THE HISTORY OF THE KAZAKH PRIMER

Abstract

This study explores the historical development of Kazakh primers and examines the linguistic and pedagogical foundations of Akhmet Baitursynuly’s reformed Arabic-based Kazakh alphabet. Through a comparative historical analysis of early primers and educational materials, the research identifies the methodological limitations of pre-Baitursynuly literacy approaches and demonstrates the scientific consistency of his phonetic system, which accurately reflects the structural properties of the Kazakh language. The study further traces the evolution of primer design throughout the twentieth century, emphasizing that later attempts did not fully reproduce the systematic and pedagogically grounded model established in Baitursynuly’s Alippe.

The aim of the research is to analyse the historical trajectory of Kazakh primer development, compare literacy-teaching models before and after Baitursynuly, and substantiate the continuing relevance of his alphabet and instructional methodology for contemporary primary education. The findings show that Baitursynuly’s script reform – based on a rigorous analysis of Kazakh phonetics, morphology, and orthographic principles – formed a linguistically coherent and pedagogically effective foundation for early literacy.

The study concludes that integrating Baitursynuly’s phonetic principles and instructional strategies into current literacy programmes may considerably enhance functional literacy outcomes in primary schools. The theoretical significance of the research lies in demonstrating the importance of scientifically grounded alphabets and structured language instruction in literacy development, providing insights for aligning Kazakh language education with internationally recognised pedagogical standards.

Data and methods. The research employs retrospective, comparative-historical, linguistic, and descriptive methods, supported by the analysis of archival materials and early educational texts.