Mission statement:
The Bachelor of Arts in Cognitive Science allows students to explore human (natural) language from a variety of perspectives, including the way that language is processed and produced in the mind, and the increasing role of computers in analyzing language. This interdisciplinary program provides students with a solid grounding in the theoretical principles, technical skills, and practical applications of the fields of linguistics, psychology, and computer science, with a focus on the interfaces of these fields. This knowledge will be put to use through research and application, allowing students to address real-world problems related to language and language processing. Students who study cognitive science have the skills, knowledge, and critical thinking abilities to adapt and contribute to a rapidly changing world. After completing this program, students will be well qualified for careers in a variety of related fields, such as Cognitive Linguistics, Computational Linguistics, Natural Language Processing and AI, including improving or developing new software in areas such as grammar checkers, machine translation, and information retrieval. The program also provides an excellent background for students who wish to pursue graduate studies in these areas.
Intended Learning Outcomes:
- Demonstrate effective operational proficiency in English (CERF level B2-C1) and be independent users of a second foreign language (CERF level B1);
- Demonstrate effective communication skills and proficiency in oral, written, and professional English in a variety of social and academic contexts;
- Demonstrate and apply knowledge of theory of language and linguistics, including the ability to precisely describe and analyze empirical patterns found in sets of language data;
- Demonstrate and apply knowledge of psychology and cognition, especially psychological and cognitive processes related to language processing;
- Demonstrate knowledge of theory in computing, and implement practical programming skills and computational tools, including identifying problems and developing practical solutions, making use of computational tools and statistical analysis, and understanding and evaluating the organization, design, and construction of software systems for computing;
- Perform data analysis across a variety of data types, drawing on theory in linguistics, psychology, and computing and demonstrating critical thinking;
- Develop and carry out practical applications of skills, including conducting original, ethical research.
BA CSc Curriculum
Requirements for the BA in Cognitive Sciences are as follows:
| Category of Courses | Credits | ECTS | |
| 1 | General Education Requirements | 36 | 56 |
| a) | Required Courses | 33 | 51 |
| b) | Elective Courses | 3 | 5 |
| 2 | Program Foundation Requirements | 68 | 112 |
| a) | Required Courses | 22 | 36 |
| b) | Elective Courses | 46 | 76 |
| 3 | Program Specialization Requirements | 35 | 60 |
| a) | Required Courses | 8 | 15 |
| b) | Elective Courses | 27 | 45 |
| 4 | Final Attestation | 7 | 12 |
| Total Required for Graduation | 146 | 240 |
LING1101 Fundamentals of Linguistics (3 credits, 5 ECTS)
Prerequisite: None
This course provides students with an overview of linguistics, the scientific study of language. How can we analyze different parts of language such as sounds (phonology), parts of words (morphology), word meaning (semantics), and grammar (syntax)? How do people use language in conversation with each other (pragmatics and discourse analysis)?
LING2101 Language and its Structure I: Phonetics and Phonology (3 credits, 5 ECTS)
Prerequisite: LING1101 Fundamentals of Linguistics
This is an introductory course to phonetics and phonology. It focuses on the physical and linguistic aspects of speech sounds. Topics to be covered include articulatory description and phonetic transcription, acoustics, cognitive processing and perception of sounds, organization speech sounds, speech patterns, phonological processes, rule-based phonology, syllable structure, feature system, and prosody.
LING2201 Language and its Structure II: Morphology and Syntax (3 credits, 5 ECTS)
Prerequisite: LING1101 Fundamentals of Linguistics
This is an introductory course to morphology and syntax. It provides students with a wide range of topics, from studying the smallest meaningful units (morphemes) to constructing phrases and clauses in generative syntax. We will examine the mental lexicon, word formation and its governing rule, phrase structure, constituency, Case/Binding Theory, X-bar Theory, and movement.
LING3303 Introduction to Discourse Analysis (3 credits, 5 ECTS)
Prerequisite: LING2201 Language and its Structure II: Morphology and Syntax
This course will focus on various aspects of discourse analysis both written and spoken. On completion of the course students will be able to identify and describe patterns in talk and text organization and reflect on possible applications of discourse analytic methodologies and findings to issues in the real world.
LING3301 Foundations of Second Language Acquisition (3 credits, 5 ECTS)
Prerequisite: LING1101 Fundamentals of Linguistics
This course will present important theories of second language acquisition from universal features to individual influences and social dimensions. Topics include age and critical period, cross-linguistic influences; cognitive processes involved in interlanguage versus intralanguage positive/negative transfer, systematicity and developmental stages, individual aptitude, motivation and affect, and social dimensions such as identity, class and power asymmetries.
