INTERACTIVE METHODS OF TEACHING HARD AND SOFT CONSONANT GRAPHEMES OF THE OLD TURKIC LANGUAGE IN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

Abstract

The article examines a methodological framework for teaching the graphemes representing back and front consonants in Old Turkic at higher education institutions. The graphic system of Old Turkic written monuments constitutes an important source for understanding the historical phonetics, writing traditions, and patterns of vowel harmony in the Turkic languages. However, in university-level Old Turkic courses, students often experience difficulties in mastering the graphemic system, particularly the conventions used to represent back and front variants of consonants. Therefore, identifying theoretically grounded and pedagogically effective approaches to the acquisition of Old Turkic script remains a relevant scholarly and methodological issue. The research aim is to propose an effective methodological framework for teaching the graphemes of back and front consonants in Old Turkic at the university level through interactive and contemporary approaches. The study analyses the phonetic and graphic features of consonant graphemes attested in Old Turkic written monuments and systematises the principles governing the use of their back and front series. It also reviews current practices in teaching Old Turkic in higher education and evaluates students’ level of mastery of the graphemic system. The article proposes effective strategies for acquiring Old Turkic script through the use of interactive teaching methods. In particular, it systematises instructional approaches based on comparative analysis, visual models, graphic schemes, and a structured set of practical tasks. The proposed methodological framework facilitates students’ understanding of the orthographic conventions of Old Turkic writing and promotes a deeper mastery of its historical phonetics and graphemic structure.