You have probably also come across the teacher who has been sharing English lessons under the name "Ramin Lev" (Ramin Aliyev) on social media in recent days. His fluent speech and high language skills quickly turned him into a social media phenomenon.
AzEdu.az Education Portal also spoke with Ramin teacher on this occasion to get to know him better.
Ramin Aliyev was born in Ganja. He is originally from Kalbajar region.
In 1995, he entered Baku State University. At that time, the Faculty of International Relations and International Law was operating at the university, and he chose the international law specialization of this faculty.
In 1999, he completed his bachelor's degree and received a diploma. In the same year, he was admitted to the master's degree in the same specialty and successfully completed his education in 2001.
- Was your education only in Azerbaijan, or did you also study abroad?
- Yes, in 2014 I received a master's degree at the Catholic University of Leuven. The name of the program was "Master's program in Law, Society and Religion issues". This educational institution is considered the 50th university in the world. I graduated from here in 2016.
I would like to note that sometimes wrong perceptions arise in our society regarding the name "Catholic University". This university was founded in the 15th century and currently all modern specialties are taught there - engineering, medicine, economics, etc. High-level education and infrastructure exist, and renowned professors from various countries of the world give lectures there.
Baku State University played a very big role and effort in my formation. In addition, I decided to study abroad to develop myself and adapt to modern educational standards.
- Your specialty is law. Have you had professional activity in this field?
- I started my career in 2001. In that year, I worked as a specialist in the General Department for the Study, Conservation and Protection of Historical and Cultural Monuments of the Ministry of Culture.
Later, in 2003-2007, I worked in security agencies. At the same time, for two years I represented Azerbaijan in the Council of Europe's committee of experts on combating terrorism and was elected a member of the bureau of that committee. I actively participated in both the bureau and the committee meetings.
I participated in the adoption of a convention and several important documents in the field of combating terrorism. In these processes, I made proposals and put forward relevant considerations regarding the protection of our country's interests in the legal plane. These activities constitute an important part of my professional experience in the field of law.
At the same time, in 2002-2006, I taught various law subjects at Western Caspian University, which was one of the main directions of my academic activity.
Currently, I continue my activity as a teacher in the Department of Social Sciences of Ganja State University.
- Do you only teach in the English department at Ganja State University?
- The English department was opened at GSU in the last 3-4 years. The management, the head of the department, taking into account my experiences, knowledge and skills in this field, entrusted me with teaching in English. I teach two subjects in English - sociology and multiculturalism. At the same time, I also teach various subjects in Azerbaijani, for example, the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the basics of law, social work in the transport system, etc.
- The video that spread in a short time introduced you to almost all of Azerbaijan. Your fluent speech and presentation in English were also met with great sympathy by the society. What feelings did it create in you to become so rapidly famous on social media and to be widely featured on news sites in one day?
- Of course, these are very pleasant feelings. At the same time, this is a great responsibility for me. I express my sincere thanks to everyone who contributed, to all educational platforms, and to the Azerbaijani society.
English is not only an international language, but also the language of science and technology. Whatever is new, its key is mainly in foreign languages. For example, knowing English is considered essential today. Of course, my period of learning English covers a long period. I have been learning this language since 1994. In short, I have both used English and applied it in my work. I even had translation activity for approximately 3-4 years continuously.
- Do you use your English knowledge and language level in preparing students? That is, do you work as a tutor, or are you only engaged in teaching at the university?
- No, with one or two exceptions, I haven't used it until now. Because, frankly, I haven't had time for it, and I haven't specifically dealt with this work. This is already another field.
Currently, I have a plan related to doctoral studies. This process includes the preparation of documents, as well as research proposals and other scientific research works, and it is a quite complex and time-consuming stage.
In addition, I am also considering organizing online English lessons. However, this will depend on the progress of the work, because as I mentioned, the doctoral process is quite intensive.
My main goal is to continue my doctoral studies at one of the foreign universities.
The examination process is such that you prepare and submit scientific research documents and a scientific supervisor is selected. That scientific supervisor gets acquainted with your work and, if he deems it appropriate, evaluates whether the topic is scientifically sound, as well as its economic and practical benefit.
If the research presents a new approach and brings innovation to science, then the admission process can result in a positive outcome. Of course, there are also certain documents and other requirements here.
Then the candidate is invited to the interview stage. This interview is conducted either by university representatives or by a special commission. In general, the admission process is carried out based on these stages.
- You mentioned earlier that you had work experience in law, and now you are active in the field of education. I wonder, was it more comfortable for you to work in that field, or to work as a teacher at the university now?
- Working with students is very pleasant for me. The young generation is the leading force and future of every society. And I have also focused on this scientific field. I have been working on my dissertation for several years now. If I had been active in another field, whether it was active public service or another field, I would not have been able to do these works and would not have been ready for today. I would not have been able to take a step towards the defense stage. That's why I chose this field. Both of my parents were also teachers.
Also, working with students is responsible, but at the same time very pleasant. Of course, there are certain differences in society, including among young people. Sometimes there are difficulties. Unfortunately, there are also groups among young people who prefer a formal approach rather than education. We also try to explain within our capabilities, as the great Nizami Ganjavi said: "It is better to be a perfect saddler than a half-baked hat maker." Our goal is to transfer our knowledge and skills to young people. We try to support young people with our capabilities, abilities, knowledge and skills so that they grow up as more prepared, more highly qualified specialists tomorrow.
