Bridging Cultures: A Bicultural Approach to Teaching Slovene for Russian-Speaking Students

The chapter focuses on the practical application of European standards for intercultural language teaching, specifically in the context of introductory Slovenian language instruction for Russian-speaking learners. The aim is to highlight the advantages of a bicultural model that considers the unique social and cultural characteristics of both the target and the source environments. This model contrasts the generalized approach typical of language teaching without a bicultural orientation. The chapter examines the results of two extensive studies conducted with Russian-speaking immigrants (299 respondents) and Slovenian participants (105 respondents). The research reveals areas of potential cultural conflict where pedagogical practices rooted in a bicultural framework are essential.