60CHALLENGES AND POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS OF TEACHING ENGLISH PRONUNCIATION AS A SECOND LANGUAGE IN UZBEK CLASSES
Kamuna Ismailovna Babajanova
Senior Teacher of the Department of Foreign Languages, Nukus State Pedagogical Institute
kamunababaj anova@mail.ru
Nargiza Xalbayevna Babadjanova
Teacher of the Department of Foreign Languages, Chirchik State Pedagogical University
n.babadjanova@cspi.uz
ABSTRACT
This article discusses the challenges of teaching English pronunciation to Uzbek learners, who face difficulties due to cultural differences and the use of British English in the classroom. The author proposes a lesson plan that integrates listening, speaking, and pronunciation skills, and utilizes Bloom's taxonomy to provide sequential activities. The lesson plan emphasizes group and pair work, and encourages teachers to act as facilitators rather than pronunciation checkers. The article argues that the goal of teaching English pronunciation should be international intelligibility rather than native-like proficiency, and that learners and teachers should view each other as equal interlocutors in communication.
Keywords: pronunciation, activity, Bloom's Taxonomy, Uzbek learners.
INTRODUCTION
It is significant to note that, according to the facts that, the English language is considered the official language of 67 different countries and 27 non-sovereign entities around the world. But additionally, English is also spoken in many countries where it's not an official language. English has become a universal language therefore people try to learn this language and easily utile in their oral and written performance. English is a common language for representatives of various national cultures, in particular British and American, which is reflected in speech behavior and, above all, in pronunciation. Besides receptive (listening and reading) and productive skills (speaking and writing) there is another capacity which is pronunciation is highly demanded in the society.Because, it plays an important role while making conversation with native speakers.There are different ways and techniques to learn native pronunciation. However, not -native learners face some issues while practicing the language. In particular, in Uzbekistan the English language is taught as a second language and Uzbek
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learners have difficulty in learning English pronunciation. Of course educators look for and recommend some effective solutions to solve learners' problem in the classroom.
MATERIALS
Pronunciation is key component of foreign language learning, it demonstrates how well the speaker use a foreign language properly in conversation, put emphasis in a word and in sentences correctly and keep intonation in balance.In Uzbek local content there are students are capable of following pronunciation rules and standards so as to speak as a native speakers.
Within the framework of the territorial variability of the English language and various pronunciation variants, it is necessary to identify countries in which English is the native language for the majority of the population [1]:
1) the British pronunciation variant is the United Kingdom,
Australia, New Zealand, South Africa;
2) American pronunciation - USA;
2) North American pronunciation - Canada;
3) the influence of British origin has been preserved in the Western Africa, although the pronunciation has its own specifics.
Europe and Russia use the British pronunciation in teaching English as a foreign language.
However, it is important to note that currently there is a significant numerical superiority of native speakers of the American version of English pronunciation in the world, in particular, this variant is manifested in Southeast Asia, in the countries of the Pacific ocean [2].
National pronunciation standards:
1. Great Britain- RP (Received Pronunciation or Air Force English).
2. USA-GA (General American or American Network English).
3. Canada- GenCan (General Canadian).
4. Australia-GenAus (General Australian).
In Uzbek classes educators exploit British pronunciation and teach students due to its accuracy and closer factors to the Uzbek language. The linguistic situation in the British Isles is characterized by the juxtaposition of a highly prestigious, geographically unrelated to any area (only historically with the Southeast), performing the most important social functions of the orthoepic pronunciation norm, on the one hand, and a complex system of socio-territorial pronunciation types, including regional standards
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such as Scottish, Welsh, Northern and Irish having limited social and communicative functions, on the other hand. "The type of pronunciation is an indicator of socio -territorial, socio-class and socio-group, as well as functional and stylistic differentiation" [1]. According to his ideas it can be clear that, while teaching British pronunciation both teachers and learners face obstacle which is related to "socio-territorial, socio-class and socio-group, as well as functional and stylistic differentiation" in pronouncing. While using visual authentic materials to teach pronunciation and practice time Uzbek learners have difficulty in diffferenciating speakers', actors' dialects, slangs, informal speech compositions and it effects pronouncing and understanding their meaning.