LING1201 Child Language Development (3 credits, 5 ECTS)
Prerequisite: GEN/ENG1120 Academic Reading and Writing I, LING1101 Fundamentals of Linguistics
This course explores the development of child language acquisition. From early to late childhood, it examines theories of language acquisition as well as the cognitive processes underlying the comprehension and production of language. We will investigate language acquisition in mono-lingual children versus bi-/multi-linguals, and what influence this may have on children’s intelligence.
LING3202 Advanced Syntax (2 credits, 4 ECTC)
Prerequisite: LING2101 Language and its Structure I and LING2201 Language and its Structure II
This course assumes basic familiarity with the fundamental principles of theoretical syntax (topics covered in Language and its Structure II). It pursues more advanced theoretical frameworks within the generative approach to syntactic analysis, such as functional projections, movement, head-driven phrase structure grammar, as well as the basics of the Minimalist Program.
LING3203 Logic of Language (2 credits, 4 ECTS)
Prerequisite: LING2101 Language and its Structure I and LING2201 Language and its Structure II
This course introduces students to the philosophy of language, language and logic/human reasoning, propositional/sentential and predicate logic, and the nature and (abstract) representation of meaning and its relation to reference and truth. Other topics include the relationships between language and knowledge, language and reality, language and acts performed through its use.
LING3305 Introduction to Computational Linguistics (3 credits, 5 ECTS)
Prerequisite: LING2101 Language and its Structure I and LING2201 Language and its Structure II
This course provides a non-technical introduction to the field of computational linguistics and its history. The main objective is to familiarize students with core questions and approaches in the field. It covers major application areas of computational linguistics including machine translation, information retrieval, information extraction, and computational lexicography. We will also discuss the tools and resources needed for natural language processing and generation.
LING3306 Corpus linguistics (2 credits, 4 ECTS)
Prerequisite: LING1101 Fundamentals of Linguistics
In this class, students will be introduced to the field of corpus linguistics, learn how to utilize existing corpora, learn the basic computational skills and quantitative methods necessary in carrying out a corpus investigation, find out how corpora are influencing recent trends in linguistic research, and have opportunities to apply corpus-based methods in their own work.
COGN1201 Introduction to Psychology (3 credits, 5 ECTS)
Prerequisite: ENG/GEN1121 Academic Reading and Writing II
This course provides an overview of the foundational subfields and theories in psychology. Students will be introduced to the breadth of the research and topics in psychology, and the basics of subfields like cognitive psychology, social psychology, and human psychological development. They will learn about classic theories in psychology and be introduced to the ways that psychological research is conducted
COGN1201 Psycholinguistics: Language and Mind (3 credits, 5 ECTS)
Prerequisite: LING1101 Fundamentals of Linguistics and COGN1201 Introduction to Psychology
In this course, students will become familiar with major topics and theory in psycholinguistics, the study of how the human mind processes and uses language. We will examine the brain structures relevant to language processing and production, and learn about current theory and research methods. We will consider the psychological implications of multilingualism as well as some discussion of psychological aspects of first and second language acquisition.
COGN2101 Introduction to Social Psychology (3 credits, 5 ECTS)
Prerequisite: COGN1201 Introduction to Psychology
This course examines major theories and research methods in social psychology. Students will discuss topics including individual and group identity, social behavior and norms, stereotyping, conformity / deviance, aggression, and helpful social behaviors. They will discover how research in social psychology is conducted and have the opportunity for practical application of their knowledge in the form of small-scale research projects.
COGN2103 Introduction to Cognitive Psychology (3 credits, 5 ECTS)
Prerequisite: COGN1201 Introduction to Psychology
This course will discuss the major fields of human cognition, particularly how we take in information about the world (perception and attention), how we interpret and store that information (learning and memory) and how we retrieve and use that information (higher cognitive function / decision-making).
COGN2201 Perception (3 credits, 5 ECTS)
Prerequisite: COGN1201 Introduction to Psychology
How do we perceive and interpret the world around us? This course will explore the psychological and neurological bases of perception and sensory processing. We will discover how the brain is able to process the stimuli it perceives, including some discussion of visual and auditory perception of language.
COGN2202 Learning and Memory (3 credits, 5 ECTS)
Prerequisite: COGN1201 Introduction to Psychology
How do our brains store information? How do we retrieve that information and use it to draw new conclusions? In short, how do we learn? This course will explore those questions and more, introducing students to more advanced theory of learning and memory. We will consider major theories in the field, the way research in this field may be conducted, and their implications for education and other applied fields.
