Can you introduce yourself briefly and tell us a little about your background?
I’m Saadat Alieva a Kyrgyz FLTA 2022-2023 at HLS at Indiana University in Bloomington. I’m teaching American students my native language. Back in Kyrgyzstan, I teach English at Logos Education Center. I attended I. Arabaev Kyrgyz State University and got a degree majoring in Foreign Languages and finished my Post-graduate Studies (Aspirantura) 13.00.02 Theory and Methods of Teaching and Upbringing. I won the Erasmus+ Mobility Program Grant to study in the Czech Republic. I studied English at the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures in Zlin from 2016-2017.
I’ve worked at school, university, and a number of language courses for the past seven years in Bishkek. I'm passionate about educating, and I like teaching and learning because it's a never-ending process. Life never stops teaching, so you might as well never stop learning. I enjoy educating because it involves constant growth, expanding knowledge, and learning new skills.
How many sections of Kyrgyz are you teaching? How many students do you teach? Why do you think we should learn Kyrgyz?
I’m teaching Introductory Kyrgyz and Advanced Kyrgyz. I have four graduate students. It is quite surprising for people in Kyrgyzstan to find out that Americans want to learn a rare Kyrgyz language and are eager to know more about my culture. I was delighted to meet so many bright multilingual people at the Central Eurasian Studies Department. Their enthusiasm and genuine love for languages amaze and inspire me.
You should learn Kyrgyz in order to immerse in the culture and understand the perceptions, beliefs, and mindset of the nation.
What classes do you take in the US?
I’m taking first-semester Teaching Methods of Less Commonly Taught Languages a special course for FLTAs and a Phonology class from Second Language Studies. The first class has been practical and compelling because we learn the most effective ways of teaching a language based on the Communicative Approach. This course taught me how to implement best practices with knowledge about performance objectives, assessments, instructional materials, and intercultural communication. My fellow FLTAs share their perspective, lesson plans and do teaching demos, observe language classes, provide feedback, and share strategies that work. It greatly facilitated my professional growth as a language teacher.
The phonology class provided a hands-on approach to teaching pronunciation by evaluating teaching priorities, methods, and pedagogical choices. It’s been insightful and helpful. I wasn’t aware that there are abundant interactive, feasible activities that can be utilized to teach pronunciation before this class.
Is this your first time in the US?
Yes, I’ve never been to the States before and I’m grateful to the Fulbright program for this life-changing opportunity.
There are quite a few things that are different from what I’m used to. I never realized before coming here how huge the country is, so distances between places are vast.
I must confess, I love how friendly and smiley people are. They are polite, say ‘hi’ to strangers, and say ‘thank you’ when getting off the bus. Another lovely thing, squirrels are everywhere. They aren’t afraid of people at all. Perhaps it’s just Indiana University with plentiful trails and vegetation.
Overall, I’m having a great time broadening my worldview and meeting new people from different backgrounds with unique experiences. It’s just the beginning of my transformative journey.
Is there anything you miss from Kyrgyzstan?
Obviously, I miss my parents and my siblings. The other thing I’m missing is Kyrgyz food which is insanely delicious, cheap, and organic. Although it’s time-consuming to prepare, it’s worth it, especially, manty “dumplings,” kuurdak, and kurut.
What is your favorite thing to do in the US?
Socializing and interacting with people and going to events. There’s constantly something happening especially at the weekends. I appreciate that there are so many volunteer organizations helping international students to adapt to a new life. They are willing to help you with transportation and other logistical issues. Also, I love travelling and visiting new places.
Is there anything you’d like the readers to know about Kyrgyzstan?
After traveling to over dozen countries, I realized that not many people know about my country. Kyrgyzstan is a unique and amazing country with authentic traditions and history. It has a rich nomadic culture. The nature of Kyrgyzstan has a wild untouched beauty that is rarely found anywhere else around the world. It has pristine, unspoiled nature, breathtaking and diverse landscapes, spectacular mountains, and numerous trails. Also, Kyrgyz people are famous for being hospitable and the most welcoming. If you are a guest here you will be treated like royalty with the utmost respect and showered with treats and bountiful food. So welcome to Kyrgyzstan.
Do you think learning Kyrgyz is difficult for an English speaker?
Yes, I think learning Kyrgyz is difficult for a native English speaker. Some reason might be the Cyrillic script which is different from the one they know. Also, Kyrgyz has specific sounds that students often struggle with, vowel harmony, and of course grammar. Yet, if you know a Turkic language then it should be easy to learn.
Do you have any advice for learning languages from your own experience?
To learn a language you have to be diligent, consistent, and persistent and be ready to spend hours listening immersing yourself in the language. It’s essential if your goal is fluency. Another thing is getting engaged with interesting content if you find that you become more and more motivated. This is what I did to boost my skills. I watched TV series, I’m a film buff, listened to podcasts and I read extensively classical literature. I’m a bookworm and I love reading F. Scott Fitzgerald, E. Bronte, R. Bradbury and J. Fowles. You have to find a topic that’s of interest to you in order to get committed to language learning. Do you what you enjoy doing in the target language, to make the experience positive. Moreover, don’t be afraid to make mistakes, it’s natural. Making mistakes, and forgetting is all part of learning. In fact, it’s good to forget, relearn, forget, relearn.