Learning the Kazakh language in modern Russia: features and problems

Kanarova Victoria Nikolaevna Postgraduate student, School of International Relations, St. Petersburg State University 199034, Russia, Saint Petersburg, Universitetskaya nab., 7-9 vika.kanarova@mail.ru

Introduction

The bilateral dialogue between Russia and Kazakhstan is characterized by a high level of political culture. Russian-Kazakh cooperation is carried out in the spirit of strategic partnership and allied cooperation, while dialogue in the humanitarian sphere occupies a special place in it. One of the important directions of the development of cultural and humanitarian ties between Russia and Kazakhstan is the promotion of the Kazakh language in Russia. The increasing importance of this area of cooperation is determined by the following factors.

First, according to the All-Russian Population Census of 2020, 591,970 Kazakhs lived in Russia ^[1], 265,703 Russian residents spoke the Kazakh language, 188,479 people used it in everyday life ^[2]. The Kazakh language is spoken in such subjects of the Russian Federation as Astrakhan, Volgograd, Novosibirsk, Omsk, Orenburg, Saratov, Chelyabinsk regions, as well as the Altai Republic. Thus, the study of the Kazakh language in Russia represents the interests of the Kazakh diaspora, whose representatives make up 0.45% of the total population of the country.

Secondly, Russia is a multinational state that guarantees all persons the free use of their native language ^[3]. In this regard, it implements a language policy that encourages the development and preservation of various languages.

Thirdly, there are a significant number of educational institutions and centers in Russia, the activities of which demonstrate a high level of study and teaching of the Kazakh language. Learning the languages of the CIS countries has become one of the promising areas of training for international specialists, given the fact that deepening cooperation with post-Soviet republics has always been a priority of Russia's foreign policy.

The purpose of this work is to identify the features and problems of teaching the Kazakh language in Russia at three levels: in higher educational institutions, on the basis of secondary schools and in linguistic courses.

The empirical basis of this study was the official materials of higher educational institutions of Russia on the study of the Kazakh language, as well as relevant publications in modern domestic media. When analyzing these sources, the author identified the main centers for studying the Kazakh language in Russia, identified the features and problems of their implementation of the educational process.

The methodological basis of this study consists of a number of general scientific methods (analysis and synthesis, description and generalization, statement and conceptualization), as well as special methods used in modern political science (comparative, system-structural, institutional, cultural approaches), which make it possible to form a comprehensive and most holistic view of the issues studied by the author. Thus, the comparative approach made it possible to compare the teaching of the Kazakh language in various educational institutions and in different regions of Russia. The system-structural approach contributed to the formation of the author's clear idea of the levels at which the Kazakh language is taught in Russia and what the existing system of teaching the Kazakh language to people of different ages looks like in our country. The institutional approach made it possible to determine the structural and organizational aspects of the process of learning the Kazakh language in Russia, and the cultural approach – to study the cultural and social contexts in which the Kazakh language is studied and to understand the motivation of students.

The theoretical foundations of this study are presented by the approach developed by Candidate of Historical Sciences I. V. Chernov and referred to by him as the theory of linguopolitical realism in international relations ^[4].

To date, it is possible to state that the study of the Kazakh language in Russia has not yet become the subject of a separate study in political science. This topic seems to be poorly studied and unsystematic. To date, there are many works containing a general analysis of Russian-Kazakh relations (both in general and for individual periods of their development), but they either deal with issues of bilateral cooperation in the field of education in passing or do not exist at all ^[5-11]. In the remaining extremely rare works devoted to the interaction of Russia and Kazakhstan directly in the field of education, the problems of studying the Kazakh language in our country also remain outside the scope of the conducted research ^[12-14]. This work is designed to fill the corresponding gap that prevents the creation of a holistic picture of Russian-Kazakh relations at the current stage of their development.

In accordance with the specifics of the Russian education system, the peculiarities of studying the Kazakh language in our country will be revealed by the author at three levels: higher educational institutions, secondary schools and linguistic courses.

