Foreign Language Education in Kazakhstan: Paradigms and Trends

Abstract

Purpose – to make a review of changes in Kazakhstan foreign language education system and to analyze its modern trends.
 Methods – descriptive, comparative, analytical.
 Findings and Results.
 Paradigms (1991-2011). The analysis on gradual modernization of foreign language education (FLE) in Kazakhstan has revealed the following changes: legislative determination of languages status (Kazakh, Russian and English); establishment of educational organizations of various levels with advanced learning of foreign languages as well as with a chance of acquiring professional education and experience for both learners and teachers; refusal from some traditional and introducing new forms of education (MA and PhD); introducing new specialties within BA, MA and PhD levels; transmission of Professional Qualification Institutes (PQI) into CPD National Centre for pedagogical staff.Trends (2011-2015). The obvious trends of FLE are successful world economic integration of the Republic, which demands learning language-leaders; increasing popularity of Chinese language and decreasing popularity of some European languages; multi-linguism of young professionals and natural bilinguism of KZ young generations; early FL learning at pre-school and primary school levels; wide use of blended learning forms and IT technologies; active development of additional language education for all ages and abilities; establishment of new type organizations emphasizing advantages of national education system and world research practice. Conclusions and Recommendations. The most important paradigm in foreign language education (1991-2015) is its aiming at intercultural communication, i.e. transformation from learning ‘language in theory’ to ‘language in practice’. In fact, this ex facte invisible paradigm has led to overall FLE system modernization. Modern trends are to be taken into account for further developing of Kazakhstan foreign language education system.
 Keywords: foreign language education; paradigms; trends.