COGN2203 Speech/Communication and Learning Disorders (3 credits, 5 ECTS)
Prerequisite: COGN1201 Introduction to Psychology
In this course students will explore a range of disorders impacting language and learning. What do we know about how and why such disorders develop? How can they be treated or managed? What can these disorders tell us about brain and language processing more generally?
CLP1201 Pre-Calculus (3 credits, 5 ECTS)
Prerequisite: None
Introduction to concepts and methods of calculus for students with little or no previous calculus experience. The topics covered are: algebraic rules and transformations to simplify or elaborate on mathematical expressions; polynomial and elementary transcendental functions and their applications, limits, derivatives, extremum problems, curve-sketching, approximations; integrals and the fundamental theorem of calculus.
CLP1202 Calculus for Cognitive Sciences (3 credits, 5 ECTS)
Prerequisite: None
This course is designed to introduce students to the basic ideas and methods of mathematical analysis and their application to mathematical modeling. This course equips students with some of the analytical tools that are required by courses in cognitive sciences, computational linguistics and programming. Students will learn to translate ordinary language descriptions of problems into mathematical expression, derive solutions by rigorous mathematical methods, interpret their results, and explain them.
CLP2201 Fundamentals of Programming I (3 credits, 5 ECTS)
Prerequisite: CLP1202 Calculus for Cognitive Sciences
This course is designed for students with no prior programming experience. The course introduces the fundamental computer concepts, logic, and computer programming. Topics include algorithms and problem solving, data types, control structures, functions, arrays, files, and the mechanics of running, testing, and debugging, and documenting programs using the Python programming language.
CLP2202 Fundamentals of Programming II (3 credits, 5 ECTS)
Prerequisite: CLP2201 Fundamentals of Programming I
Students are introduced to the programming tools required to solve a more advanced set of problems. Students further develop their knowledge of the principles of object-oriented design and programming, including the use of interfaces and inheritance, learn the fundamentals of sorting data and data structures, and further develop programming skills Python. The course is intended for students who will major in cognitive sciences or a related program.
CLP2102 Introduction to Data Structures and Algorithms (3 credits, 5 ECTS)
Prerequisite: GEN/OPM1300 or GEN/OPM2301 Information and Communication Technologies or Business Computer Application
The course provides the basic background for a computer scientist in the area of data structures and algorithms. Students will learn about fundamental data structures and algorithms and how to apply them in real problems. The topics that will be covered by the course include: Analysis of algorithms, Abstract Data Types (ADT), Lists, stacks, and queues, Search trees (BST, AVL, and B-trees), Priority queues (heaps), Sorting algorithms, Hash data structures, Graphs.
CLP2204 Introduction to Computer Science (3 credits, 5 ECTS)
Prerequisite: GEN/OPM1300 or GEN/OPM2301 Information and Communication Technologies or Business Computer Application
Introductory course in computer science and the study of algorithms appropriate for students in cognitive sciences. Topics include how computers work, simple algorithms and their efficiency, networking, databases, artificial intelligence, graphics, simulation and modeling, security and the social impact of computing. The course also includes a hands-on introduction to programming concepts with Python.
CLP2203 Introduction to Formal Languages and Finite Automata (3 credits, 5 ECTS)
Prerequisite: GEN/OPM1300 or GEN/OPM2301 Information and Communication Technologies or Business Computer Application and CLP2202 Fundamentals of Programming II
The course presents abstract models of computers (finite automata, push-down automata and Turing machines, strings, languages, and fundamental proof techniques) and the language classes they recognize or generate (regular expression, regular grammar, regular languages, finite automata, their interrelationship, and their properties. Introduction to context-free languages). Also presents applications of these models to compiler design, algorithms and complexity theory.
CLP2204 Pattern Recognition (3 credits, 5 ECTS)
Prerequisite: GEN/OPM1300 or GEN/OPM2301 Information and Communication Technologies or Business Computer Application and CLP2202 Fundamentals of Programming II
This course is an introduction to pattern recognition: features, classifications, learning. Students will also learn statistical methods, structural methods and hybrid method. Applications to speech recognition, remote sensing and biomedical area. Learning algorithms, Syntactic approach: Introduction to pattern grammars and languages. Parsing techniques. Pattern recognition in computer aided design.
CLP2101 Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (3 credits, 5 ECTS)
Prerequisite: GEN/OPM1300 or GEN/OPM2301 Information and Communication Technologies or Business Computer Application and CLP2202 Fundamentals of Programming II
The course presents a survey of concepts in artificial intelligence, goals and methods of artificial intelligence. Students are introduced to Problem Representation; search, constraint propagation, rule chaining, frame inheritance, inference and learning in intelligent systems; systems for general problems solving, game playing, expert consultation, concept formation and natural languages processing; recognition, understanding and translation.
