5Chirchik State Pedagogical University Current Issues of Modern Philology and Linguodidactics
Staatliche Pädagogische Universität Chirchik Aktuelle Fragen der modernen Philologie und Linguodidaktik
THE ROLE OF LONG READS IN PRE-INTERMEDIATE AND INTERMEDIATE LEVELS TO ENHANCE READING COMPREHENSION
Said-Fozilxon Akmalxonovich Akmalxonov
Teacher, Chirchik State Pedagogical University akmalxonovsaidfozil@ gmail .com s. [email protected]
ABSTRACT
The choice of appropriate reading materials and activities is paramount in English language instruction to foster language learning and proficiency among students. While short texts are commonly employed in language schools, long reads present a valuable opportunity for skill enhancement, particularly at the pre-intermediate and intermediate levels. Extensive research underscores the significant benefits of extensive reading, characterized by the exploration of longer texts, in language development. Such practices contribute to the expansion of vocabulary, enhancement of comprehension skills, and cultivation of cultural understanding. This abstract highlights the importance of incorporating long reading activities into English language instruction to optimize students' language learning experiences and outcomes.
Keywords: Long-read method, effective ways of enriching vocabulary, encouraging students, motivation in study.
ANNOTATSIYA
Ingliz tilini o'qitishda talabalar o'rtasida til o' rganish va malakasini oshirish uchun mos o'qish materiallari hamda mashg'ulotlarini tanlash muhim ahamiyatga ega. Qisqa matnlar odatda maktablarida qo'llanilsa-da, uzoq o'qish usuli orqali o'qib tushunish ko'nikmalarni oshirish uchun juda ham muhimdir. Keng ko'lamli tadqiqotlar tilni rivojlantirishda katta matnlarni o'rganish bilan tavsiflangan keng qamrovli o'qishning muhim afzalliklarini ta'kidlaydi. Bunday amaliyotlar so'z boyligini kengaytirishga, tushunish qobiliyatini oshirishga va madaniy tushunishni rivojlantirishga yordam beradi. Ushbu maqola talabalarning til o'rganish tajribasi va natijalarini optimallashtirish uchun ingliz tilini o'qitishga uzoq o'qish mashg'ulotlarini kiritish muhimligini ta'kidlaydi.
Kalit so'zlar: Uzoq o'qish usuli, so'z boyligini boyitishning samarali usullari, o'quvchilarni rag'batlantirish, o'qishga motivatsiya.
Introduction
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Chirchik State Pedagogical University Current Issues of Modern Philology
Monotony, boring cramming of grammatical rules and, at best, the ability to translate a Russian phrase into a foreign language - that was the limit of perfection in mastering a foreign means of communication. Although the world has long known a huge number of approaches to learning a foreign language and methods, a real revolutionary revolution in the methods of teaching English in our country occurred only in the XX century.1 The choice of suitable reading materials and activities is crucial when it comes to English language instruction because it promotes language learning and competency in students. Long reads offer a great chance to improve students' abilities and competences, especially at the pre-intermediate and intermediate levels, even if short texts are frequently used in language schools. Research indicates that extensive reading, characterized by the exploration of longer texts, can significantly contribute to language development by expanding vocabulary, improving comprehension skills, and fostering cultural understanding. Long reading activities encourage learners to engage with authentic language use, thereby enhancing their fluency, grammar, and syntax skills. However, integrating long reads into language instruction requires careful consideration of learners' proficiency levels, interests, and instructional objectives.4
Methods
An approach to teaching English to learners at the pre-intermediate and intermediate levels that is based on communicative language teaching concepts was taken in order to examine the efficacy of using long reads in this context. However, it should be better to clarify what the long read is. Long read is one of the ways to present information in a substantial extensive text that unfolds the topic, is enriched with details and facts, has over 5,000 symbols and takes from 5-7 minutes to read.5 During the reading activities there could be used several exercises and tasks to identify the result of students' comprehension via long read. Long read activities were incorporated as the primary reading task during classroom sessions. The selection of reading materials encompassed a variety of genres, including articles, short stories, and excerpts from novels, catering to learners' diverse interests and preferences. We are a social being and our survival and happiness depend on other people, so nature has endowed us with the ability to read the emotional
1 Abduramanova D. V. Methods of teaching English as a foreign language //Academic research in educational sciences. - 2021. - T. 2. - №. 8. - C. 260-263.
2 Day R.R., & Bamford, J. Top ten principles for teaching extensive reading. Reading in a Foreign Language. 2002. 136-141 pp.
