Defense of the dissertation of Smagulova Markhaba for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in the educational program «8D01719 - Foreign Language Two Foreign Languages»

The defense of the dissertation for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) by Markhaba Gaizotallaevna Smagulova  on the topic: “Scientific Foundations for Improving the Content of the Course ‘Methodology of Foreign Language Teaching’ (within the Educational Program ‘Foreign Language: Two Foreign Languages’)” in the educational program “8D01719 – Foreign Language: Two Foreign Languages” will be held at L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University.

The dissertation was carried out at the «Theory and Practice of Foreign Languages education department» of L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University.

The language of defense is russian

Official reviewers:

Bakytgul Asylbekovna Zhetpisbayeva – Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Professor of the Department of Foreign Languages, Astana IT University (Astana, Republic of Kazakhstan).

Akmaral Kanatbekovna Kairbayeva – Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of Foreign Philology, Toraighyrov University (Pavlodar, Republic of Kazakhstan).

Temporary members of the Dissertation Council:

Liliya Amiryanovna Nefedova – Doctor of Philological Sciences, Professor, Dean of the Faculty of Linguistics and Translation, Chelyabinsk State University (Chelyabinsk, Russian Federation).

Tulebike Alimzhanovna Kulgildinova – Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Professor, Vice-Rector for Academic and Methodological Affairs, Ablai Khan Kazakh University of International Relations and World Languages (Almaty, Republic of Kazakhstan).

Nurziya Abdikarim – Candidate of Philological Sciences, Head of the Terminology Department, Shaysultan Shayakhmetov National Scientific and Practical Center “Til-Qazyna” (Astana, Kazakhstan).

Scientific advisors:

Kulzhanat Nurymzhanovna Bulatbayeva – Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of Humanities and Natural Sciences, Institute of Education, Abai Kazakh National Pedagogical University (Astana, Kazakhstan).

Jule Böhmer – Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), University of Hamburg (Hamburg, Germany).

The defense will take place on October 03, 2026, at 10:00 AM in the Dissertation Council for the training direction «8D017 – Teacher training in languages and literature» in the specialty «8D01719 – Foreign Language Two Foreign Languages» of L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University. The defense meeting is planned to be held online.

Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87834520215?pwd=n0Bus0QYGjhbcHUeUoImaKJLUladti.1

Conference ID: 878 3452 0215

Access code: 613643

Address: Astana, K. Satpayev str. 2, Main building, room No. 302.

