Teaching learnable grammar in Russian as a second language: a syllabus proposal for case

In this paper we will show how, on the basis of the universal developmental sequences predicted by a scientific theory of grammatical development (i.e., Processability Theory), it is possible to infer an effective grammatical syllabus for teaching case in Russian as a second language. In particular, we will compare the case syllabus proposed in a variety of textbooks for learners of Russian with the universal sequences predicted by Processability Theory. Our aim is to highlight some of the incongruities between them, and suggest how these can be resolved. We will thus offer a scientifically sequenced syllabus for teaching case that parallels learners’ grammatical development.