3 Richards J.C. Longman dictionary of language teaching and applied linguistics. Routledge. 2002
4 Nation P. Teaching ESL/EFL reading and writing. Routledge. 2002.
5 https://brabagency.com/en/insights/longread-plyusy-bolshogo-formata
https://cspu.uz/
April 23-24, 2024 International Scientific and Practical Conference
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Chirchik State Pedagogical University Current Issues of Modern Philology
state of our fellow tribesmen: they are evil or kind, dangerous or safe, friends or enemies.6 In other words, text that includes monotone information may lead declining the motivation of students to read long ones due to its unattractive plot. To prevent it, it, teacher must take into account some details related to the students' interests while searching materials concerned to the text. During the preparation of a material, level of learners and variation of the activities such as pre-reading activities, vocabulary scaffolding, and post-reading discussions are also regarded with an eye to capture students attention and to optimize learning outcomes.
Results
The implementation of long reading activities yielded positive outcomes in learners' language acquisition and proficiency development, for instance: vocabulary expansion, especially context-specific and academic words. This exposure helps them build a robust vocabulary repertoire since learning the words under particular circumstances helps students memorize them easily because our brains may bind the word to a particular event, etc. It is evident that memorizing words apart from their interactions in sentences is ineffective because studying a list of words is challenging in the first place and ultimately results in time wastage as pupils struggle to recall the phrase in certain situations because memorization is devoid of semantic associations and foreign words are stored in short-term memory, where they rapidly
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evaporate. Besides, engaging with longer texts challenges learners to develop their reading comprehension skills, including inference, summarization, and critical thinking, as well as broadening learners' cultural awareness and understanding because many long reads offer insights into different cultures, societies, and historical contexts. Longer texts often mirror real-life language use more closely than shorter texts, exposing learners to authentic language patterns and idiomatic expressions. As a result, learners demonstrated increased confidence and motivation in reading tasks, leading to greater engagement and participation in classroom activities. Feedback from both learners and instructors highlighted the value of incorporating long reads as the main activity for reading at the pre-intermediate and intermediate levels.
Discussion
The results highlight how crucial it is to incorporate long read exercises into English language instruction in order to support students' overall language development. As mentioned before, it enhances students' knowledge and leads to
6 Akmalxonovich F., Yurevna A. Y. ROLE OF STORYTELLING IN TEACHING ENGLISH //Conferencea. - 2022. -C. 505-508.
7 Akmalxonov, S. A. (2023). The main problem of learning english as a foreign language. Finland International Scientific Journal of Education, Social Science & Humanities, 11(4), 573-576.
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Chirchik State Pedagogical University Current Issues of Modern Philology and Linguodidactics
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personally enriching, exposing learners to diverse perspectives, new ideas, and thought-provoking content that serves as excellent prompts for class discussions, debates, and critical analysis. Although there is no denying the advantages of extended reading, in order to optimize the efficacy of education, issues including task design, learner motivation, and book selection must be addressed, since they play a crucial role in forming effective lessons. Students will be engaged in the long read activities if the enumerated factors are taken into consideration during the process of preparing and choosing the materials. To further improve teaching methods and adjust to changing pedagogical trends in language education, continuous research and professional development programs are crucial. Conclusion
In conclusion, the incorporation of long reading activities as the main activity for reading in English language teaching holds immense potential for facilitating language acquisition and proficiency development among pre-intermediate and intermediate level learners. By leveraging authentic texts and employing effective instructional strategies, teachers can create engaging and meaningful learning experiences that empower learners to become proficient and confident users of the English language.
REFERENCES
1. Abduramanova D. V. Methods of teaching English as a foreign language //Academic research in educational sciences. - 2021. - T. 2. - №. 8. - C. 260-263.
2. Day R.R., & Bamford, J. Top ten principles for teaching extensive reading. Reading in a Foreign Language. 2002. 136-141 pp.
3. Richards J.C. Longman dictionary of language teaching and applied linguistics. Routledge. 2002
4. Nation P. Teaching ESL/EFL reading and writing. Routledge. 2002.
5. https://brabagency.com/en/insights/longread-plyusy-bolshogo-formata
6. Akmalxonovich F., Yurevna A. Y. ROLE OF STORYTELLING IN TEACHING ENGLISH //Conferencea. - 2022. - C. 505-508.
7. Akmalxonov, S. A. (2023). The main problem of learning english as a foreign language. Finland International Scientific Journal of Education, Social Science & Humanities, 11(4), 573-576.
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https://cspu.uz/
April 23-24, 2024 International Scientific and Practical Conference
