NU GSE Research in Education, Volume 8, Issue 2. 2025. Table of Contents

Abstract

Welcome to Issue 8 Volume 2 of our Education Journal, a dedicated platform for supporting emerging scholars in Kazakhstan. This edition includes two research articles and three editorial reflections, each contributing a unique lens on contemporary educational questions in Kazakhstan. The first article authored by Azhar Abzhanova explores Kazakhstani adolescents’ preferences in one urban school for US, UK, and local media and the implications for cultural identity and education. While local content remains favored, the study finds that students perceive US and UK media as having more positive personal effects, underscoring the need for media literacy approaches that address both national identity and global cultural influence. The second article, authored by Aruzhan Yeltayeva, explores how six rural English teachers from the southern, central, and eastern regions in Kazakhstan navigate dual identities as classroom teachers and private tutors. The findings from her qualitative study reveal motivations, challenges, and role negotiations shaped by market demand, financial pressures, and the commercialization of education. This issue features three editorial essays. The opening editorial authored by Virtue Ifeoma Ayozie addresses whether translanguaging should be encouraged in EMI classrooms, highlighting its potential to enhance communication, cultural identity, and collaborative learning. Acknowledging the challenges of implementation and English proficiency development, the author calls for intentional, well-planned strategies to ensure translanguaging becomes an asset rather than an obstacle in multilingual educational settings. The second editorial, authored by Tamerlan Saidalin and Muzaffar Baimetov, examines Kazakhstan’s transition from Cyrillic to Latin script as a symbolic and strategic language policy shaping national identity and global alignment. While the reform aims to modernize communication and reinforce Kazakh linguistic sovereignty, the authors highlight significant challenges, including teacher preparedness, resource gaps, phonetic inconsistencies, and sociopolitical tensions, emphasizing the need for phased implementation, inclusive policymaking, and sustained public engagement. The third editorial authored by Maira Sagyntay examines Kazakhstan’s policy of opening foreign university branches as a response to intellectual migration and capacity gaps in higher education. Highlighting both opportunities and uncertainties, the authors emphasize that long-term success will require strategic oversight, investment, and alignment with national development goals. Peer Reviewed Papers 1. Kazakhstani Adolescent Preferences for US and UK Media: Implications for Cultural Identity and Education by Azhar Abzhanova 2. Exploring the Complexity of English Language Teacher Tutor Identities in Rural Kazakhstan by Aruzhan Yeltayeva Editorials 1. To What Extent Should Translanguaging be Encouraged in English-Medium Instruction Classrooms by Virtue Ifeoma Ayozie 2. Latinization of Kazakh: Implications for Language Policy, National Identity and Education by Tamerlan Saidalin, Muzaffar Baimetov 3. Kazakhstan’s Foreign University Branches: A Policy Analysis of Their Roles in Addressing Intellectual Migration by Maira Sagyntay