Peculiarities of studying the Kazakh language in higher educational institutions of Russia

The leading universities of Russia are noted for the high level of training of students specializing in the field of learning the Kazakh language. Relevant programs are successfully implemented in several higher educational institutions: Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU), Moscow State Institute of International Relations – University of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation (MGIMO), Moscow State Linguistic University (MGLU), St. Petersburg State University (St. Petersburg State University), Kazan Federal University (KFU) and a number of universities located in Siberia (for example, Altai State University, AltSU).

The first Russian university to begin systematic teaching of the Kazakh language was Lomonosov Moscow State University, where the relevant discipline was included in the curriculum about 25 years ago. At that time, the Kazakh language was taught at the Institute of Asian and African Countries (ISAA) as a two-year course for students of the Faculties of Economics and History, who were supposed to work in Central Asia in their main specialty ^[15]. Today, the study of the Kazakh language is also carried out in the ISAA at the Department of Central Asia and the Caucasus. The cathedral courses dedicated to Kazakhstan involve the study of the Kazakh language, history, economic and physical geography of the republic ^[16]. According to the work program of the academic discipline "Kazakh language", students of the ISAA of Moscow State University receive general information about the theory of the Kazakh language, acquire skills in reading and translating unadapted texts in the Kazakh language, as well as free communication in a linguistic environment, master Kazakh written speech; get acquainted with the vocabulary of the Kazakh media, scientific and artistic prose, poetry in the Kazakh language; receive the competence of oral (sequential and simultaneous) and written translation and abstracting; learn how to conduct a conversation while staying in the country of the language being studied ^[17]. This discipline is part of the profile module "Languages and literatures of Asian and African countries" of the direction "Oriental Studies and African Studies" of the bachelor's degree program of Moscow State University.

MGIMO is traditionally one of the main centers of Oriental studies in Russia. On the basis of this university, Oriental languages, including Kazakh, are taught at all levels: pre-university, bachelor's, and master's degrees. The Kazakh language is taught at the Department of Languages of the Near and Middle East, which is the successor of the Department of Arabic Studies, established in 1871-1872. Simultaneously with special classes at the Lazarev Institute of Oriental Languages ^[18]. MGIMO often organizes various events dedicated to the CIS countries. For example, in 2021, the Olympiad for schoolchildren "Languages and Culture of the CIS countries" was held here, which was held in Azerbaijani, Armenian, Belarusian, Kazakh, Moldovan and Ukrainian languages ^[19]. In 2022, MGIMO-Odintsovo hosted an international conference dedicated to intercultural communication, where Kazakh was one of the languages of discussion ^[20].

MGLU plays an important role in promoting the Kazakh language in Russia. The Kazakh Language and Culture Center has been operating at the University for about 20 years. The creation of the center was carried out with the active support of the first President of the Republic of Kazakhstan N. A. Nazarbayev; its goals are not only teaching the Kazakh language, but also strengthening scientific and educational ties between Russia and Kazakhstan, familiarizing students with the history and culture of the Kazakh people. On the basis of MGLU, the Kazakh language is taught as a language of professional communication within the framework of the direction "Foreign regional studies". Students studying the Kazakh language have an active professional life: they attend concerts and exhibitions dedicated to Kazakh culture, meet with colleagues from Kazakhstan and practice their knowledge, celebrate national holidays and get acquainted with prominent figures of the Republic of Kazakhstan ^[21]. In 2018, the University hosted the Kazakh Language Olympiad, which was attended by more than 20 students. The main goals of the Olympiad were announced to increase the interest of young people in learning the Kazakh language and the formation of a respectful attitude to the national culture and history of Kazakhstan ^[22].

On the basis of the Oriental Faculty of St. Petersburg State University, students also have the right to choose the Kazakh language to study. It is taught at the Department of Turkic Philology and the Department of Central Asia and the Caucasus; the corresponding academic discipline is included in the curriculum of the Bachelor's degree in the profile "Turkic Philology" as a second Turkic language. The study of the modern Kazakh language is also offered to students of the last bachelor's and master's courses as an additional academic discipline. At the Department of Central Asia and the Caucasus, the Kazakh language can be studied within the framework of special language training, it is not included in the number of compulsory subjects ^[23]. In addition, it is possible to study not only the Kazakh language, but also the culture, traditions and history of Kazakhstan on the basis of the Oriental Faculty.

