscow, I had tried various teachers.


I stumbled upon METRO club before it launched and have participated since Day 1. At the time I felt I was at a high A2, low B1 level and METRO club was exactly what I needed. It required some extra work on my part to maximize the usefulness of the materials presented but it has been well worth it. I like the multiple tiered approach

– Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing. The weekly podcasts provide an insight into not just the language but the culture. As someone that lives and works in Moscow, I’ve noticed myself immediately using a concept I learned from the lessons.


I’ve also been doing private lessons with Marina for over half a year. The private lessons have helped to fill in my knowledge gap about cases, while the podcasts provide a more general knowledge base. I’ve noticed an improvement in my listening and speaking, as well as reading and understanding. The writing is still a work in progress but its also not the focus of this course.


The program is very unique. All of the materials are created by Marina which means she knows how to teach/explain the materials. She isn’t using someone else’s textbook and just doing boring exercises with you. Most importantly, the podcasts truly train your ear to pick up the language the way natives talk and that is very important.


Marina also clearly explains how to use the materials. First to listen to the podcasts before even looking at the text, to see how much you can understand. The podcasts are presented at two speeds, one normal and one slower. I listen to the same weekly podcasts daily during breakfast and can understand how my brain is trained by the end of the week. The quick native speech from Monday seems normal speed by Friday and the slower speech from Monday seems like a turtle by the end of the week. But the slower speech is very useful for understanding where the stress is in the word.


Overall, Marina is easily the best teacher I have ever had with Russian. She knows the language inside and out and can answer any questions I have regarding history or context of certain words. She also focuses on the stress in the word, as well as government forms (which words/grammar come after certain verbs) and that is not something most teachers even discuss. She wants you to understand and speak the language as a native from the outset of your studies.


I would recommend METRO Club to anyone that has a general foundation of vocabulary, a cursory understanding of the grammar, and is ready for the next step. But even if you aren’t ready for the next step, private lessons with Marina will help you up your level quickly to understand the podcasts.


Marina gives you all the tools to be successful and it is up to you to use them wisely. I could be far more advanced if I would spend more time with the materials than I do, but I am very satisfied with my current progress and would recommend Marina and her METRO club to anyone interested in learning the language.

Tony Lyver
Canada

I have been an on/off student of Russian whose last Russian experience ended 26 years ago. Since then I have been, mostly, watching Russian videos with Russian subs. I decided long ago I wanted to do and see some special things in Russia so I needed study. Movies alone would not do.

Then in January 2020, I found a link for Conversational Russian Club "Metro." while looking for a new course with new material, style, or a “new method.”


I liked the Metro concept compared to quite a few others I have tried.

  • Lessons have no spoken English.
  • The subjects are from everyday life but the foundation is usable anywhere.
  • Use of colloquial expressions is big for me.
  • The lessons are short enough to keep my interest but are indeed full of new material plus some reuse of earlier terms.
  • There are fast and slow-paced central spoken lessons.
  • Written exercises excellently reinforce the spoken central portion.
  • There is a group call every month that is more than just practice as you watch others improve as well. The spoken portion, either speed, is done in a clearly professional tireless easy to listen to voice.

Two big weaknesses plagued me:

  • the inability to comprehend normal Russian pace
  • I translated into English both speaking and listening.

By August (after 4 months in the club), I noticed both were changing and today have changed completely.


Russian people who haven’t seen me for a while, ask me what I have been doing to achieve the improvement. I also believe the easing of my prize-winning accent is bonus.


I find there are changes, in a big way, to my vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, and thus the ability to communicate in both directions.

I also can follow at a much faster pace than before. Enough so, one day I heard a lesson in my car and after I heard the slow portion start, I realized I had just listened to the normal portion and understood it.


I feel anyone who has the basic foundation of grammar will find a surge in vocab and style enough in the first month, to envision what completing the whole “Metro” series will do for them.

David Bagdy
United States
I do business in Russia and travel there often. I have been studying Russian to some extent for years. I would hit plateaus, digress, and restart. I went through this cycle for years grasping some level of competence but only to hit a wall.

Metro Club presented a clear 7 step program along with the resources to implement the program. I feel I have a lot of Russian language knowledge in my head. Metro Club helps me knit it together and move forward. 

After starting the 7 step program in Metro Club I wanted to improve my foundation of the language and moved to private lessons with Marina Private lessons with Marina have been a tremendous help. Marina is dedicated to the improvement of her students. I currently have 2 lessons per week with Marina and spend an hour or so per day studying. 

My biggest accomplishment has been gaining more confidence in the Russian language. 
The biggest change has been my confidence in using the language which is taking me to the next level. The drills that Marina presents in our lessons have been a tremendous help. 

The Metro Club is for serious learners of Russian. There are too few resources available today that can take a serious learner past the beginner level. Metro Club has nailed it. 

Metro Club has the plan, the resources, and most importantly the guidance to help you reach your language learning goals.

Russian Mobile Academy is an excellent place to improve your intermediate Russian Language skills. The program is put together in a very user friendly manner. It is sure to hone all your language skills. The best part of the program is Marina’s fantastic teaching skills and her passion to help her students learn. 10 stars.
Fr. Philaret
United States

I had been studying Russian off and on for about 3 years before joining the Conversational Russian METRO Club. I had substantial gaps in my knowledge and ongoing trouble engaging in even very simple conversations. After a few months in the METRO Club, I noticed that I was doing much better at understanding the spoken word and was able to speak more confidently. The Club’s format of having regular opportunities to practice speaking with other students proved both enjoyable and productive.


