Potential for use of the paleontological component in the extracurricular activities of secondary school students in English

The article is devoted to the application of elements of paleontology in extracurricular activities in English. The language policy of the state, as well as the programs «Tugan Zher» and «Sacred Geography of Kazakhstan» speak in favor of such integration. The authors argue that materials rich in the linguoculturological aspect contribute to the introduction of people to the linguocultures of other ethnic groups within a single state, and also evoke great motivation to learn languages. It has been proven that now-extinct animals, such as mammoths, dinosaurs, and other representatives of zoological species known from archaeological finds, lived on the territory of Kazakhstan. The correct application of these rich materials in the project activities of schoolchildren has the potential to develop an active civic position, as well as linguistic and cultural competencies. The authors refer to the experience of Gareth Dyke, a specialist in paleontology from the UK, and Dmitry Malakhov, a leading researcher at the Department of Remote Sensing of the Earth, JSC «NCKIT», to confirm that elements of paleontology in extracurricular activities in English could also positively affect the expansion of knowledge on such subjects as English and Biology. Thus, the integration of paleontology in extracurricular activities and the study of English in project activities can potentially provide deeper immersion in the culture and history of their country, their motherland