Theoretical foundations of teaching M. Shokai’s letters through a research-based approach

Abstract

This research article examines the scientific and methodological aspects of teaching emigrant epistolary literature in higher education. The object of the study was the use of emigrant letters as educational material within literary courses at universities. The article identifies issues that hinder the full disclosure of the genre characteristics of Kazakh emigrant epistolary heritage and its potential in the teaching process. The study employed literary analysis, comparative methods, systematization, and pedagogical modeling. Emigrant letters are considered not only as historical documents but also as literary texts reflecting personal worldviews and national ideas, highlighting their cognitive and educational potential. In particular, Mustafa Shokay’s epistolary heritage is analyzed as a representative example of the emigrant discourse. As a result, the literary, pedagogical, and methodological principles of teaching emigrant epistolary literature are consolidated into a coherent system, and the main components of a methodological model for higher education are proposed. The findings aim to develop students’ historical and cultural consciousness, enhance skills in comprehensive text analysis, and modernize the content of literary education. Mustafa Shokay’s epistolary heritage is examined as a significant source of Kazakhstan’s history and culture, as well as a spiritual and literary value, with scientific-theoretical justification of its genre specificity, stylistic, and ideological-content features at a high literary discourse level. Consequently, the representative nature of the emigrant epistolary genre and its cognitive and spiritual role in shaping national consciousness and historical awareness are confirmed. The conclusions and scientific results of the study can be applied to improve the teaching of epistolary genres in universities and schools, develop special courses and elective disciplines, and clarify the current issues and future directions in the scholarly study of Kazakh epistolary heritage.