Content-Based English Instruction through Abai's Words of Edification in Kazakhstani Trilingual Higher Education

Although multilingual English language education increasingly calls for approaches that combine language development with authentic cultural content, Kazakhstan's own literary heritage remains largely absent from English language classrooms, leaving a gap between national cultural resources and English language pedagogy. Abai Kunanbayev's Words of Edification, in particular, remain largely underutilized as authentic instructional material despite their educational potential. This study addresses this gap by exploring the use of Words of Edification as authentic materials within a content-based instruction (CBI) framework for developing English language skills in trilingual higher education. A qualitative interpretivist case-study design was adopted to examine 40 undergraduate students' learning experiences during an eight-week, sixteen-session CBI program structured around a five-stage instructional cycle — pre-reading, reading, vocabulary and language analysis, speaking and discussion, and reflective writing — implemented using ten selected Words of edification. Data were collected through classroom observations, students' reflective journals, and semi-structured interviews, and were analyzed using thematic analysis supported by descriptive frequency counts. The findings revealed that integrating Kunanbayev's philosophical writings enhanced students' reading comprehension, expanded academic vocabulary, promoted critical thinking, and increased engagement in speaking and reflective writing activities, with positive learning experiences reported by 67.5% to 92.5% of participants across all seven thematic categories. These findings suggest that integrating authentic national literary heritage through CBI represents an effective pedagogical model for developing English language skills while strengthening cultural awareness in trilingual higher education.