Developmental, Educational, and School Psychology

Linguistic and Social Adaptation Challenges of Repatriated Kazakh Children in Kazakhstani Schools

https://doi.org/10.61838/ijbmc.v13i7.1579
Repatriated Kazakh Students Qandas Linguistic Adaptation Social Adaptation School Integration Language Support Kazakhstan

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Vol. 13 No. 7 (2026): July
Qualitative Study(ies)

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Objective: This study examines the linguistic and social adaptation challenges experienced by repatriated Kazakh children in Kazakhstani secondary schools. It focuses on students’ competence in Kazakh and Russian, the linguistic barriers they encounter in school settings, and the role of family, teachers, and peers in supporting their adaptation.  

Methods and Materials: The study employed a mixed-methods design, combining a quantitative questionnaire with semi-structured interviews. The quantitative phase involved 250 repatriated Kazakh students in grades 8–11 from schools in Almaty, Astana, Mangystau, and Turkistan. The questionnaire examined demographic background, language competence and use, linguistic challenges, and social support. The qualitative phase included semi-structured interviews with 35 students from different countries of origin, including China, Uzbekistan, Mongolia, and Turkmenistan, to explore their experiences of school adaptation in greater depth.  

Findings: The results show that many repatriated students demonstrate stronger oral competence in Kazakh than in academic literacy, particularly in reading and writing. Russian language acquisition emerged as a major barrier, especially for students with limited prior exposure to Russian or Cyrillic-based schooling. Students also reported difficulties with the Cyrillic script, understanding study materials, expressing themselves confidently, and adapting to dialectal differences. Family encouragement, teacher assistance, and classroom support helped students cope with these challenges and develop greater confidence in communication.  

Conclusion: The adaptation of repatriated Kazakh children is shaped by language proficiency, prior educational background, school environment, and social support. The findings highlight the need for targeted language-bridging programs, inclusive teaching practices, and stronger school-based support for young repatriates in Kazakhstan.