Asya Gorlova, a Ph.D. candidate in Second Language Acquisition and Teaching and instructor in the Department of Russian and Slavic Studies, is the College of Humanities 2024 Outstanding Graduate Assistant in Teaching Award recipient.
In 2021, Gorlova began as a Russian language graduate teaching associate and since, she has taught first- and second-year Russian sections in both face-to-face and hybrid modalities, organized a significant number of creative extracurricular projects, and contributed more than 70 interactive open educational resource micro-lessons.
“Asya Gorlova's remarkable contributions to our program, her innovative teaching methods, and her commitment to an inclusive and culturally rich educational environment make her an exemplary candidate for the COH Outstanding GTA in Teaching Award. Her work has not only elevated our department but also inspired countless students to delve deeper into the Russophone world,” wrote Assistant Professor Liudmila Klimanova in nominating her for the award. “Asya’s teaching, characterized by her students as highly engaging and effective, exemplifies her dedication to students' linguistic and cultural growth. Her ability to conduct lessons in both face-to-face and hybrid modalities has been instrumental in accommodating diverse learning styles.”
“Asya’s dedication to teaching and her innovative approaches in the classroom have truly made a lasting impression on me and my peers. Her passion for the subject matter is evident in her engaging lessons and her willingness to go above and beyond. She spends her own time working one on one with students to ensure their success in class. Personally, I have greatly benefited from her patient guidance and encouragement,” wrote one student nominator.
“Throughout my second year of Russian classes, Asya was a major help and contributor to my understanding of the language. Whenever any of us had questions, she was willing to explain a concept in depth to ensure our understanding. Any time I reached out to her, she was happy and willing to help. In terms of specific concepts in Russian, she took her time to go step by step to explain certain grammar rules,” wrote another student. “She understood that learning the language is different for every student. She engaged our attention with different activities to learn to the best of our ability.”
“I had the privilege of working with Asya Gorlova for three semesters in a row, in which time she proved herself one of the best instructors in my personal experience. She reflects all the important qualities an instructor should have – attentive, patient and engaging. She always tried to foster a collaborative class environment. I think it speaks much of her work that all students who took her classes, myself included, still speak very highly of her,” wrote another student in support of the nomination.
“Throughout my journey of learning Russian at U of A, I have not only significantly improved my proficiency in the language but have also developed a great appreciation for it. Asya’s dedication to teaching and her innovative methods and passion for the Russian language have deeply inspired me and my fellow students. I am immensely grateful for the positive impact she has had on my academic and personal growth,” wrote another student nominator. “Her innovative approach to language instruction turns each lesson into an engaging, effective, and memorable learning experience. Her ability to explain complex grammar concepts in a clear and easy to understand manner is truly remarkable.”