Fayzullayeva Munavvar Bahodirovna,

Master student of Samarkand State Institute of Foreign Languages

Key words: Information and communication technology (ICT), English as a second language (ESL), English as a foreign language (EFL), motivation, IC devices, challenges and barriers.

It goes without any doubt that technology takes essential part in humans’ life. It helps to transfer any information to anywhere with a fast speed, as well as creates enjoyable, friendly and fun atmosphere in learning and teaching process. With the invention of technology, such as computer, smart phone, video camera and the internet, learning is no longer process, especially in teaching foreign languages. Technology is believed to be able to make students respond positively in a language classroom. The usage of ICT is very important in motivating language learners to participate in lessons actively and to learn successfully. « ICT offers a variety of learning opportunities for students to learn language. ICT can enhance the quality of teaching and learning by providing access to great variety of educational resources and by enabling participatory pedagogies ». [1, 27].

However there are some problems of usage ICT in English classrooms in schools of rural area which come across both teachers and learners throughout the lesson. It is as natural as breathing that teachers of 21^st century have to know utilizing and integrating information and communication devices in teaching process. «There is no doubt that, over the last 15 years, there has been a phenomenal growth in ICT in all aspects of society, and education is not an exception». [2, 12].

Nowadays, some modern and latest IC technologies such as computers, laptops, over head projectors, electronic white boards, televisions, multimedia and web based applications have an important role in teaching and most of them are used in urban schools while schools which are situated in rural areas don’t possess such devices or if they have IC technologies they are not enough for using in teaching or they have problems of maintenance. Today teachers want to integrate ICT in teaching, especially computers should be used during the lesson for enhancing learners’ listening skills and for the rest three skills at the same time, however there is lack of computers in most rural schools and teachers may not have access for using ICT, as they are quite costly. It is one of the barriers of teachers and learners faced. There are some drawbacks with transportation and electricity while utilizing ICT. If there are any problems with electricity during using technological devices, in this case a skillful teacher should have alternative methods and materials for the lesson which are prepared beforehand for language learners. It is visible that technology is playing essential role in every field of life. We lean on electronic devices and we cannot run even our daily activities in the absence of these means. So these IC technologies make people especially the youth moron day by day. People try to find any information or even for finding answers to common questions they search from the internet rather than looking for books. Somehow it is a beneficial and good way for enriching technological literacy, but it makes people lazy and depends on technology rather than using their cerebrum for their thought process. Both teachers’ and learners’ brain should keep working instead of being totally dependent on using devices. As well as teachers and learners should not be addicted to ICT or the internet materials as there is full of fake information. Human being built technology and devices not the technology created him. It is pity that there are some problems with people who are living in virtual life. We know that the youth are attracted by social sites and they are disconnected from the real life. Nowadays most pupils of secondary schools especially in urban areas have their own mobile phones, smart phones and other devices which are connected almost all social sites of the net. While finding information or vocabulary definition from the internet for the lesson, their attention may draw to other distractions which can be easily obstacle for the lesson. «Students need to understand that this school-related communication is different from their social conversations with friends outside of school». [3, 24].

Most of learners cannot interact and share their opinions and problems openly, they prefer to communicate through sites rather than open interactions.

As it is obvious that softwares are keeping on updating and most teachers have not technical skills, it is true that they may have enough teaching experiences but they cannot use modern IC technologies, in this case they should work with the teachers of ICT for running the lesson effectively, if it is necessary.

Another drawback of using ICT is extinction of good handwritings. As nowadays almost all documents are typed and should be in e-version. Pens and papers are easily replaced its places to computers, laptops, smart phones, desktops and tablets, therefore nowadays, finding a good handwriting is like finding a needle in the haystack. While using e-devices people may have some problems with their health, as lack of eyesight, and some problems in our nervous system. More using ICT get people tired quickly and slow down our thinking process.

One of a sorrowful drawback is creating cheating atmosphere in teaching and learning process through ICT. It has already stated about that mechanized world makes the youth lazy day by day. Cheating or plagiarism is illegal activity however technology made it more powerful and easy to use especially while examination environment. It goes without doubt that the internet is full of information and without using thought process they prefer to copy out internet materials.

It should be stated about one of major problems is replacing books with e-books. Nowadays most of our important stuffs are in our favourite gadgests, as mobile phones, smart phones and tablets, even books have e-version and it’s called electronic books. It is known that books are our best friends and assets as well as assistants, nothing can replace them. Electronic books may not be cost- effective and can cause eyestrain. If there are any viruses in your gadgests they may delete or damage e-books, in this case you cannot find and read important information on it in any time you want. But real books are handy to carry with ourselves rather than computers, laptops and we can read them in any time and everywhere.

Today our president is taking into consideration that the youth of our state should read and obtain knowledge from the real books rather than e-books and ICT. Real books can give us real knowledge and truth.

Methodology.

A study aimed at finding difficulties and challenges faced by teachers in using information communication technologies in English classrooms in schools of Samarkand district. 4^th and 11^th secondary schools 11 of English teachers were interviewed. The teachers were selected from two different areas of Samarkand district. 6 teachers from the village of Badal and 5 teachers from Sochak.

The questions of interview were prepared and structured beforehand in order to find the answers and solutions if there are any problems in using ICT, for following research questions:

1. How do Samarkand district secondary school English teachers manage problems in using ICT in teaching EFL (English as foreign language)?

2. If there is a problem with using ICT, how do Samarkand district secondary school English teachers motivate and conduct the lesson without ICT?

