The Latinization of the Kazakh Alphabet: Kazakh Language Teachers’ Perceptions and Readiness

Abstract

The transition of the Kazakh alphabet has been a topical issue in the language policy of Kazakhstan. Since the decree on the alphabet revision was adopted (Nazarbayev, 2017), a fair amount of research has been conducted on the public support and acceptance of Latinization. However, as identified from the literature, the educational aspects of the transition like teacher training, teachers’ readiness to teach and learn, as well as the difficulties and ease of students’ learning the Kazakh Latin script, require further exploration (Kadirova, 2018). Thus teachers are responsible for implementing it in educational settings. In this regard, the present study aimed to explore teachers’ perceptions of the transition and of their learning and teaching readiness as educational aspects of Latinization. To achieve this purpose, the study posed three questions: 1) How do Kazakh language teachers perceive the shift from the Cyrillic to the Latin alphabet? 2) How do Kazakh language teachers perceive the learning of the script themselves and by their students? 3) How do Kazakh language teachers perceive their readiness to teach using the new alphabet and orthography? The study employed an interview-based qualitative case study design, involving semi-structured interviews with the participants. Eight Kazakh language teachers, who had undergone training on Latinization, were recruited from three mainstream mixed language schools in Nur-Sultan. The findings revealed that teachers interpreted the transition based on the official policy documents. Regarding the learning, they perceived its ease and difficulty by drawing on several factors such as the familiarity with English and transfer of skills. Teachers’ perceptions of their readiness were interpreted through their in-class practices of using the Latin alphabet. The study presented implications for further research focusing on optimal ways of teaching and learning the script and recommendations for policymakers and researchers in terms of making informed decisions about the implementation of the Latin script in educational institutions.