CLP3102 Introduction to Machine Learning (3 credits, 5 ECTS)
Prerequisite: GEN/OPM1300 or GEN/OPM2301 Information and Communication Technologies or Business Computer Application and CLP2202 Fundamentals of Programming II
Introduction to modeling and algorithmic techniques for machines to learn concepts from data. Extracting meaningful patterns from random samples of large data sets. Statistical analysis of the resulting problems. Common algorithm paradigms for such tasks. The focus is on applications in natural language processing, computer vision, data mining, human computer interaction, information retrieval.
CLP3201 Introduction to Natural Language Processing (3 credits, 5 ECTS)
Prerequisite: GEN/OPM1300 or GEN/OPM2301 Information and Communication Technologies or Business Computer Application and CLP2202 Fundamentals of Programming II
This class introduces key concepts of Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Natural Language Understanding (NLU), familiarizes with common tools and techniques to analyze unstructured data in cognitive sciences. Students will work extensively with probability, statistics, mathematical functions such as logarithms and differentiation, and linear algebra concepts such as vectors and matrices.
CLP3102 Neural networks (3 credits, 5 ECTS)
Prerequisite: GEN/OPM1300 or GEN/OPM2301 Information and Communication Technologies or Business Computer Application and CLP2202 Fundamentals of Programming II
An extensive course on neural network architectures and learning algorithms with theory and applications, including the following topics: temporal and optimal linear associative memories, fuzzy control; Cohen-Grossberg theorem; unsupervised learning; higher-order competitive, differential Hebbian learning networks; supervised learning; adaptive estimation and stochastic approximation; adaptive vector quantization, mean-square approach; Kohonen self-organizing maps; Grossberg theory; simulated annealing; Boltzman and Cauchy learning; adaptive resonance; and Gabor functions and networks.
CLP3301 Text mining (3 credits, 5 ECTS)
Prerequisite: GEN/OPM1300 or GEN/OPM2301 Information and Communication Technologies or Business Computer Application and CLP2202 Fundamentals of Programming II
Text mining, also known as ‘knowledge discovery from text’, is an ICT research and development field that has gained increasing focus in the last decade, attracting researchers from data science, computational linguistics, and machine learning. Example key applications text categorization, information extraction, social media mining and automatic summarization. This course gives an overview of the field from both a theoretical angle (underlying models) and a practical angle (applications). In addition to the lectures, the students work on practical assignments.
CLP3302 Human-Computer Interaction (3 credits, 5 ECTS
Prerequisite: GEN/OPM1300 or GEN/OPM2301 Information and Communication Technologies or Business Computer Application and CLP2202 Fundamentals of Programming II
The basic theories, principles and guidelines of the design and evaluation of human-computer interactions. Topics include: design methodologies (e.g., participatory design, low- and high-fidelity prototyping), user interface technologies (e.g., input and output devices, interaction styles), and quantitative and qualitative evaluation of user interfaces (e.g., expert reviews, usability testing).
LING3301 Foundations of Second Language Acquisition (3 credits, 5 ECTS)
Prerequisite: LING1101 Fundamentals of Linguistics
The course will present important theories of second language acquisition and different methods for studying such acquisition. There will be special emphasis on the acquisition of English.
ENG2101 Introduction to Literary Studies (3 credits, 5 ECTS)
Prerequisite: ENG/GEN1120 Academic Reading and Writing I
This course uses range of literary texts to introduce main genres and central topics of literary studies. Develops well-rounded general understanding of literary arts, historical aspects and basic terminology used in their analysis and interpretation. Texts model poetry, prose, drama. Coursework focuses on methodical investigation of plot, character, setting, symbolism.
CLP4102 Research Methods (2 credits, 4 ECTS)
Prerequisite:
This course introduces students to research methods, ethical principles and critical thinking. It first begins with studying literature relevant to their interests or fields, investigating the substantial elements of quantitative and qualitative research, critically reviewing and evaluating its methods, and then assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the researchers’ arguments.
CLP4103 Thesis II (3 credits, 6 ECTS)
Prerequisite: CLP4102 Research Methods
This is the second part of thesis writing. By the end of this independent research course, students must finish their data analysis and write the final results and recommendations. Students whose research projects comply with the standard/KIMEP requirements will then present their thesis to the committee in a formal defense.