- Is it easier to work with students or pupils?
- For me, there is no difference. I do my job with great enthusiasm. I have previously given short-term training to pupils.
However, my approach to candidates applying to learn English is that I set the first two, and sometimes three, lessons as a trial period. If during that period the student does not complete the assigned tasks and does not follow the instructions, I, as a trainer, stop the process. Unfortunately, I have encountered such cases many times. There are various excuses: "I didn't have time", "I went there", "I went here", etc. I don't want to just receive payment without results. Sometimes parents also apply, but I see that the student himself has no motivation.
At the same time, I also drew up a daily schedule for students. For example, when I worked with 10 students, I prepared a separate plan for each of them: what to do at what time, how to work. Because learning a language also has its own time and regime rules.
For example, memorizing words early in the morning is more effective. I have seen this in my own experience. In general, it is important to plan the day: there should be specific tasks for the days of the week and they should be carried out systematically. This is sometimes called the "hammer method of the brain".
For the first 2-3 months, the brain may show some resistance, which is normal and is mostly related to unfamiliarity and discipline. Over time, however, a person adapts to this regime and the learning process becomes more efficient.
In short, I saw that the attitude of those who came to this approach was different, sometimes it seemed difficult or unusual to them. As a result, I stopped tutoring. Because for me, the main issue is the result. If the student does not achieve results, this is both his and my reputation. That's why I decided not to continue in this field.
- Although English is taught for 11 years in general education institutions today, as a result, a large part of graduates, even if they know grammar, cannot acquire speaking skills. In your opinion, what is the reason for this?
- If there was a serious problem in the system, I would not be able to represent the Republic of Azerbaijan in such a prestigious institution as the Council of Europe, coming from a mountain village in Azerbaijan. I think the main issue here is in several directions.
Firstly, the knowledge and skill level of teachers may sometimes not be high enough. Secondly, there may be certain shortcomings in textbooks and teaching materials. However, at the same time, it is important for parents to exercise more serious control over their children's education.
Today, there is already a lot of literature and visual materials. There are extensive resources from social networks to the "YouTube" platform. In our time, there were no such opportunities, it was even difficult to find books. For example, during my university years, an American professor came to us, and the goal was to develop students' listening and comprehension skills in English. At that time, we had a lot of difficulty, we almost didn't understand.
But today the situation is completely different. All opportunities exist for those who want, and I believe that where there is a will, there is no obstacle. There are students who can speak English freely with me, express their thoughts easily, and fully understand what is being said. There are even children aged 10-12 who demonstrate a high level of skill. This is more related to interest and personal diligence.
Of course, regular training and organizational work should be carried out in schools in this area. Because language is alive, constantly developing, new words and concepts are emerging. The development of technology also directly affects this. Therefore, it is not correct to limit the process only to the education system.
In general, education is a two-way process. Both the educator and the learner. If the teacher and the system do their job at a high level, but the result is weak, then the student also has a responsibility here. It is very important for the learner to work on himself.
Sometimes the problem is that teaching is based only on grammar and tests. However, in language learning, skills such as "writing", "speaking", "listening" and "comprehension" should also be developed in parallel.
- You teach in the English department at Ganja State University. Have you encountered students who were admitted to this department but whose English level was not sufficient?
- Frankly, I haven't encountered such cases much. For me, the most important point is for students to understand the topic and be able to express their thoughts. We cannot expect an excessively high level from our students as they are still at the beginning of the road. What is important for me is that I myself have studied abroad and I know that methodology and approach well, I know very well what the professor expects from us, what he demands.
We must treat students with more patience and understanding. They are still at the initial stage of the process. We should not discourage them. In the groups I lead, students also prepare very well for lectures, listen, ask questions, and express their thoughts. Overall, the situation is positive.
- What advice would you give to young people who want to study abroad?
- I believe that as many Azerbaijani young people as possible should study abroad. Because today the objective reality is that innovations and technological developments are mainly formed in developed countries. Therefore, if they want to be good engineers, doctors or professionals in other fields, they must definitely be in this environment.
First of all, there is no need to be afraid of hard work, difficulties and suffering. It may be difficult for a few months at the beginning, but then both education and life adapt to this rhythm.
Secondly, it is important to protect our national and moral values, the ideology of Azerbaijanism, there as well. Regardless of where we are, we are Azerbaijanis and we must protect this identity.
Another important point is that students must definitely try to work "part-time". Working as a waiter, in sales or in other fields after education forms a person both financially and socially, and instills work discipline.
- Has your interest in English brought you to this level, or have certain professional and career goals led you to learn the language?
- My mother wanted me to be a doctor and always said, "Medicine is like a golden bracelet, it will be with you wherever you go." But I chose law and from the first year I had already decided that I would be a diplomat and work in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I even had a two-month internship at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in my fourth year.
At that time, the injustices against our country affected me greatly. My master's dissertation was also on the topic of "The problem of aggression in international law". Being from Kalbajar and the losses my family experienced also strengthened these feelings.
My goal was to be a diplomat and to represent Azerbaijan worthily in the international arena. That's why I paid special attention to languages. I knew French at C1 level, I even attended a Hebrew language course for a while.
The main reason I learned these languages was the desire to represent my country worthily in international organizations as an Azerbaijani, and my language skills were formed precisely from these goals.
