In order to succeed in the 21st century

Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev in his Address to the People of Kazakhstan on September 1st 2022 pointed out : “Given the global scientific and technological progress, it is important to strengthen the teaching of science and mathematics subjects and the English language in high school”.

Our President heavily emphasizes  the importance of knowing English by the future generations of Kazakhstan in order  to survive in a globalized world.

In order to succeed in the 21st century we need to be constantly obtaining new information about the world. Being able to understand English will give this opportunity. So, one of the keys to success in the 21st century is being able to speak, write, understand and read in English.

 English is currently the most widespread lingua franca used in international communication in the modern world. The total number of English speakers in the world is estimated at 1.75 billion and the native speakers comprise less than a third of this number. English is the main language used in international political affairs, diplomacy, science, business, and any practically kind of transnational institution. Therefore, the overall level of proficiency can be viewed as one of the indicators affecting the success of a country in these domains and its development. It has been found that countries with a higher level of English proficiency are more likely to grow faster than others and that investment in English proficiency significantly fosters economic growth.

So, the importance of knowing English is heavily emphasized, ensuring that the future generations are able to survive in a globalized world.

Mastering the English language will have a big impact on the future of  Kazakhstani youth. There are 142 countries in the world where English is a mandatory element in the national education policy. The English language is also a compulsory subject in national curriculum of all schools and universities in Kazakhstan.

At al-Farabi university english is a compulsory discipline included in the 1st year curriculum of Bachelor program for all degrees. The principal objective of the study program (Syllabus) on the discipline “General English”, prepared by the Foreign Language department teachers is the development of four vital skills- reading, writing, speaking, and listening – in our students. These are the four foundational skills of language learning. Once students have mastered these skills, they can safely say that they are fluent in the English language.

People use language to receive information or to give information. We receive information through listening and reading. Therefore, listening and reading are known as receptive skills. We use speaking and writing to give information. Speaking and writing are therefore known as productive skills. But we should remember all four language skills are not usually used in isolation. A single activity usually require to practice two or three or sometimes all the four language skills. All the skills need to be practiced and focused equally, so that students can achieve better results and improve language acquisition skills.

Since language is primarily speech, we set the final goal of  teaching English to our 1st year students of al-Farabi  university is:  to enable them to communicate effectively and appropriately in real life situation;   to use English effectively for study purpose across the curriculum;  to develop and integrate the use of the four language skills.

Motivation is one of the most important factors in language learning.  We believe that the students should be reminded of the significance of mastering English if they know the 10 reasons  to learn English: 1.English is a global language; 2. Good English competence can help get a good job; 3.Learning English helps read and write scientific paper; 4.English is the language of the Internet; 5.Learning English can help  meet new people; 6.Travelling is a lot easier with a good knowledge of English; 7. English is one of the most important languages for business; 8.With English, you can study all over the world; 9.English gives you access to multiple cultures. 10. With English, you can study all over the world.

Shakizat Duisenbayeva,

The Department of Foreign Languages