CLP2202 Academic Internship (3 credits, 5 ECTS)
Prerequisite:
This is the first of two required internships. Students will undertake an internship at an appropriate venue outside of KIMEP. Applying knowledge learned in the classroom, they will gain on-the-job experience in areas such as research methods, data analysis, software programming, computing statistical methods, logic, psychology, neuroscience and language acquisition.
CLP4201 Professional Internship (3 credits, 5 ECTS)
Prerequisite:
This is the second of two required internships. Students will undertake an internship at an appropriate venue outside of KIMEP. During the second internship, students will build on skills developed during Internship I or focus on secondary areas of interest. The internship will prepare students for future careers in the interdisciplinary field of cognitive science.
CLP4211 Senior Project (3 credits, 7 ECTS)
Prerequisite: CLP2202 Fundamentals of Programming II
The aim of the course to develop the own programming product
There are many opportunities for merit-based scholarships for Kazakhstani and international students.
While studying at KIMEP University, students may also apply for part-time positions available on the University campus.
Contact the Office of Financial Aid, if you would like to apply for scholarship.
Tuition & Fees
Your future job opportunities
After completing this program, students will be well qualified for careers in a variety of related fields, such as Cognitive Linguistics, Computational Linguistics, Natural Language Processing and AI, including improving or developing new software in areas such as grammar checking, machine translation, and information retrieval. Graduates may find job opportunities in a wide range of areas including: telecommunications, data representation, human performance testing, speech synthesis and voice recognition, artificial intelligence, counseling, and more, as they will be well prepared to work in any industry.
Graduates with the BA in Cognitive Linguistics & Cognitive Science tend to seek jobs in fields such as:
- Artificial intelligence and information processing
- Data representation and information retrieval
- Education
- Game design and development
- Marketing consultation
- Media and telecommunications
- Medical analysis
- Psychology and neuroscience
- Scientific research
Juldyz Smagulova, PhD
Associate Professor, Dean
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Ph.D. in Sociolinguistics
Dr. Juldyz Smagulova received her Ph.D. in Sociolinguistics from King’s College London (2012, UK), her Candidate of Philological Sciences from al-Farabi Kazakh National University (2004, Kazakhstan), and her MA in Linguistics from the University of Minnesota (1999, USA).
Her research interests and expertise include language bilingualism, language socialization, interactional sociolinguistics, language education and teacher training, language policy and planning. She co-edited the Language Change in Central Asia (Mouton de Gruyter, 2016); and co-authored the bilingual Kazakh-Russian Dictionary of Sociolinguistics (Arman PV, Kazakhstan, 2008) and the Kazakh language textbook for Russian-medium schools (Grade 5, Atamura, 2015). She has articles published in Journal of Sociolinguistics, International Journal of Bilingualism, and International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism.
Dr. Smagulova teaches graduate courses Introduction to Second Language Acquisition, Second Language Acquisition Research, Introduction to Sociolinguistics, and Introduction to Bilingualism as well undergraduate Academic English courses. She provides consulting in the areas of language planning and policy and conducts trainings for language teachers.
Publications:
- Smagulova, J. (2017). Ideologies of language revival: Kazakh as school talk. International Journal of Bilingualism. Special issue “Ideology, agency, and imagination in multilingual families” edited by K. King and E. Lanza. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/13670069166849202015
- Smagulova, J. (2019). (adapted with Bekzhanova G., Tutbayeva Zh., Tutbayeva N. and Akisheva R.) English Sciences: Student’s Book. Grade 10. Cambridge University Press.
- Ahn, E. & Smagulova, J. (Eds.) (2016). Language change in Central Asia. Berlin, Germany: Mouton de Gruyter. [In the Contributions to the Sociology of Language series edited by Joshua Fishman].
- Ahn, E. & Smagulova, J. (Eds.) (2016). Examining education change in urban Kazakhstan: A short spatial story. In Silova, I. & Niyazov, S. (Eds.), Globalization on the margins: Education and post-socialist transformations in Central Asia (2nd ed.). Charlotte, NC: Information Age.
- Ahn, E., Bahry, S., Niyozov, S. , Shamatov, D. & Smagulova, J. (2016). Bilingual education in Central Asia. In O. García et al. (Eds.), Bilingual and multilingual education, encyclopedia of language and education, (3rd ed.) New York, NY: Springer International Publishing.
- Smagulova, J. & Yernazarova, Z. (2016). Teaching Kazakh literature in Kazakh to Russian speakers: Symbolic value or effective pedagogy? In Bakić-Mirić, N. & Gaipov, D. (Eds.), Going Forward: Recent developments in higher education (pp. 127-136). Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
Phone: +7 (727) 270 43 68, ext. 2112
Email: juldyz@kimep.kz
Address: 2 Abai Ave., Almaty, Kazakhstan, Dostyk Building, office #228
Karina Narymbetovа, CSc
Assistant Professor, Associate Dean
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CSc, Assistant Professor
LC Deputy Director
Karina Narymbetova received her Candidate of Philological Sciences from al-Farabi Kazakh National University (2009, Kazakhstan), and her MA in TESOL from KIMEP University (2016).