Before conducting interviews teachers read the questions and thought about them. Then all interviews were in English in March and April 2019 and the interviews lasted about 40-50minutes and they were recorded. After the interviews the researcher looked through and listened again the answers of the interviewers in order not to lose important data.

Results and discussion.

Table 1 shows that 11 secondary school English teachers were selected from different area of Samarkand district. 6 of them are female and 5 of them are male. The below table illustrates that 7 teachers aged 20-30 and 4 teachers aged over 30. Most of teachers had at least 5 years of teaching experience

.

According to the research there are some challenges of using ICT in secondary schools in teaching EFL. They are:

1. Lack of computers, technologies and maintenance

2. Lack of internet access

3. Lack of technical supports

4. Lack of time

1. Lack of computers, technologies and maintenance.

Nowadays secondary schools should have technologies and equipments, however interviewed teachers were not satisfied with the facilities of the school. Shohida Sharofzoda who is a teacher of primary level pupils said:

In our school there are only 2 laptops for 6 English teachers, but both of them are not functioning well, for primary level pupils we should use computers in order to motivate them in learning foreign language every lesson, as the class pupils are taught separately, and both teachers should have computers. In this case teachers of other grade pupils of school may conduct their lessons without using computers however they should use IC devices as there are listening tasks in each lesson. It is demanded from teachers to use their own IC technologies but most of them may not access ICT, as they are expensive.

Similarly, Esanova Ohista from 11^th secondary school shared her frustration connected with technical problems of IT equipments.

There are not any computers in classrooms, if a teacher wants to show any presentations or electronic textbooks and materials or videos there are not any facilities to present prepared materials. If there is only one in this case the teacher should ask who are using in his/her lesson in advance to borrow only an hour. If there is no problem with electricity the teacher can use IC device.

Moreover, Tolibov Kamol, a very senior teacher of secondary school in Sochak, he expressed his need for help to use IC devices in his teaching. He complained about lack of technical support of the school.

If I use IC technologies I have a lot of problems in utilizing them. If there is not the technician I cannot connect the laptop to the overhead projector. If the technicians don’t have time I ask for help other teachers who can use IC devices well.

From the same secondary school teacher Hurshedova Nigina showed her dissatisfaction that:

When we use ICT throughout the lesson of course we may face problems with transportation or electricity. In order not to waste our time the teacher should print out materials on papers which are going to give pupils. In this case the authority of school should support with financial side. I mean prepared materials should be free and printed out by school’s printers. Because in a group there are 15 or even 18 pupils, teachers cannot afford to print out for every pupil in every lesson.

2. Lack of internet access.

21^st century is the age of the internet however most schools of rural area have not got internet access. It is one of main issue that if the teacher needs to use the internet he may use only in his house or may enter through his gadgets.

The internet connection is also problem in our school stated Rahimova Gulchehra. There are about 20 computers in ICT room but none of them is connected to the net.

2. Lack of technical supports.

Some teachers gave their opinions about lack of technical supports as:

We have not special technicians who can solve any problems in using ICT during the lessons. We have to know how to connect and even to fix them by ourselves, said Raupov Bahodir the teacher of 4^th secondary school.

2. Lack of time.

The next main barrier is lack of time in using ICT in EF classroom. According to the curriculum, there are only 3 periods of English lesson in a week with 45 minutes. It is not enough to conduct lessons with ICT, if you are lucky and there are not any challenges while using devises you can run the lesson successfully, otherwise you may waste your time with technical problems, explained Sattorova Dilafruz from the 11^th school.

In order to solve problems in using ICT which are occurred throughout the lessons, teachers informed about some other alternative methods if there are any technical problems in lessons. Firstly, teachers should modify lessons and print out some extra materials and handouts beforehand in order to use them when there are barriers with IC devices. Moreover, any challenges and problems are occurred in utilizing ICT, teachers can ask help from technicians of the school or any other teachers who have enough experience in using IC technologies. However, «teaching language learners by using ICT has distinct advantages that are related not only to language education but prepares students for today’s information society» [4, 7].

References:

1. Salehi H. & Salehi Z. Integration of ICT in language teaching: Challenges and barriers // Proceeding of 3^rd International Conference on e-Education, e-Business, e-Management and e-Learning, 2012. – P.215-219.

2. Unwin A. The professionalism of the higher education teacher: What’s ICT got to do with it? // Teaching in Higher Education, 2007. –P. 295-308.

3. Lee C.K. Affordances and text-making practices in online instant messaging // Written Communication, 2007. –P. 223-249.

4. Nordin N., Embi M. & Yunus M. Mobile lerning framework for lifelong learning // Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2010. –P. 130-138.

Fayzullayeva M. Informatsiya va kommunikatsiya texnologiyalarining ingliz tili darsidagi muammolari. Bu maqola ingliz tilini informatsiya va kommunikatsiya texnologiyalari orqali o’rgatishdagi muammolariga bag’ishlanadi. Bu maqola o’z oldiga Samarqand tumanidagi ba’zi maktablarida ingliz tilini informatsiya va kommunikatsiya texnologiyalari orqali o’qitish va o’rgatishdagi muammo va to’siqlarni topish va kamchiliklarni bartarf etishdek maqsadni qo’yadi.

Файзуллаева М. В данной статье рассматриваются проблемы преподавания английского языка с помощью ИКТ. В этой статье выдвигается проблема выявления и устранения недостатков и препятствий в изучении и преподавании английского языка с помощью ИКТ в некоторых школах Самаркандской области.