Laura Givens

Laura Givens serves as a Russian language educator at Northern Illinois University, teaching courses across all proficiency levels from elementary to advanced. Her instructional portfolio includes specialized courses such as RUS 101 (Elementary Russian I), RUS 152 (Intermediate Russian II), RUS 209 (Advanced Russian Through Film), and intensive summer programs.

Her research centers on Russian language translation, with particular expertise in bringing Russian literary works to English-speaking audiences. Givens has demonstrated commitment to practical language application through her work with opera students to perfect Russian diction for performance contexts.

• Co-translated Stories from a Siberian Village by Vasily Shukshin (Northern Illinois UP, 1996)
• Served as translator for Russian Studies in Literature journal (12 issues from Oct. 1997-Jul. 2000)

Her translation work received significant recognition as a finalist for 'Best Translation' by the American Association of Teachers of Slavic & East European Languages in 1997. Givens' pedagogical approach spans traditional language instruction, literary translation, and specialized performance diction training, demonstrating versatility within Slavic language education.