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0THE USE OF COLLOQUIAL VOCABULARY IN TEACHING ENGLISH AT THE
SENIOR LEVEL OF SCHOOL EDUCATION FOR THE FORMATION OF LEXIC
IBRAGIMOVA HULKAR MIRKADIROVNA
2nd year master's student at Miras University
Annotation. This work provides a summary of the key aspects of the topic and highlights the importance of incorporating colloquial vocabulary in English language teaching at the senior level of school education to develop learners' lexical competence. The use of colloquial vocabulary in teaching English at the senior level of school education is a significant aspect of developing learners' lexical competence. Colloquial language, which includes idioms, slang, and informal expressions, is an integral part of everyday communication and is essential for effective language use in real-world contexts. At the senior level of school education, learners are often exposed to more advanced and complex language structures, including formal and academic language. However, the inclusion of colloquial vocabulary in the curriculum can provide learners with the necessary tools to engage in natural, conversational English, which is crucial for their language development and communication skills. The formation of lexical competence is a key goal in language teaching, and the use of colloquial vocabulary can contribute to this by expanding learners' vocabulary, improving their comprehension of authentic language, andfostering their ability to express themselves more naturally and confidently.
Key words: brainstorming, ideation, creativity problem-solving ,innovation collaboration, communication, research, analysis, strategy, implementation, evaluation, adaptability, productivity, time management, leadership, teamwork, entrepreneurship, networking
As students progress through their English language education, the focus often shifts from the basics of grammar and sentence structure to a more nuanced understanding of the language. At the senior level of school education, students are primed to delve deeper into the complexities of English, including the use of colloquial vocabulary. Incorporating colloquial language into the curriculum can be a valuable tool for enhancing students' lexical development and preparing them for real-world communication. Colloquial vocabulary, which encompasses the informal, conversational language used in everyday situations, is a crucial component of natural, fluent English. It differs from the more formal, academic language typically emphasized in traditional language instruction. By exposing students to colloquial vocabulary, teachers can help bridge the gap between the classroom and the authentic, dynamic usage of the language outside of the academic setting.
One of the primary benefits of incorporating colloquial vocabulary into English language teaching at the senior level is the development of lexical competence. Lexical competence refers to the breadth and depth of a student's vocabulary knowledge, including their ability to understand and appropriately use a wide range of words and expressions. By introducing colloquial vocabulary, teachers can expand students' lexical repertoire, equipping them with the necessary tools to comprehend and engage in natural, conversational English. Moreover, the use of colloquial vocabulary can enhance students' communicative competence, which is the ability to use language effectively in real-life situations. Colloquial language is often employed in informal settings, such as conversations with friends, family, or co-workers. By familiarizing students with common colloquial expressions, idioms, and slang, teachers can better prepare them for the linguistic demands they will face in their personal and professional lives. In addition to the linguistic benefits, the incorporation of colloquial vocabulary can also foster cultural awareness and understanding. Colloquial language is often deeply rooted in the cultural context of a language, reflecting the nuances, attitudes, and social norms of a particular community. By exploring colloquial vocabulary, students can gain insights into the cultural underpinnings of the English language, enhancing their intercultural competence and their ability to navigate diverse social situations. When integrating colloquial vocabulary into the seniorlevel English language curriculum, teachers should adopt a thoughtful and strategic approach. It is
essential to strike a balance between the introduction of colloquial language and the continued emphasis on formal, academic English. Colloquial vocabulary should be presented in a contextual and meaningful manner, with clear explanations of its appropriate usage and potential sociocultural implications.
Additionally, teachers should consider incorporating a range of authentic materials, such as popular media, literature, and recordings of natural conversations, to expose students to the diverse forms and applications of colloquial language. This approach not only enhances students' lexical development but also fosters their overall language proficiency and cultural awareness.
In 1980, Paul Meara characterized vocabulary learning as a "neglected aspect of language learning". Now,more than twenty years later, the scenario looks quite different. Today, the studies being carried out on vocabulary acquisition are extensive and there are constantly new approaches evolving on how to improve and
maximize students' learning abilities."The English language is estimated to have anywhere from 100.000 to one million words, depending on how words are counted but in order to communicate in a language effectively the learner only has to master 20 000 words.
In order to obtain these 20000 words, teachers and learners have to make a choice, deciding which method/methods to use in the word acquisition process. There are various methods available for language teachers to work with, in order to increase and develop the students' vocabulary. Therefore, it is of interest to study students' views, thoughts and ideas on vocabulary acquisition, in order to know how teachers can contribute to optimizing their students' learning experience.
In this paper, data on vocabulary teaching and learning strategies collected by means of questionnaires from student groups in the upper secondary school by use of questionnaires will be analyzed, compared and contrasted with the findings within the groups as well as between them. Teacher attitudes to vocabulary have changed a lot over recent years. The use of the word lexis reflects a fundamental shift in understanding, attitude and approach. The increasing availability of corpora(largecomputerized databases of analyzable real conversations and other text), and dictionaries, grammar books and other resources based on them have revealed many surprising features of language that had been previously unrealized. An influential book, The Lexical Approach by Michael Lewis published in 1993, had a significant impact on the profession in raising awareness of the importance of lexis and of the weaknesses of much classroom vocabulary work.
Vocabulary typically refers mainly to single words (e.g. dog, green, wash) and sometimes to very tightly link two or three word combinations (e.g. stock market, compact disk, and sky blue, go off)The concept of lexis refers to our 'internal database' of words and complete 'ready-made' fixed/semifixed/typical combinations of words that we can recall and use quite quickly without having to construct new
phrases and sentences word by word from scratch using our knowledge of grammar. Lexis includes:
a) traditional single-word vocabulary items;
b) common 'going-together patterns' of words (e.g. blonde hair, traffic jam).
These frequent combinations are known as collocations;
c) longer combinations of words that are typically used together as if they were a single item (e.g.someone you can talk to, on-the-spot decisions, I'd rather not say). These longer combinations (which a few years ago would probably not have been considered as anything remotely related to vocabulary) are commonly referred to as chunks or sometimes as multiword items. (Categories b and c are both classed as lexical items).
In generative linguistics, a lexis or lexicon is the complete set of all possible words in a language. In this sense, child, children, child's and children's are four different words in the English lexicon. In systemicfunctional linguistics, a lexis or lexical item is the way one calls a particular thing or a type of phenomenon. Since lexis from a systemic-functional perspective is a way of calling, it can be realised by multiple grammatical words such as "The White House", "New York City" or "heart
attack". Moreover, since lexis is a way of calling, different words such as child, children, child's and children's may realise the same lexical item.
LITERATURE
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