In early December, methodological and language experts of JSC IITU, including Candidate of Philological Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of Languages D.A. Aliyeva; Candidate of Philological Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of Languages O.V. Bublikova; and MA in TESOL, Senior Lecturer of the Department of Languages Z.M. Ainabayeva held a series of online consultations in the form of a question-and-answer conversation with school teachers from Astana, Almaty and Shymkent. The main objectives of the consultation were: summing up the results of the trainings held in autumn 2024; conducting a conversation in the form of an open dialogue, in which the main points in training are highlighted; using the Akelius platform in solving the problem of a multi-level class, etc.

The consultations were attended by teachers from Secondary School No.181 and Secondary School No.186 named after S. Kopbaev in Almaty, from School No.67 named after Ilyas Yesenberlin in Astana, from Secondary School No.76 named after Rysbek Myrzashev, Secondary School No.80 named after Akseleu Seidimbek, Secondary School No.86 in Shymkent, as well as curators of the first phase of the project, participants in the second and third phases of the project under the leadership of UNICEF.

It is worth noting that teachers from Almaty, Astana and Shymkent schools are actively implementing blended learning models studied at trainings conducted by language and methodological experts from JSC IITU, organized with the support of the UNICEF fund. These efforts are aimed at solving key educational problems in multi-level classes, including using the Akelius platform and modern AI technologies as additional educational tools. For example, "Station Rotation", "RAFT" and other models were presented at the trainings, but "Station Rotation" received the greatest response. Teachers emphasize that this method allows for dynamically changing types of activities in the lesson. As Gulmira Otysbaevna from Astana noted, “This learning model demonstrates high efficiency in my classroom. Students learn better when they are actively involved in the educational process”.

The Akelius platform, used in combination with these models, helps solve problems of multi-level learning. Teachers note that weak students begin to repeat words, pronouncing them confidently, and even show interest in learning foreign languages. However, challenges remain. As Shynar Orynbekovna from Shymkent pointed out, “Sometimes there are problems with the Internet connection, which negatively affects the work with the platform.” This aspect still needs to be improved. Issues related to the use of AI were also actively discussed. Many teachers learned about tools such as ChatGPT, Canva, and OneNote for the first time and began to use them in preparing lessons. However, as Ulzhalgas Ismailovna admitted, “We still don't have enough time to fully master these technologies and adapt them to each lesson.”

Special attention was given to inclusion. For instance, in General Secondary School No. 86 in Shymkent, a teacher successfully prepared a student for an Olympiad using Akelius. Such examples show that mixed technologies can be a powerful tool for an individual approach. During the final consultations, teachers expressed their wishes for improving the platform: adding games and texts to Akelius, providing additional tablets and strengthening technical support. Many teachers also expressed a desire to share their experience by speaking at the upcoming conference, scheduled for March 2025, with a report on mentoring, inclusion, etc.

It is worth noting that the trainings and subsequent online consultations were an attempt to become an important step in the successful integration of the Akelius platform into regular classrooms through blended learning models using AI capabilities, equipping teachers with the necessary skills and knowledge, this UNICEF-supported initiative aims to improve the quality of education for students of all levels and contribute to the overall success of the Akelius platform.

It is important to mention that the feedback indicated that teachers continue to show interest in using the Akelius platform in their teaching practice. Teachers have expanded their understanding that the Akelius app is great not only for blended learning models, but also in a regular lesson. And vice versa. Most teachers have been quite active in online consultations.These trainings and subsequent discussions became an important step in integrating blended learning models into the educational system of Kazakhstan. Teachers not only mastered new approaches, but also began to actively share their experiences. As one participant emphasized: “We see progress, and this inspires us to move forward.”