Her research interests are principally in the area of literary studies, language education, and teacher training. Her research on comparative literary studies was partly done under JFDP fellowship as a visiting scholar in 2004-2005 at the WSU and University of Washington, USA. She is a self-directed, action-oriented professional with over 20 years’ experience in education who has developed a diverse teaching and training record. As a British Council Researcher Connect Trainer she has worked in a training and consultancy capacity with teachers and researchers. She has made keynote and workshop presentations for many national and international conferences on various aspects of teaching & learning.
She teaches both undergraduate and graduate students and believes it is important to understand different learning styles and strengths that students bring to class. Her favorite part of teaching is searching for approaches to help struggling students to cope with challenging material.
Publications:
- Narymbetova, K. (2019, august). Elementary literacy program in Kazakhstan. Learning from the past for the future: Literacy for all. Copenhagen, Denmark.
- Babeshko, Y. & Narymbetova, K. (2019, august). Are you “instateacher”? Academic literacy through social network sites. Learning from the past for the future: Literacy for all. Copenhagen, Denmark.
- Narymbetova, K., Kulichenko Y. (2016). Literacy and Education: raising the intellectual potential of Kazakhstan. Symposium proceedings New trends in Science and Education. pp. 76-78
- Narymbetova, K, (2016). Literacy Assessment and Evaluation Practices in Kazakhstan: Teachers’ Perspective. Paper presented at the international conference 3rd Baltic – 17th Nordic Literacy Conference. Turku, Finland
- Narymbetova, K. (2016). Kazakhstan in the works of American writers. In Y.K. Kalizhanov (Eds), Kazakh-American Literary relations: Present and Future. pp. 82-115
- Narymbetova, K. (2016). American image in Kazakh literature. In Y.K. Kalizhanov (Eds), Kazakh-American Literary relations: Present and Future. pp. 116-138
- Narymbetova, K. (2016). Poetry of Kanapiyanov, Kenzheyev and Kodar in foreign publications. In Y.K. Kalizhanov (Eds), Kazakh-American Literary relations: Present and Future. pp. 212-231
- Narymbetova, K. (2017, April). Literacy assessment and evaluation practices in Kazakhstan: teachers’ perspective. Paper presented at the international conference “Governance and Communication: Between Modernity and Post-Modernity”, KIMEP. Almaty
Karina Narymbetova,
Senior Lecturer, CSc
LC Deputy Director
Language Center, KIMEP University
2, Abai Ave., 050010, Almaty
tel # 7 727 270-43-71, ext 2617
nkarina@kimep.kz
John Sedwick Westbrook , MFA, MA
Senior Lecturer
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John Westbrook holds an MFA in Creative Writing, with a concentration in poetry, from the University of Florida (2012, USA). He completed an MA in English at the University of Tulsa (2017, USA) and a BA in English at the Rice University (2009, USA).
His research interests include contemporary Anglophone poetry, poetry in translation, and creative writing pedagogy. He formerly served as assistant poetry editor for the American literary journal Subtropics and now serves as co-editor of KIMEP’s new humanities journal Language, Culture, Environment. His poems and translations have appeared in publications such as the Manchester Review, the New Criterion, and the Southern Review.
Mr. Westbrook teaches Academic Reading and Writing II and Introduction to Films.
Askat Tleuov
Assistant Professor
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PhD in Education
Dr Askat Tleuov received his PhD in Education from the University of Bath, UK in 2017. He has significant experience in English language teaching, working as an EFL teacher, lecturer, teacher educator and researcher in Kazakhstan and the United Kingdom.
Askat specializes in teacher cognition, teacher education, and teacher professional development. He has a particular interest in teacher knowledge, beliefs and perceptions; how these are enacted in practice; and the personal, educational and professional experiences which influence their development. Another strand of his research focuses on policy studies and politics of education. His recent research project involves the investigation of state and institution-wide research internationalization policies in Kazakhstan.
Dr Tleuov has been involved in teaching both undergraduate and graduate level courses that range from Academic English course to Introduction to Second Language Acquisition, Research Methods, and Learning Evaluation & Assessment in Language Education. He has supervised a number of Master level dissertations as well.
