Yaroslav Derega

File:Derega Yaroslav.jpg

Derega Yaroslav. Photo by Ms Olha Shved.

Derega Yaroslav (Template:Lang-uk). Born July 12, 1954 in Lviv, Ukraine), Ukrainian linguist, educator, journalist, polyglot.

Biography

Born in Lviv, Ukraine. Educated at Lviv Ivan Franko University, the foreign languages department. Also studied Chinese in Moscow and Beijing. Taught English, Italian, Chinese at schools, kindergartens, universities.

Activity

He developed an original method of teaching foreign languages "Language as Textual Gesture". This methodical trend was experimentally approbated at Cambridge University, GB, as the only natural method of teaching foreign languages.

He is the founder of the first in the world unique multi language theatre "Fiesta", where children and grown-ups can study several foreign languages simultaneously, starting with Italian+English+Chinese, and adding thereafter other languages one by one: German, Spanish, French etc.

He is the author of the first in Ukraine Chinese language textbook "Chinese for Grown-ups" (2006), which was awarded a laureate prize at the 13th Lviv Book Forum, the biggest international book fair in Ukraine (2006). It is a revolutionary textbook of a foreign language, which contains besides everyday topics and vocabulary, also topics on Chinese religion, Chinese philosophy and Chinese art of love. A separate chapter of the enormous 936 pages volume is dedicated to the Chinese obscene words and phrases used in today's everyday language. The textbook is richly illustrated with rare Chinese colour illustrations. The author believes that besides usual foreign language textbooks for schoolchildren, students and everybody, there also should be textbooks for adults in which all sides and aspects of the language should be represented. The textbook got under the fire of severe criticism and ostracism shortly after publication. Only thanks to Academician Myroslav Popovych the book survived . But many Ukrainian bookshops until today refuse to put it on sale.

His next book was "Chinese for Everybody Aged from 9 to 209" (2009), a Chinese language textbook, which was nominated among the best books of the year 2009 at the all-Ukrainian competition (this textbook was created together with his son, Derega Roksolan, after a two years' long journey around China, and contains 395 photographs).

In 2010 he published the first in the world textbook of the Chinese language for small, preschool aged children "The Sacred Signs of Heaven", which was awarded a laureate prize at the 17th International Publishers' Forum in Lviv, Ukraine (2010) and nominated among the best books of the year 2010 at the all-Ukrainian book competition (this textbook was created together with his son Derega Roksolan).

In 2006 he published a sensational monograph on educational system "The Gospel After Childhood". In this really revolutionary book the author claims the urgent necessity for drastic changes in the schooling system not only in Ukraine, but also in other Western countries. The author believes in the first place that no women should be allowed to teach at schools. His second point is that at school boys and girls must study strictly separately, and different subjects. His third point is that the main goal of schooling should not be education but spiritual and physical training: first develop body and soul, brains go afterwards. Work (gardening etc.) and play (sports and theatre) must go foremost before reading books or studying special subjects. Author declares himself a radical anti feminist. The MOST IMPORTANT MESSAGE of the book is that namely schooling system and schoolteachers are mostly and mainly responsible for all social problems and tragedies, such as drug-addiction, sexual misbehaviour, crimes, risk of complete dilapidation of family and with it Western society and all Western civilisation. Also the author proclaims himself an ardent partisan of social sanctification and legalization of polygamy, culturally organized prostitution and culturally developed pornography.

In 2007-2010 he created the first in Ukraine Internet courses of the Chinese language on the site High-Way (h.ua).

Now he teaches Chinese at the Lviv Ivan Franko University.

References

http://www.day.kiev.ua/168902

http://mynews-in.net/news/politics/2006/09/14/1070138.html

http://www.bookforum.com.ua/page/2622.html

External links

• Derega Yaroslav on the site High-Way
• Blog
• Nomination for the title "Best Book of the Year 2009" of the Chinese language textbook for everybody "Chinese for Children from 9 to 209" (2009 р.)
• [1]
• [2]
• Presentation of the Chinese language textbook for preschool age children "The Sacred Signs of Heaven" (2010 р.)