RESULTS
In order to solve cultural-based challenges in teaching pronunciation Uzbek educators recommend to utilize various techniques and methods to avoid challenges and it is hoped to correct Uzbek learners' pronunciation in English.
Integrating listening, pronunciation, and speaking skills
Pronunciation is a sub-skill of listening and speaking that cannot be separated from oral communication. It offers accuracy of oral production whereas listening and speaking skills cover fluency. Students need pronunciation to manage their sounds as well as listening and speaking skills to develop their interpersonal communication (Murphy, 1991). In accordance with Murphy's (1991) notion, my lesson plan integrates listening, speaking, and pronunciation skills to support students to optimally process and produce L2 sounds for their oral communication purposes. However, it aims to promote intelligibility rather than perfect accuracy.
As a receptive skill, listening activities will help students to obtain and to process inputs. It allows students to process „phonological, grammatical, lexical and propositional' inputs that are useful in understanding spoken language (Rost 2001, p.7). It also offers bottom-up language process by changing sound structures into meanings that will be retained as knowledge for their language production (Richards, 2001). On the other hand, speaking exercises will give students significant opportunities to practice their pronunciation in natural environments. Students can control the word's sound pattern and apply it to conversation. Students will be better able to interact with their interlocutors if they can control their articulation in this situation. They will also be challenged to make a comprehensible speech to succeed in oral communication (Bygate, 2001). Regarding this understanding, I integrate listening, pronunciation, and speaking skills for my lesson plan.
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Referring to Bloom's taxonomy for sequential activities
Anderson et al. (2001) suggest that teaching activities should have general and specific objectives to enable teachers to plan and achieve their intended result. In line with Anderson's et al. (2001) suggestion, the lesson plan provides teaching objectives that are breakdown into goal and instructional objectives. The aim states general objective while instructional objectives pay attention specific content areas to demonstrate learners' behavior on a specific topic they will perform. In order to assist educators supporting measurable learning activities, Bloom's (1956) taxonomy in Anderson et al. (2001) can be utilized. Mainly, it measures students' knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. This taxonomy helps teachers to translate what they want to achieve and to indicate explicitly what students must do in order to show their learning outcome by measuring students' cognitive, affective, and psychomotor areas (ibid).
The activities proposed lesson plans start from common and ordinary into complex activities to help students enhance their cognitive competence. The activity starsts with checking students' schemata of variety English pronunciation that will be discussed in order to lead and set them on a specific topic. It is followed by identifying a minimal pair of voiced and voiceless consonants' sounds. In order to follow up their identification skills and to give practice, repeating the sounds heard is needed. Furthermore, reading aloud by teachers or audio records allows them to have various inputs. Considering that learning pronunciation needs to be taught in communicative ways (Seidlhofer, 2001), pair and group works will facilitate students to share information and improve their cognitive, affective, psychomotor skills by negotiating of meaning and practicing problem solving.
Applying a group game will enable students to complete complex tasks in attractive ways. A game can develop students' knowledge, problem solving, and interpersonal skills. It also can motivate students to actively participate the learning activities (Xiaoxuan and Rong, 2011).
Activities for Bloom's Taxonomy for teaching pronunciation
memorize grammar rules and vocabulary words, list words you come across when reading books, repeat pronunciation of new words.
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Understand summarize what was said in a text or video, try to comprehend how the sounds are sounding with a classmate, translate them into native language
Apply present a sentence with the correct use of the pronunciation rule, use vocabulary words correctly in a new text orally, reenact a play we read together, solve a crossword puzzle.
Analyze compare and contrast two types of texts, deduce the meaning of words in a text, link what we've read or watched to something we learned previously.
Evaluate argue a stance during a discussion, support arguments with examples, reflect on behavior or performance, review an object or performance.
