The Best University Teacher of German Works in KFU. Her name is Liliya Zakirova

The results of the contest “The Best Teacher/Lecturer of German in Russia – 2012” were summed up within the framework of the I Forum of Russian Teachers and Lecturers of the German Language “Foreign Language – the Way to Partnership”, which was held in Moscow on November 16 – 17, 2012.

Liliya Zakirova, the officer of the German Centre for Education, Science and Culture of Kazan Federal University, was recognized the best university teacher of German in Russia.

In spite of the fact that this contest was held for the first time it managed to attract a record-breaking quantity of applications for participation – 1200. The teacher of Kazan University has surmounted a formidable obstacle: there have been 200 teachers and lecturers selected for participation in the second round. The competent jury, consisting of representatives of Goethe Institute, Embassy of Germany, German Academic Exchange Service, German Central Agency for Schooling Abroad, Russian-German Foreign Trade Chamber and Association of Germanists and Teachers of German Language, has initially selected 35 nominees from 27 Russian cities and villages. With the sponsors’ opinions taken into consideration, seven winner have been finally selected – one in each nomination. All of them were rewarded with a seven-day trip to Germany.

We congratulated Liliya Zakirova with her victory and asked her to tell us about the contest and share secrets of success.

- How have you learnt about this contest?

- My former student, who is the supervisor of the Goethe reading hall of the National Library of the Republic of Tatarstan, told me about it. According to the contest conditions, teachers could not apply for participation in it themselves. Either their students or colleagues must have done that. I don’t know who has applied for my participation in this contest and how many applications have been registered. In May the results of the first round were summed up and I was qualified for the second round. I had to compile a portfolio, make a short presentation movie, submit my projects which I offered to my students, as well as letters of recommendation. The preparation took almost a month. In November all finalists were invited to the First All-Russian Forum of Teachers of the German Language, where the winners were announced in a solemn atmosphere.

- Liliya Firdinantovna, why, in your judgement, have you become the winner?

- Probably because I try to apply a creative approach to everything I do. And active, dynamic and creative people are usually given preference, aren’t they? Moreover, I have presented an impressing portfolio reflecting the results of my twelve-year work. You know, I simply like my job and I’m happy that students show active interest in studying German. And it’s not the last point that Germany is one of a few countries which offer such a great quantity of various grants. My students who started learning German from the ground up are now getting grants and scholarships. That is why I appeal to everyone for studying foreign languages...

Opinion of Olga Donetskaya, the Head of the German Centre for Education, Science and Culture, about her colleague.

- Could you foresee that Liliya Zakirova would win the first place?

- It’s a difficult question! Liliya Zakirova is a highly qualified teacher and a very competent, creative and devoted person. She brilliantly speaks German, she is a good training specialist, who has mastered the latest German language teaching techniques and is able to find the right approach even to the most capricious and exacting audience, that means that she has mastered all the instruments of psychological-and-pedagogical attainments and skills. And in this respect one could predict from the very beginning that she is worthy of the first place. I cordially congratulate her with such a success!