Abstract (English): Relevance of the study. The ongoing modernization of education in the Republic of Kazakhstan necessitates the improvement of professional training for future teachers capable of effectively working within the context of updated educational content, digitalization, and expanding international educational cooperation. In the system of foreign language teacher education, the course “Methodology of Foreign Language Teaching” plays a crucial role, as it ensures the development of future teachers’ professional and methodological competence and their readiness to organize contemporary educational processes. Current requirements for foreign language teachers include proficiency in digital educational technologies, intercultural communication skills, modern assessment approaches, technologies for developing students’ functional literacy, and practice-oriented teaching methods. At the same time, an analysis of existing methodology courses revealed a number of content-related and organizational-methodological deficiencies that hinder the comprehensive development of professional competence among future foreign language teachers. The relevance of the study is further determined by the need to implement the requirements of the State Compulsory Standard of Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan “On Professional Qualifications,” the Professional Standard for Teachers, as well as international documents in the field of language education and the development of teachers’ digital competencies. The purpose of the study is to theoretically substantiate, develop, and experimentally validate the updated content of the course “Methodology of Foreign Language Teaching” taking into account the specific features of training future teachers within the educational program “Foreign Language: Two Foreign Languages.” The object of the study is the process of professional and methodological training of future foreign language teachers in the system of higher pedagogical education. The subject of the study is the scientific, theoretical, and methodological foundations for improving the content of the course “Methodology of Foreign Language Teaching.” The hypothesis of the study is based on the assumption that improving the content of the course “Methodology of Foreign Language Teaching” will contribute to enhancing the professional and methodological competence of future foreign language teachers through the integration of contemporary linguodidactic approaches, digital technologies, and practice-oriented forms of instruction. Research objectives: 1. To analyze theoretical, regulatory, and scientific-methodological approaches to the professional training of foreign language teachers within the context of continuous pedagogical education, considering current professional standards and international recommendations. 2. To examine the content of the existing course “Methodology of Foreign Language Teaching” within the educational program “Foreign Language: Two Foreign Languages (German)” and identify its content-related and organizational-methodological deficiencies in relation to current requirements for foreign language teacher education. 3. To reveal the scientific foundations for improving the content of the course “Methodology of Foreign Language Teaching” and determine the system of principles, structure, components, and mechanisms for its implementation in the training of future foreign language teachers. 4. To develop additional content modules for the course “Methodology of Foreign Language Teaching” aimed at addressing deficiencies in the professional competence of future foreign language teachers through modern methodological approaches, digital technologies, and practice-oriented forms of professional training, and to experimentally verify their effectiveness. The theoretical and methodological basis of the study includes the principles of systemic, competency-based, activity-based, learner-centered, and axiological approaches, as well as the works of national and international scholars in pedagogy, linguodidactics, foreign language teaching methodology, intercultural communication, and digital education. Research methods included analysis of scientific literature and regulatory documents, comparative analysis, systematization and generalization of scientific data, questionnaires, observation, pedagogical experiment, SWOT analysis, and methods of mathematical statistics, including Student’s t-test. Scientific novelty of the study lies in the following: – for the first time, within the educational program “Foreign Language: Two Foreign Languages,” the scientific foundations for improving the content of the course “Methodology of Foreign Language Teaching” have been theoretically substantiated, including a system of principles, structure, components, and implementation mechanisms; – updated course content based on the integration of competency-based, communicative-cognitive, intercultural, digital, and practice-oriented approaches has been developed; – the structure of methodological competence of future foreign language teachers has been refined through the identification of professional-personal, methodological, contextual, and innovative components; – a system of principles for improving course content aimed at developing functional literacy, intercultural competence, digital skills, and readiness for professional activity in multilingual educational environments has been scientifically substantiated; – the effectiveness of the updated course content in the training of future foreign language teachers has been experimentally confirmed. The theoretical significance of the study lies in expanding scientific understanding of the content of professional and methodological training for future foreign language teachers, refining the structure of methodological competence, and substantiating the scientific foundations for improving the content of the course “Methodology of Foreign Language Teaching.” The practical significance of the study consists in the development and testing of updated course content that can be used to improve educational programs, curricula, and methodology-related disciplines in higher and postgraduate education institutions, as well as in teacher professional development programs. Approval and Publication of Research Results – participation in the development of the guideline «Model Content of Teacher Professional Competence as a Basis for Standardizing Continuing Education» for the Independent Standardization of Teachers at the I. Altynsarin National Academy of Education (2022–2023) (Appendix A); – participation in the development of methodological guidelines for the implementation of the Language Learning Standard at the I. Altynsarin National Academy of Education (Appendix A); – presentation of research findings at international scientific and practical conferences and forums: «Trilingualism as One of the Priorities of Modern Education»/ Proceedings of the International Scientific and Practical Conference «Заманауи лингводидактика және үштілді білім беруді дамыту». Nur-Sultan: I. Altynsarin National Academy of Education, 2022. – 419 p.; Updating the Content of Foreign Language Teaching Methodology// Proceedings of the International Scientific Conference. Issues of Interlingual Integration, Linguistic and Linguodidactic Research. – Astana: L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University Publishing House, 2023. ; Deficiencies in the Methodological Preparation of Young Foreign Language Teachers// Quality of Teacher Education in the Context of Contemporary Challenges: Proceedings of the IX International Forum on Teacher Education (Kazan, May 24–26, 2023). Kazan University Press, 2023. Part II. – 555 p. – publication of research articles in journals recommended by the Committee for Quality Assurance in Science and Higher Education of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan: German Language in Kazakhstan Schools: Subject Content and Aspects of Its Improvement // Izvestiya KazUIR&WL named after Ablai Khan, Series “Pedagogical Sciences”, No. 3 (70), 2023; Approaches to Implementing Unified Internal and External Assessment in Language Subjects: Teachers’ Readiness”.// Bilim-Образование Scientific and Pedagogical Journal, No. 2 (113), 2025; Reading as a Method of Improving School Students’ Speaking Skills // Izvestiya KazUIR&WL named after Ablai Khan, Series “Pedagogical Sciences”, No. 3 (78), 2025; Pedagogical Foundations for the Preparation of Future Foreign Language Teachers // Scientific Journal of Pedagogy and Economics, No. 5 (418), 2025. – publication of an article in a journal indexed in the Scopus/WoS database: Supporting multilingual education with computer aided instruction applications // International Journal of Education in Mathematics, Science, and Technology (IJEMST), Vol. 11, No. 4, 2023, pp. 927–945.

Dissertation

List of Scientific Works

Consultant's Review

Foreign Consultant's Review

Conclusion of the Research Ethics Committee