George Rueckert, PhD
Assistant Professor for English and Translation,
Director of Undergraduate and Graduate Programs
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PhD in Comparative Literature
(PhD University of Washington; MA Kansas State University; BA College of William & Mary)
Dr. George Rueckert is the Director of Undergraduate and Graduate Programs at the KIMEP Language Center and teaches all levels of English, as well as Russian-English translation. He earned his BA and MA degrees in English and his PhD in Comparative Literature, specializing in Russian and German. He worked for the European Union in Seattle USA and later taught English and translation in Germany before coming to Almaty in 2011.
His scholarly interests include translation and translation theory, semiotic and hermeneutic theory, verse translation and poetics, and 19th and 20th century literature and culture, particularly the Russian Romantic and Symbolist Periods, on which he has published several articles. He has also taught seminars on Cold War culture and extensively in TESOL. He is a working practical translator.
Dr. Rueckert regularly teaches graduate courses in Formal and Functional Grammar and in Grammar in Social Context, as well as undergraduate courses in Academic English, translation, and literature. He is married and has two small children.
Rueckert, George (2001). “A.A. Bestuzhev-Marlinsky and the Critical Theory of the Novel.” Nineteenth-Century Prose 28:1. 21-45.
Rueckert, George and Yuzefpolskaya, Sofiya (2006). “No Empty Game: Arsenij Tarkovskij’s Memorial Poems to N.A. Zabolotskij and A.A. Akhmatova.” Slavic and East European Journal 50.2. 274-309.
Rueckert, George (2008). “Translation as sentimental education: Zhukovskij’s Sel’skoe kladbishche.” Sign Systems Studies 36.2. 399-416.
Sagadiev, Kenzhegali (2012). Reforms in Kazakhstan: An Analytical View. Trans. Rueckert, George. Almaty: Business Media. ISBN: 978-601-7144-65-4.
Tarkovskii, Arsenii (2016). “Selected Poems.” Trans. Rueckert, George and Yuzefpolskaya, Sofiya. Bulletin of the Pushkin Society in America 1:2. 24-28.
Konstantinos Kristofer Dimitriou
Assistant Professor
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Assistant Professor
PhD in Education (University of Bath, UK), MSc Educational Research (University of Manchester), M.A. Teaching of English as a Foreign Language (University of Birmingham), Post-graduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher & Professional Education (Institute of Education, London)
Dr. Dimitriou has over twenty years of teaching experience in Academic Literacy and Applied Linguistics. His previous experience ranges from Queen Mary University of London to the European University Institute in Florence, Italy. His doctoral research investigation was on tertiary academic literacy processes. His present research is into gamification and intercultural communication. Konstantinos has previously studied and presented on the topics of bilingual language development, bilingual parenting, academic culture, feedback processes, tertiary student writing voice & critical writing, corpora in teaching, and academic plagiarism.
The range of graduate and undergraduate level courses which Dr. Dimitriou has taught include Research Methods, Thesis writing, Introduction to Second Language Acquisition Research and Writing for Law.
Maganat Shegebayev, MA TESOL
Associate Professor
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DBA
KIMEP University, Kazakhstan, Almaty (2012)
Dr. Shegebayev is an associate Professor of KIMEP Language Center. One of the Kazakhstan’s first-wave Bolashak International Scholarship awardees, he received a Master of Arts degree in TESOL from Fairfield University, USA; he then received a Doctor of Business Administration degree from KIMEP University. Dr. Shegebayev has had twenty years of teaching and administrative experience and has been distinguished with the awards for academic and service achievements. Three times in his pedagogical practice he has been awarded with the Certificate of Teaching Excellence.
In his activities, Dr. Shegebayev has served as a task force member to develop national program Intellectual Nation-2020 for the government of Kazakhstan. He has authored and co-authored a number of international publications; he has been involved in various educational and research projects across Kazakhstan and abroad, which include collaboration with Indiana University (Bloomington, IN), Institute Aminuddin Baki (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia), George Washington University (Washington, D.C.), and Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (Oslo, Norway). His research interests include topics related to linguistics, language policy and planning, critical thinking, business communication and educational management.
The range of graduate and undergraduate level courses which Dr. Shegebayev has taught includes Academic English, Critical Thinking, Educational Technology, Business Correspondence and Communication, General & Business English, and Foundation English. He has also taught Business English certificate courses of the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI English for Business, levels 1, 2 and 3) to corporate clients from Central Asian countries. As a part of the international teaching mobility, Dr. Shegebayev has been invited as a visiting professor to universities in Turkey and Hungary.
