Oksana Nabieva is a linguist who received the Daryn state award in the “Public Service” nomination. In her second year at university, she opened a center for teaching the Kazakh language and today has helped almost 7 thousand students become fluent in the Kazakh language. Oksana, who has her own method of teaching the Kazakh language, is a qualified specialist who has invented a special platform and mastered all the intricacies of teaching the state language online. A Turkystan.kz correspondent talked with Oksana, who is actively involved in popularizing the state language, on the eve of May 1 - the Day of Unity of the People of Kazakhstan.

“I was the only student who graduated from a Kazakh school with honors”

I am a native of the city of Zhanatas, Zhambyl region. When I was 6 years old, my family and I moved to the city of Taraz. The Russian school was located 30 kilometers from where I lived. We could not afford to study in a Russian school, which was very far away, and our parents worked from morning to night to raise us. So, I had to study in a Kazakh class, which was located very close. The first four years of study were not easy. Nobody spoke Kazakh at home and still doesn’t. But my teachers understood, helped and always supported. My social environment was the same. So I began to learn the Kazakh language little by little. Every year, starting from the 5th grade, I participated in Abai’s readings and Olympiads in the Kazakh language and Kazakh literature. Abai's poems allowed me to expand my vocabulary.I still remember 80 poems by Abai, which I learned by heart at that time. 
Due to the developed excellent student syndrome, I crammed everything by heart until the fourth grade. But I didn't understand what I was talking about. After moving to sixth grade, I became more interested in the Kazakh language and learned Kazakh based on the grammar and rules of the language. In the eighth grade, I learned the Kazakh language fluently and achieved a high level of speaking. I was the best student in school. If I remember now, I was the only one who graduated from a Kazakh school that year with a certificate of honor.

When I entered 11th grade, I took mathematics and physics as electives at UNT in order to win a scholarship. As a result, I received a grant and entered one of the educational institutions of Karaganda to major in Automation and Control. However, a week later I refused the grant and dropped out of school. I prepared again for a whole year and passed a comprehensive test. So, in 2015, I entered the specialty of linguist, which I dreamed of in Almaty. Making a living in a big metropolis like Almaty is not easy. So, I worked as a tutor in a training center, and then as a translator.

“I opened a language center when I was in my second year”

There was a time when I ran the “Let’s Speak Kazakh” club in the Dostyk House in Almaty. Gradually the number of students increased. Later, after several classes, I started teaching lessons for a fee based on the recommendations of students. Because they wanted to quickly learn the Kazakh language. And one lesson a week was not enough for anyone. I saved my scholarship so that I could open a language center upon my return. So, with the money I collected, I rented a small office and then bought chairs, a table and a whiteboard. Thus, when I was in my 2nd year, I opened my center in Almaty.
While at the university, I constantly participated in various conferences and attracted the attention of journalists. Later they announced a casting for the host of the program. So, I was lucky and in my 3-4th year I led the “My Kazakhstan” project, broadcast on the national channel of Kazakhstan. I worked there until the summer of 2019.
Then, due to the global pandemic, I switched to teaching Kazakh online.Then in September 2021, I opened my dedicated platform. The main feature of my method is that a person can open and watch the lesson whenever it is convenient for him. You can learn Kazakh online, even if you are sitting on a bus or in a foreign country. In addition, I have my own calendar, published in the form of a book. The calendar contains 12 grammatical structures and 365 new words, covering twelve months of the year. That is, even a person who does not know the Kazakh language at all can learn 365 words and 12 rules in a year. New, fresh ideas have a great impact on teaching the Kazakh language. However, the most important thing is to create conditions so that our compatriots can correctly study and understand the state language.

"My classes are also attended by Kazakhs from Russia"

Now the team at my center employs 25 people. 18 of them, like me, are teachers of the Kazakh language. In addition, an SMM specialist, a mobilographer and an administrative employee also work there. Teachers teach according to my method. My classes are attended by students from 5 to 60 years old. Today there are many people who have retired but are interested in learning the Kazakh language. Some people want to speak in purely literary language. There are those who understand, but cannot convey their thoughts. And some don’t know the language at all. For example, there are a large number of Kazakhs living in Russia who do not know the Kazakh language. They want to know their native language. They turn to me for help. Thus, they live in Russia and learn the Kazakh language. Also, officials working in ministries and various bodies take part in my classes.

In addition to students, we also work closely with large companies in the country. They ask us to conduct a course and training to teach their employees the Kazakh language offline. This is proof that the demand for the Kazakh language is growing in the market. To date, about 7,000 students have studied and mastered the Kazakh language in the center. In the near future, I plan to open a center in Astana.
 

«The Kazakh language gave me many opportunities»

The Kazakh language, figuratively speaking, “lit for me like a green traffic light.” He pointed me in the right direction. He gave me many opportunities. Helped increase respect for me. Because, wherever I am, representatives of the Kazakh people and other nationalities respect me. I believe that such relationships are conditioned not only by good knowledge of the language, but also by respect for culture and traditions, and active participation in their popularization. I tried to be useful by teaching what I know. Thanks to my knowledge of the language, I often speak at sessions of the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan, in akimats, and at various events. And in 2022, the Ministry of Information and Social Development awarded the “Daryn” youth prize in the “Public Service” category.

At the end of my speech, I congratulate you all on the Day of Unity of the People of Kazakhstan! Recently, flooding occurred in some parts of the country and residents were faced with a sudden disaster. During the natural disaster, our people were not divided into nationalities and races, they united and supported each other as much as possible. Therefore, I would like to say that we should always be united and strong in both difficulties and joys. May 1 is a big and bright holiday. I really want Kazakhstan to develop and flourish even more! Let there be a lot of good news! Long live the holiday of a united, multinational country with different ethnic groups and traditions!

 
Anel Zharylgasyn

turkystan.kz