Abstracts from the Message of the RK President Nursultan Nazarbayev

To the People of Kazakhstan of January 27, 2012

PRE-READING

Activity 1. Why is education a traditional topic of President's annual addresses? What is the role of education in the state policy of Kazakhstan?

WHILE- READING

Activity 2. Read the text and sum it up in the table below:

Area	Objectives	Means
education	modernisation of education system	to introduce advanced technologies
to develop vocational education
to improve the quality of pedagogic staff

It is necessary to increase the population’ computer literacy, including the use of various incentive programs. I urge the people of Kazakhstan to actively master information technologies.

 

During the modernization of the education system, it is important to take the following measures: First, to introduce advanced techniques and technologies in the education process. Today, Nazarbayev University and the intellectual schools work successfully in keeping with international standards. A network of advanced institutions of vocational education is under development. It is necessary to disseminate their experience across the whole education system in Kazakhstan, and to bring all educational institutions up to their level.

Second, it is important to improve the quality of teaching staff. It is necessary to strengthen the standards of basic pedagogic education and the requirements for the professional development of teachers in schools and universities. Each region must have integrated centres in operation for the professional development of teachers.

 

Third, we need to create an independent system of quality verification. The state should not provide educational services and at the same time assess their quality. After finishing a medical school a graduate is not yet a doctor. After finishing a polytechnic university a graduate is not yet an engineer. A graduate will have to prove he or she is an expert. This is the order in the whole world. I task the Government to establish this year a number of independent Centres for proficiency testing on the basis of branch associations in 1-2 areas as pilot projects.

Fourth, there is a need for expanding access to education for youth through the mechanisms of public-private partnerships, travel and accommodation subsidies for youth from rural areas and lower-income families, and the development of a network of hostels. Providing opportunities for young workers to get specialized education while remaining in employment is an important issue. Today, many people migrate from rural to urban areas. It is difficult for them to find a job. Every young person should be able to get a profession and education while remaining in employment.

Fifth, education should provide young people not only the knowledge but also the ability to use it in the process of social adaptation. I task the Government to adopt a five-year National Action Plan for the development of student functional literacy.

 

Sixth, it is important to strengthen the personal development component of the educational process. Patriotism, morality and ethics, inter-ethnic harmony and tolerance, physical and spiritual development, and respect for the law are values that ​​should be instilled in all educational institutions both public and private.

 

Multinationality and multilinguality are parts of these values ​​and one of the main assets of our country. According to our Constitution, the Kazakh language is the state language. The Russian language is officially used in state bodies along with Kazakh… The planned development of the Kazakh language will not be harmful for the Russian language… The Kazakh language, our state language, is growing and developing. By 2020, the number of people who will have mastered the state language will reach 95 percent. A tendency for teaching in Kazakh is present in all of the schools and educational institutions of the country. I ask the Government to develop a Comprehensive plan to ensure youth are instilled with these values ​​in all educational institutions. We do not even have the books or teachers to work with youth on these issues. It is vital for our youth.

 

The social importance of the projects of industrial-innovative development is critical. This program remains the benchmark for economic modernization. All state bodies should consider the work as their overriding matter of concern. Last year alone, 288 projects were brought into operation to the total amount of more than 970 billion KZT. As a result, 30,000 permanent jobs were provided. We continue to create and develop leading clusters of our economy. It is important to increase budget spending to fund promising research through the provision of grants to encourage innovation. The new law “On Science” lays the foundation for the systematic state support for science. It is necessary to support our scientists.

 

An innovative and intelligent cluster must be formed around Nazarbayev University, promoting the transfer and development of new technologies. By creating high-tech enterprises in Astana, we will extend this experience to other scientific and educational centres in Kazakhstan.

VOCABULARY FOCUS:

Activity 3. Explain what the following expressions mean, say why they are important for Kazakhstan:

1) computer literacy; 2) spiritual development; 3) incentive programs;

4) vocational education; 5) qualification verification; 6) access to education;

7) functional literacy.

 

Activity 4. Translate the following into English:

1) принимать программу; 2) принимать решение; 3) принимать приглашение; 4) принимать лекарство; 5) принимать в университет; 6) принимать гостей;

7) принимать меры.

GRAMMAR FOCUS

 

Activity 5. Ask 3 types of questions to the sentences below (a general question, a tag question, a question beginning with “What”):

1) A graduate has to prove he or she is an expert.

2) We have to develop the students’ functional literacy.

3) We have to master the state language.

 

Activity 6. Suppose you are in the future, 20 years from now. Make the sentences refer to the past:

1) We must support our scientists.

2) Our education should provide not only the knowledge but also skills.

3) We ought to expand access to education for youth.

4) An innovative and intelligent cluster must be formed round Nazarbayev

University.

5) We need to fund promising research through the provision of grants to encourage innovation.

6) We ought to instill the values of patriotism and morality in all educational institutions.

 

Activity 7. Choose the correct variant:

1. You look pale. You _____ go home.

a) would rather b) might c) had better

2. I feel bad. I _____ go home. a) would rather b) might c) had better

3. In the sentence “You don’t need to worry” the verb “need” is a _____verb.

a) normal b) modal c) auxiliary

4. In the sentence “You needn’t to worry” the verb “need” is a _____verb.

a) normal b) modal c) auxiliary

5. In the sentence “Shall I go there immediately?” the verb “shall” expresses _____. a) offer b) advice c) legal use

6. In the sentence “It shall be difficult for you to find a job if you don’t get a sound higher education” the verb “shall” expresses _____.

a) offer b) threat c) legal use

7. In the sentence “The Law on Science states that the government shall support science” the verb “shall” expresses _____. a) offer b) threat b) legal use

 

 

WHILE-READING

Activity 8. Match the given purposes and methods:

 

	Purpose		Method
	increase the population’s computer literacy to master information technologies	A	establish independent centers for proficiency testing adopt a five-year national action plan
	support the professional development of teachers	B	fund sth through the provision of grants, transfer and develop new technologies
	develop student functional literacy	C	launch incentive programs
	expand access to education for youth	D	develop a network of advanced institutions of vocational education
	encourage innovation	E	operate integrated centers
	promote advanced techniques and technologies	F	disseminate the experience of Nazarbayev university and intellectual schools
	improve the national education system	G	provide travel and accommodation subsidies
	promote spiritual development	H	master the state language
	preserve national identity	I	instill patriotism, morality, inter-ethnic tolerance, respect for the law

 

POST-READING

Activity 9. Complement the table above with additional methods and purposes.

Activity 10. Imagine you have the opportunity to speak to the President of Kazakhstan. Offer some other measures to improve the educational system in the IT sphere of our country.

Activity 11. Hold a debate on the resolution “Kazakhstan is successfully reforming its education system”.

TEXT 3. 'YOU'VE GOT TO FIND WHAT YOU LOVE'

Steve Jobs’ Commencement address at Stanford University, June 12, 2005

(video available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1R-jKKp3NA)

blogseitb.us

PRE-READING

Activity 1. What do you know about Steve Jobs? Is he an authority for you? Why/not?

Activity 2. Write out the unknown words and learn them to prepare for the class discussion of the text.

 

I am honored to be with you today at your commencement from one of the finest universities in the world. I never graduated from college. Truth be told, this is the closest I've ever gotten to a college graduation. Today I want to tell you three stories from my life. That's it. No big deal. Just three stories.