KFU is also noted for the high level of training in the field of "Turkology". On the basis of the Gabdulla Tukai Higher School of National Culture and Education, which is one of the departments of the Institute of Philology and Intercultural Communication of KFU, the study of the Kazakh language is presented. The school's activities are aimed at the professional mastery of Tatar and other Turkic languages by students (in particular, Kazakh) and the study of literature and cultural values of the Tatar and other Turkic peoples. Since its establishment, KFU has been the cradle of Russian Turkology and is marked by a high level of cooperation with the Republic of Kazakhstan in the scientific and educational sphere. The Kazakh language is studied at the Department of General Linguistics and Turkology in the direction of "Philology. Turkic languages in intercultural communication". Within the framework of this direction, students are given the opportunity to choose an additional discipline, one of which is called "Kazakh language". Upon completion of the study of this discipline, the curriculum provides for students' mastery of the Kazakh language at a level that allows them to carry out basic types of speech activity and master various methods of oral and written communication ^[24]. The sections of the discipline include the study of general information about the language, its phonetic, morphological, syntactic and lexical features. In the process of students learning the Kazakh language, the university offers various activities for its use and improvement. For example, as part of the preservation of national culture, language and traditions, students regularly organize meetings with Kazakh folk poets, art and educational competitions, and volunteer movement activities are carried out.

Kazakh language and culture centers are also present in almost all universities in Western Siberia. For example, since 2014, the Honorary Department "Kazakhstan's Way and Nursultan Nazarbayev" has been operating at AltSU, contributing to the development of educational and scientific cooperation between Russia and Kazakhstan ^{[25, p. 278]}. This department was opened jointly with M. H. Dulati Taraz State University with the support of the Library of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan N. A. Nazarbayev ^[26].

Learning the Kazakh language in Russian secondary schools

In a number of modern Russian secondary schools, the Kazakh language is taught as a separate subject. To a greater extent, this is inherent in those regions where ethnic Kazakhs live compactly. For example, in Astrakhan, Omsk, Orenburg, Tyumen, Chelyabinsk regions, as well as in the Altai Territory, the Kazakh language has been taught for several years ^[27]. In 3 schools in Omsk, the Kazakh language is studied as an elective, and in 11 schools in the Omsk region – as the main subject ^[28]. In the Astrakhan region, in 2 schools, the Kazakh language is studied as the main subject, in other general education institutions it is studied optional ^[29]. In the Tyumen region, the Kazakh language is taught in 5 schools as an elective ^[30].

It is necessary to note the role of ethnic Kazakhs themselves and their associations in the process of opening Kazakh language classes in Russia. For example, thanks to the efforts of the Kazakh National Cultural Autonomy, a Kazakh language class was opened in the Tyumen Region in 2020. In such classes, in addition to the Kazakh language, Kazakh literature and the peculiarities of the Kazakh national culture are studied on an optional basis ^[31]. Until 2022, there was one school in Russia, teaching in which was conducted according to the Kazakh curriculum and Kazakh textbooks. This school was located in the Kulyndinsky district of the Altai Territory. As part of the implementation of the policy of strengthening interstate relations between Russia and Kazakhstan, the parties agreed to open 10 schools teaching a number of subjects in the Kazakh language in the Orenburg region. Due to the limited availability of relevant personnel, Kazakhstan promised Russia to provide teachers from among its citizens to work in these educational institutions ^[32]. In December 2023, Vice Minister of Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan Ye. Ospan stated that the parties are negotiating the opening of joint Russian-Kazakh schools in the border regions of Russia ^[33]. Against this background, the President of Kazakhstan K. Tokayev has repeatedly stated the republic's interest in opening schools with the study of the Kazakh language in the border regions of Russia ^[34].

