Unlocking the Secrets of Language Development: Discover how a groundbreaking children's magazine is transforming the way kids connect with their native tongue! From captivating stories to...

The expansion of the application of the state language has always been a primary goal for the language development administration. In the adult world, many programs have been developed to achieve this goal, ranging from courses and translation of official documents to visual information in the streets of cities and villages. But how can we help a child speak their native language, especially if their parents are Russian-speaking? How can we assist a child of another nationality to feel more confident in the future? These thoughts constantly troubled Gulaiym Telmanovna Tolebaeva, who was the head of the language development administration during those years.

– How can an elder simply talk to a child in the evening, how can one tell a fairy tale, or introduce them to a world of folk proverbs and sayings if one does not know all this and has a limited vocabulary? These issues were pressing, – she recalls the events of those distant years.

Moreover, she observed the difficulties faced by preschool educators and primary school teachers. The range of methodological aids available to them was still insufficient. The bookshelves were filled with bright, colorful literature for children, but mostly in Russian and English. One day, the idea arose to try publishing a magazine for children. Initially, it did not receive immediate support; many who had the power to make it happen did not understand why budget funds should be spent on a magazine for kids. Nevertheless, in 2014, the first issue of the publication with the bright title "Күншуақ" was released. Time has proven its necessity. Today, it celebrates its tenth anniversary, having successfully navigated the "kindergarten" age and the period of "primary education."

In the beginning, and even now, it is crucial to make the magazine engaging so that a child's hand naturally reaches for it to flip through the pages again and again. Consulting with educators, parents, grandparents, and tracking children's interests, they created sections and the structure of the little book, starting with an introduction to the alphabet and the specific letters of the Kazakh language. They set themselves the goal of making the history and geography of their homeland accessible and familiarizing young readers with its flora and fauna.

Life often suggested directions for development. For instance, the relevance of trilingualism emerged – they responded to this trend by introducing new sections and educational tasks, offering counting rhymes in Kazakh, Russian, and English. In subsequent issues, they translated other basic words to expand vocabulary.

– To ensure the magazine kept pace with the times, they sought and actively engaged experts, innovative educators, and local authors who write poems and stories for children. Then, the idea arose to feature talented children and their achievements in various fields within the magazine. However, they focused on those participating in school language competitions and Olympiads. They aimed to demonstrate how knowledge of the native and other languages enriches a child's world and broadens their horizons. They introduced experiences gathered from kindergartens, sharing how successfully children participate in aitys and how wonderfully they play the dombra, – continued Gulaiym Tolebaeva.

She took copies of the magazines with her to various committees where the issue of funding the publication arose. She had to advocate for children's interests, including before deputies. And she achieved her goal – the magazine continued to be published. As the interviewee admitted, it is the only one of its kind in Kazakhstan. There are no similar publications in other regions. The people of Aktobe continue to care for the diverse development of children, finding resources to engage them in learning. Two thousand copies are distributed free of charge in schools, kindergartens, and libraries. The magazine was initially monthly but now comes out every two months. Later, a website was launched to make "Күншуақ" more accessible.

The magazine evolved according to readers' interests: some sections lost their relevance, while new ones emerged. For example, they began actively publishing children's own creations and opened a section for parents.

– Nowadays, people are moving to gadgets. But children need to be encouraged to read and awaken their curiosity: here a child fills in answers to quiz questions, there they complete a crossword puzzle, draw a picture, and learn a new word. One day, they will share their drawing or their first poem, – believes the linguist.

And although Gulaiym Tolebaeva has been enjoying well-deserved retirement for several years, she is always ready to share her experience. The language development administration is currently headed by Amangeldy Konakbaev. In the anniversary issue of the magazine, he shared information that, according to research results, the proportion of adults fluent in the state language in the region is 86%. And a new generation is growing that will bring this important indicator to the coveted hundred.