Foreign students studying at the Department of language and General education of foreigners are interested in everything related to the modern history of our country. Teachers, curators and advisors of the Department regularly conduct educational events dedicated to significant dates. The next event was held on November 17, 2020 - an open curatorial hour on the topic: "Day of the national currency of Kazakhstan" for students who study Russian. During the curatorial hour, foreign citizens learned new information about the national currency of the Republic of Kazakhstan tenge.

In 2020, the capital of Kazakhstan, Nur-Sultan, celebrated its 23rd anniversary. Unfortunately, traditional excursions organized for foreign students to the main city of the Republic are not possible this year due to the pandemic. Despite this, teachers of the Department of language and General education of foreigners introduce their students to the history and present day of Nur-Sultan. The audience was very interested to learn facts they didn't know about the proposed topic. The teachers illustrated their story with a video presentation. Thus, foreign citizens were able to admire the beautiful examples of the city's architecture. It seems that at the first opportunity, listeners will go to see the modern metropolis firsthand.

On November 15, 1993, the national currency of Kazakhstan, the tenge, was put into circulation. Since then, this day is considered the official day of the national currency. This date was dedicated to the educational event "Tenge - the national currency of Kazakhstan" for students studying the Kazakh language, organized by teachers of the Department of language and General education of foreigners. Mentors introduced students to the historical background of the tenge, as well as told about the factory for the production of tenge, clearly demonstrating this through a slide show. Today, the tenge is the economic basis of independence, a symbol of sovereignty, a full-fledged part of the modern history and future of Kazakhstan.

During the event, foreign students were able to ask questions and get answers to them. Students from China and Korea learned a lot about the national currency, and also thanked the teachers for interesting information.

To diversify the learning process, the curators and leaders of the clubs are conducting cognitive educational activities during quarantine. On November 13, 2020, teachers of the Department of Language and General Education of Foreigners of the Faculty of Pre-University Education and the "Club of Russian Literature Lovers" held another online event on the topic "What a beauty these fairy tales are!"

        The study of Russian folk tales forms a foreign listener's idea of those images that are familiar to a Russian person from childhood. Those fairy-tale characters are : Baba Yaga, Koschey the Immortal, Serpent Gorynych, Firebird, Ivan the Tsarevich, sister Alyonushka and brother Ivanushka. In this lesson, foreign listeners got acquainted with Russian fairy tales. In a fairy tale a special, mysterious world appears. Extraordinary fantastic heroes act in them, good and truth overcome darkness, evil and lies. Foreign listeners were watching the colorful presentation with great interest.

Acquaintance with Russian folk tales enables a foreign listener to penetrate into the atmosphere of Russian culture, to get an idea of the life and character of the Russian people.

Since 1991, the Kazakh national University has been named after al-Farabi. Foreign students have always been interested in the question of why al-Farabi became the face of the leading University in Kazakhstan. Teachers of the Department of language and General education of foreigners always devoted curatorial hours to the personality of the scientist, where they talked about the main milestones of al-Farabi's life. This topic became especially relevant in the year of the 1150th anniversary of the great scientist of the East. Another educational event "al-Farabi - the great thinker of the East" was held with foreign students studying the Kazakh language. During the curatorial hour, students learned about the facts of the biography of the philosopher, mathematician, music theorist, "Second teacher", one of the largest representatives of medieval Eastern philosophy.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, foreign students were not able to come to Almaty this academic year. However, the online learning format should not be a hindrance to the process of familiarizing foreign students with the city where the al-Farabi Kazakh national University is located. Teachers of the Department of language and General education of foreigners talk about the history and culture of Kazakhstan, conducting virtual excursions, during which students learn a lot of new and interesting things. On November 04, 2020, an online tour on the theme "theaters of Almaty" was presented to students. Foreign citizens got acquainted with the cultural life of the southern capital of Kazakhstan.

As you know, the Department of language and General education training of foreigners successfully operates clubs for educational work. The purpose of the clubs is to provide as much information as possible to students from abroad about Kazakhstan, the history, traditions and culture of the peoples living in the Republic and, above all, the Kazakh people.

One of the clubs for educational work is the Sayahat club. Usually the leaders of the club organize excursions, during which foreign students get acquainted with the sights of Almaty, go on excursions to the city of Turkestan, to the capital of the country, the city of Nur-Sultan. In terms of online training, teachers conduct virtual excursions. On October 30, 2020, one of these excursions to the exhibition dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the birth of the Kazakh Soviet artist Yevgeny Sidorkin was held. During the event, the audience got acquainted with the biographical data of the graphic artist, people's artist of Kazakhstan. Teachers demonstrated graphic works and illustrations for works of art. Foreign students took the information prepared by their mentors with great interest.

The year 2020 marks the 90th anniversary of the outstanding artist of Kazakhstan, graphic artist Yevgeny Sidorkin. The club for educational work "Kazakhstan Studies", working at the Department of language and General education of foreigners, dedicated its next event to the people's artist of Kazakhstan. During the event, teachers told foreign students in detail about the life and work of E.M.Sidorkin. The audience had the opportunity to get acquainted with the most famous works of the artist. In conclusion, the teachers answered questions from the audience.

Teachers and curators-advisors of the Department of language and General education training of foreign students on a permanent basis conduct career guidance work with students from abroad. At curatorial hours and other open educational events, they tell students about the leading University in Kazakhstan.

On October 27, 2020, the event "I am studying at KazNU!" was held. During the event, teachers told foreign students about the leading multidisciplinary higher education institution in Kazakhstan, about the education system in KazNU. Students were shown videos, photos, and slides. The curatorial hour was held in the format of an online round table, where foreign citizens were able to ask their questions.

For almost a month and a half, foreign students have started their studies at the Department of language and General education of foreigners. They study Russian and Kazakh languages here. It is not easy for students, because it is not easy to learn a foreign language online, as they say, "from scratch". But we can say with confidence that the guys already have their first successes!

On October 27, 2020, curators-advisors held an introductory event "Faculty for foreign citizens", where they told the audience in detail about the faculty and the Department where they are studying. Students were interested in learning about the curriculum and academic calendar offered to them. The teachers focused on the main stages of the Department's development, told about the teachers and graduates. In conclusion, the mentors answered questions from the audience.