In 2021, specialists from the Kosagash School (Altai Republic) developed educational and methodological complexes for learning the Kazakh language in primary and secondary schools. In 2023, the relevant textbooks passed internal, regional and federal examinations.

Special attention should be paid to the study of the Kazakh language in Baikonur, a Kazakh city of republican significance leased by the Russian Federation ^[35]. In 2021, the parties came to an agreement on the procedure for students of Baikonur to study the Kazakh language, literature and history of Kazakhstan, and the Ministry of Education of Russia together with the Ministry of Education of Kazakhstan took this issue for consideration ^[36]. At the end of 2023, the parties announced that the history of Kazakhstan, the Kazakh language and literature will be taught in all secondary schools of Baikonur ^[37].

Linguistic courses as one of the ways to study the Kazakh language in Russia

Given the fact that the study of the Kazakh language in Russia is not very popular, the number of language schools with the teaching of the relevant discipline is still insignificant. For example, only 10 language schools operate in Moscow, where full-time study of the Kazakh language is possible. In St. Petersburg, their number is even less - 5, in Omsk – 4, in Chelyabinsk – 3 ^[38]. In most cases, teachers in these organizations are either native speakers or persons with appropriate education.

The option of learning the Kazakh language online seems to be more popular and offers more alternatives. For example, the online school "Qazaq School" offers a two-month course on learning the Kazakh language from scratch to a professional level. The peculiarity of this school is that its methodology was developed specifically for Russian-speaking students, taking into account the peculiarities of Russian speech. Upon completion of the course, students are offered a certificate confirming their level of proficiency in the Kazakh language ^[39].

The experience of conducting courses at universities, consulates, and houses of nationalities has gained some popularity in Russia. For example, since 2018, it has become possible to attend language courses, including the Kazakh language, in Yekaterinburg on the basis of the House of the Peoples of the Urals ^[40]. The official website of the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the Russian Federation presents video lessons for self-study of the Kazakh language ^[41]. In addition, the Embassy and consular offices of Kazakhstan in Russia often organize educational and cultural events to increase the interest of Russian and Kazakh youth in learning the Kazakh language.

Conclusion

The Republic of Kazakhstan is one of the closest foreign policy partners of the Russian Federation, a state allied to Russia. Since the collapse of the USSR, relations between our countries have developed across the entire spectrum of interstate cooperation, including its various directions and forms. One of these areas was the interaction of the parties in the cultural and humanitarian sphere, within which the promotion of the languages of the peoples of the two countries on the territory of the partner states should be highlighted as a separate component. And if the problems of learning the Russian language in Kazakhstan are well studied today, then the issues of teaching the Kazakh language and Russia still remain beyond the attention of domestic and foreign experts. Meanwhile, for official Astana, such stories seem to be important, having a significant impact on the overall "climate" of Russian-Kazakh relations.

As of the current moment, the study of the Kazakh language in Russia is carried out at three main levels: in higher educational institutions, in secondary schools and in language courses.

The study of the Kazakh language on the basis of secondary schools is at the stage of its formation. In recent years, the number of classes with the study of the Kazakh language has increased slightly, but there are still not enough schools with the Kazakh language of instruction.

The teaching of the Kazakh language in the framework of linguistic courses and language schools has also not received proper development in Russia. Despite the fact that the demand for learning the Kazakh language in our country remains insignificant, the existing proposals in this area do not always justify the needs of interested persons.

Against this background, higher educational institutions in Russia demonstrate a fairly high level and effective system of personnel training. Departments of Turkology are operating in a number of leading universities in the country, although their teachers note that many students react with rejection to the proposal to study Kazakh as a second foreign language. Nevertheless, their attitude towards this issue is beginning to change gradually. This is due to the fact that the Kazakh language, like any other, opens up new facets and opportunities for a person. Studying the history and culture of Kazakhstan, getting acquainted with its outstanding personalities, and getting the opportunity to develop an appropriate career, students begin to realize that the previously "unpromising" Kazakh language is becoming more and more useful for them ^[42].