KAZAKH STUDENTS’ IDENTITY FORMATION WITHIN A TRILINGUAL EDUCATION PROGRAM AT NAZARBAYEV INTELLECTUAL SCHOOL

Abstract

Proficiency in multiple languages has become an essential requirement of our globalizing world. Therefore, Nazarbayev (2007), the former president of Kazakhstan proposed the implementation of the project Trinity of Languages, envisioning that “Kazakhstan shall be perceived as a highly educated country whose population uses three languages: Kazakh – as the state language, Russian – as the language of international communication, and English – as the language of successful integration into the global economy” (para. 8). Hence, a network of 20 math and science-oriented trilingual schools was established in 2008 where content-oriented subjects have been taught through these three languages (Mehisto, 2015). Although trilingual education may support the country as it integrates into the global cultural economy, it entails challenges in simultaneously strengthening the status of the state language and maintaining linguistic variety as a key goal of the national program is to preserve Kazakh national identity...