Inspire the Growth of Kazakhstan's Global Citizens

In Shymkent, as is typical in urban areas around the region, most resources for further education and professional or social development are primarily available in Russian.

However, many of those most under-resourced and in need of greater help in their work towards social and education improvement of society in Kazakhstan are first language Kazakh speakers. Many speak Russian well, but learning and discussing in one's first language is a massive bonus.

Salem was therefore very pleased to welcome a group of 25 Kazakh speaking participants to a three day training earlier this year, put on by an American foundation which works with civil society organizations in Kazakhstan and many other parts of Central Asia. 

The themes of the training were around cyber safety, social action and human rights. The participants were all educators, activists and leaders in various organisations who appreciated the chance to learn and discuss some key topics, building greater understanding together through sharing their experiences.

As the awareness of the need for investment in Kazakhstan's civic society increases, Salem continues to play a key role in the emergence of a new generation of leaders who can bring about much-needed social development in communities around the country.

Last month was that time of year when Salem Social Village once again hosted the best teaching conference in town!

Our annual Essential Teacher Skills conference for English teachers has become a key date in the calendar for many, and this year built on the excellent offering from previous years. It was the seventh time we have run this conference, and feedback from participants continues to indicate the value they place on this chance to develop at a deeper level - as teachers, as educators, and as people.

The Essential Teacher Skills program this year included not just hard skills and soft skills, but also 'meta skills' - those aspects essential for healthy personal and interpersonal development, regardless of profession or context. The 15 conference sessions included talks about using AI, blended learning, the lexical approach, developing soft skills, creating a healthy atmosphere of trust, using psychology, and more. A total of 16 speakers kept the participants' attention and greatly broadened their awareness and understanding of many aspects of teaching.

Alongside seminar sessions and Q&A time, participants were given various group tasks to begin using some of the content from the sessions in practice. One of the sessions included a group task to build a tower solely from spagghetti and tape, which certainly got people thinking.

The conference is not solely about participant development, but also gives a chance for experienced educators to present their own material and develop their skills and expertise through facilitating sessions. Some of the most positive feedback came from those we invited to present at the conference, who were incredibly appreciative of the trust we placed in them to present, and who found it a very positive developmental experience.

As in previous years, attendees were English teachers from a wide range of schools and English Centres, many of whom we have worked with in some way previously. The network of cooperative partnership that Salem is developing now has a significant impact across the city.

Participant interaction throughout the two days was a key part of the event, ensuring dynamic involvment and minimising passive listening. Activities that got people working together to demonstrate the principle being explained were very popular!

We were also very pleased to welcome Oxford University Press as a conference partner, ensuring the opportunity for the participants to expand their awareness of the range of resources now available in the region.

Links:

• Salem Social Village online