Selected research publications:
Shegebayev, M. (December, 2015). Corpus Building in Kazakhstan: An Examination of the Terminology Development in the Oil and Gas Sector. A chapter for Language Change in Central Asia, Berlin, Germany: De Gruyter Mouton. (E. Ahn & J. Smagulova (Eds.)), http://www.degruyter.com/view/books/9781614514534/9781614514534-010/9781614514534-010.xml
Ahn, E., Shegebayev, M. (in progress). In the Absence of Research Governance: Constructing a Contextually-Informed Research Ethic. A chapter for Reimagining utopias: Theory and method for educational research in post-socialist contexts volume (I. Silova, N. Sobe, A. Korzh, & S. Kovalchuk (Eds.)).
Shegebayev, M., Seitova, A. (in progress). A chapter on Kazakhstan in Perceptions of Educational Leadership and Culture: a Comparative Study book project coordinated by the National Institute of Educational Management and Leadership, Malaysia.
Shegebayev, M. (in progress). Linguistic diversity and business communication in today’s Kazakhstan. A chapter for Sociolinguistic transition in former Soviet and Eastern Bloc countries: Recent developments in two decades after the regime change (P. Laihonen, M. Sloboda & A. Zabrodskaja (Eds.)) for Peter Lang’s series Prague Papers on Language, Society and Interaction / Prager Arbeiten zur Sprache, Gesellschaft und Interaktion, edited by Jiří Nekvapil, Tamah Sherman and Petr Kaderka.
Burkhalter, N. & Shegebayev, M. (2012) Critical Thinking as Culture: Teaching Post-Soviet Teachers in Kazakhstan. The International Review of Education (Vol. 58, 1), http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11159-012-9285-5
Burkhalter, N. & Shegebayev, M. (2010). The Critical Thinking Movement in Kazakhstan: A Progress Report. Research in Comparative and International Education (RCIE), December issue, http://rci.sagepub.com/content/5/4/434.full.pdf+html
Smagulova, A., Shegebayev, M., Garkavenko, V. & Boolaky, M., (2009). Ethical Practices & Social Responsibility of Kazakhstani Tourism Business: A Pilot Study in the Tour Operator Sector. Central Asia Business Journal, November issue, Vol. 2, http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.455.9559&rep=rep1&type=pdf
Contact Information:
Phone: (7-727) 270-43-67, ext. 2137
Office: #225/Dostyk
E-mail: magas@kimep.kz
Skype: maganatkz
DBA KIMEP University, Kazakhstan, Almaty (2012)
Su Jin Lee, PhD
Assistant Professor
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Short Biography
Dr. Su Jin Lee is an assistant professor of Language Center, KIMEP University. She received her Ph.D. from the State University of New York at Buffalo in 2009. Prior to joining KIMEP, she was a head researcher and director of Practical English Education Center at Hanyang University, South Korea. Her research interests focus on three interrelated areas of concerns: a) effective instructional methods to develop English as a Second/Foreign Language (ESL/FL) learners’ literacy skills; b) flipped learning strategies to engage ESL/FL learners; and c) young learners’ ESL/FL literacy development. Most importantly, Dr. Lee is passionate and enthusiastic about her teaching; she constantly improves her teaching skills to help students be knowledgeable and critical about content areas. Dr. Lee is currently teaching Academic Reading and Writing II, Academic English Speaking, Curriculum Design, Teaching English through Children’s Literature, Introduction to Second Language Acquisition and Second Language Acquisition Research.
Current Publications
- Lee, S. J. & Lee, D. (2016). Effects of Corrective Feedback on Grammatical Accuracy of EFL Writing. Learner-centered Curriculum and Instruction, 16(11).
- Lee, D. & Lee, S. J. (2017). Effect of Two Types of Feedback on Accuracy Development of L2 Writing. Learner-centered Curriculum and Instruction, 17(17).
- Lee, S. J. & Yoon, H. K. (2018). Input talks: a case study of one experienced preschool teacher’s use of English input. Learner-centered Curriculum and Instruction, 18(16).
- Lee, S. J. (in progress). Kazakhstani graduate students’ perceptions of flipped instruction. The Journal of Modern British & American Language & Literature 37(1).
Hamid Reza Shahbazkia
Hamid Reza Shahbazkia is an professor at the College of…
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Hamid Reza Shahbazkia is an professor at the College of Humanities and Education. He received his PhD in Computer Science from University of Strasbourg, France. He has more than 25 years of teaching experience. He taught Machine Learning, Artificial intelligence, Data structures and algorithms, Database system management, Computer Graphics and architecture, and etc. Professor Shahbazkia has extensive research experience. Many of his publications can be found on his Researchgate profile (https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Hamid_Shahbazkia).