But what makes this program truly unique is Marina’s 7 Step system of learning, which prioritizes listening. As a visual learner, my comprehension of written text was always much better than my understanding of speech. However, by forcing myself to listen intently—and only later adding the reading of the words—my ability to identify all of the words in long string of quickly-passing syllables dramatically improved.


Another characteristic aspect of this program is its incorporation of colloquialisms and emphasis on natural, flowing Russian speech. Learning how to say things as Russians say them was a critical step for enhancing my ability to follow a conversation, which has decreased my reliance on body language and non-verbal signals.


Although this program isn’t for beginners, those who have a basic understanding of the Russian language would greatly benefit from the Conversation Russian METRO Club. I enthusiastically recommend this Club to all who, like myself, had trouble moving beyond the rudiments of Russian but wish to grow in their understanding and appreciation of this rich language.

Fr. David
United States

I took one semester of Russian in college. The rest of my study time has been with the Russian Mobile Academy – about 30 hours in 2018-2019 and then in the METRO Club since April 2020.


I really value how the METRO Club is an all-in-one package. First, I get to hear spoken Russian podcasts about topics that arise in everyday speech. I can refer to them again and again because these are the topics that I want to talk about with Russian speakers. An accompanying written lesson breaks down each podcast into bite-sized pieces, and the Seven Step Method is the road map! I follow the steps at my own pace, all the while building both my Russian speaking and reading abilities, and my self-confidence. A special bonus to the METRO Club is that there is an option to have Zoom lessons online with its founder, Dr. Marina Koker.


Since beginning my studies at the RMA, I have made two multi-week trips to Russia to visit religious and cultural sites. I was able to communicate with hosts and strangers while there because of everything I learned at the RMA. Additionally, I can now listen to and read Russian language content online in a way that I could not before.


Learning Russian is a marathon, not a sprint. With the RMA/METRO Club I go at my own pace, adapting my studies to the busy circumstances of daily life without feeling like I am failing or falling behind.


I would recommend RMA/METRO Club to anybody who wants to learn Russian in a way that lasts a lifetime!

Bobby Hayes
United States

When I moved to a mountain from a large city, I searched for an effective way to continue my Russian study. My Internet is very poor so Skype was out of the question. Even my telephone doesn't work at times. Luckily, I found Conversational Russian Metro Club. It allows me to advance my language skills at my convenience without a dependence upon fast Internet. Conversational Russian Metro Club is reasonably priced and its professionally developed learning materials are outstanding. In short, they focus on all facets of life in Russia, family, school, work, daily routine, home, leisure tie, etc. Conversational Russian Metro Club's Marina Koker, PhD, includes readings in both regular and slow speeds, key vocabulary definitions and model sentences, idioms, grammar and other learning aids. She even harnessed the interactive learning power of Quizlet to allow members to reinforce vocabulary used in the weekly lessons. I heartily recommend Conversational Russian Metro Club for all A2 - C learners who prefer independent study.

Yossi Barzilai
Spain
I am very satisfied with the very innovative and original Russian Club Metro. The Russian used in the audios as well as in the written lesson is authentic and engaging. For a B2 learner as myself it’s nice to find challenging and content that allows me to expand my knowledge. I like that the podcasts are spoken in both fast and slow Russian and the PDFs are dynamic and designed in a way that facilitates the learning process. So do the cards in the Quizlet app. I love Russian Club Metro and starkly recommend it to intermediate learners to take their Russian to the next level.
Maria Johnson
United States
Once you are above “beginner,” two things happen: 1. It is very hard to find learners content and 2. Teachers are less responsive because your question or contribution isn’t just a two-second reply. Marina provides INTERMEDIATE content: themed vocabulary and high-frequency grammar structures to propel you forward at a higher level. My favorite feature is that she reads and corrects my writing. I feel free to write even above my level because I know I will get some feedback. If your are intermediate to advanced, Marina has a lot to offer and will give you time and attention you can’t find elsewhere.
Haval Stuni
Kurdistan
I can say that this is the best Russian Course I have ever taken, even better than the course we took in university, I highly recommend it for everyone who want to get fluency in Russian. Thank you marina
Xenia Williams
United States
I love how everything is there, the 7 step process, the audio with both the normal and slow tempo, (which I put on my pod player and listen to) and the grammar and vocabulary work, all in bit size groupings to help you keep a daily practice.

I got a good review on my pronunciation from my choir director already.
Flora Nagy
United Kingdom
I have been studying Russian for 12 years, including higher studies. I have qualified as a teacher of Russian but I haven’t actively used the language because I didn’t have enough vocabulary for real life situations. It was more academic whilst we skipped the colloquial language at a really good level. As a consequence of that I didn’t feel confident to speak Russian.

I decided to join the METRO Club to learn useful everyday language / I have learnt Russian grammar systematically before, although I have forgotten things, but my main focus was on the vocabulary.

I have been in the METRO Club for about 2 years now. I have completed about 4 topics but it’s my fault. In the future I will try to pick up speed and learn at a much faster pace.
How I work with each lesson. I read the lesson and listen to the podcast at a normal and slow pace. Then I go through vocabulary and then read the lesson or its parts again. Also, I started doing the exercises but it might be too much at one go.

The next time I read the same lesson again and check the words I'm not sure of, and try to finish all the exercises.

I just discovered that the Quizlet can be a useful tool for memorizing vocabulary!
The time I spend with each lesson depends on how efficient I feel learning it at the moment.

I enjoy learning more colloquial words. I overheard 2 Russian ladies having a chat in the shop in England and I understood one of them does rope skipping in her spare time. I never could understand this before. I have to find more opportunities to talk with Russian people.

I would recommend METRO Club to anyone who already has a solid foundation in Russian but feels a bit stuck and would like to overcome this by developing their skills with the help of quality teaching materials with good helping tools.
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