Create create oral blog about a topic or an experience, compose lyrics or a poem, design a poster, simulate a news broadcast or documentary video
DISCUSSION
In order to teach pronunciation, use student talk. Exercises for practicing pronunciation can be kept basic and are suitable for students of all skill levels. The major goal of any activity that involves more spontaneous speaking with students is often for them to improve their spoken fluency in the target language. By the feedback we give them on their language use, the activity also helps pupils improve their accuracy. At whatever level, when my students engage in such group or pair work speaking activities, observing and take notes in three categories: pronunciation, grammar, and lexis. In the latter, in addition to unknown lexis, it can be clear cover topics like register, function, and set phrases; in the former, also any aspect of pronunciation that can cause misunderstandings. This covers diphthongs, consonant sounds, vowel sounds (including weak variants), word stress, and sentence stress. By having some straightforward activities prepared that only call for the board and a fundamental understanding of the phonemic chart, all of these areas can be handled quickly and effectively. By
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speaking activities learners can feel their mistakes and can correct them with their teachers. Because if a student say a word or a sentence how well we know it is correct pronunciation or not?!
Furthermore, attempting to blend up exercises and activities according to Bloom's taxonomy so that they inquire both lower and higher arrange considering aptitudes from understudies.
This way, the exercises are changed, and distinctive abilities will be practiced by the conclusion of a cycle. It is required something from each level, in spite of the fact that that doesn't continuously apply. Sadly, if the class has a large number of kids, the "head-master game" It was suggested will be difficult to complete. That might be accomplished by separating a class into two large groups and selecting two students to serve as game supervisors. Teachers can keep an eye on the action from the back row. In my final activity, students was asked to discuss their experiences learning voiced and voiceless consonants in order to identify their challenges and potential workarounds for future learning procedures. Also required of them is a summary or conclusion of the learning exercises they have completed. Teachers may declare it for students if no student can properly complete the learning exercises.
CONCLUSION
If English teachers are aware of the shift in the pedagogical objective from native-like proficiency to international intelligibility, they can help their students become successful multicompetent speakers in wider communication. Moreover, approach for teaching English pronunciation should urge teachers to change their position from pronunciation checkers to facilitators who offer advice and comments to students. Lesson plans that have been carefully thought out are required to direct teaching activities. People's perceptions of native speakers' preferences will afterwards gradually shift. They ought to view people as equal interlocutors with whom they can communicate in a way that both parties can understand. Instead of comparing which English is the best among them, they should negotiate meaning while speaking.
REFERENCES
1. Ponomarenko, E.M. On the principles of synergetic research of speech activity // Questions of Philology, 2017, No. 1. pp. 14-23.
2. Shevchenko, T. I. Theoretical phonetics of the English language : a textbook for universities / T. I. Shevchenko. - 3rd ed. - Moscow: Yurayt, 2021. -196 p.
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3. Murphy, J. M. (1991). Oral communication in TESOL: Integrating speaking, listening, and pronunciation. TESOL Quarterly, 25(1), pp. 51-75.
4.Rost, M. (2001). Listening. In R. Carter & D. Nunan (Eds.), The Cambridge guide to teaching English to speakers of other languages (pp. 7-13). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
5.Anderson, L. W., Krathwohl, D. R., Airasian, P. W., Cruikshank, K. A., Mayer, R. E., Pintrich, P. R., Raths, & J., Wittrock. (Eds.). (2001). A taxonomy for learning, teaching and assessing: A revision of Bloom's taxonomy of educational objectives. New York: Addison Wesley Lonman, Inc.
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7. Xiaoxuan, Z., & Rong, G. (2011). Games in PBL teaching for vocational school students. In International Conference on Consumer Electronics, Communications and Networks pp. 4100-4103.
8. Babajanova, K.I.(2022). The Importance of Teaching Vocabulary. Central Asian Research Journal for Interdisciplinary Studies (CARJIS), 2(5), 738-742.
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