NETRUZ Champion Teacher: Mukaddam Ibrokhimova

My name is Mukaddam Ibrokhimova. I am an EFL teacher at Namangan State University, Uzbekistan.

My research interest for this project was to identify how to motivate reluctant low proficiency level students to participate in group work activities in a multilevel context.

Abstract of my classroom-based research

Student demotivation and their reluctance, particularly, during speaking activities, have been an unpleasant challenge for many EFL and ESL teachers most of the time. This chapter explores some speaking related challenges such as students’ unwillingness to participate in group work activities, the factors which keep them from speaking, as language level diversity, lack of vocabulary, lack of confidence, fear from being mocked because of their errors. This is done by analyzing teacher self and peer observations and surveys of 17 students in one of my classes at Namangan State University, Teaching English Methodology department. Through thematic analyzes and taking some actions, several effective strategies were found to overcome the mentioned challenges. This chapter concludes with the coping approaches and the areas which need to be discussed for further research.

Reflections on the training and exploratory action research

Every teacher is more likely to come across various challenges in the classroom which lead to teacher and student demotivation. Obviously, student and teacher demotivation results in ineffective lessons. Like most other teachers I also have undergone those ups and downs during my teaching experience. However, NETRUZ Exploratory Action Research Project was a huge help to make us capable of exploring our classes, analyzing and identifying the root problems and finding effective solutions.
In my classes, I used to do some investigations when I had problems with my own teaching or with my students but it wouldn’t end up with success most of the time, as my research was not disciplined and had no methodology. I realized this, only after participating Exploratory Action Research Project organized by the NETRUZ team. It helped me how to conduct classroom research properly, step by step. Learning about data collecting tools and how to analyze the gathered information assisted me to find out the major reasons for the problems in my class. And in the next stage, I used my knowledge on how to take action which I was taught in the project. Seeing positive changes in my classroom made me excited and motivated to do further classroom-based research.
Those above are not the only thing I got from the project, it also helped me to write a professional research paper! Furthermore, I’m planning to use my takeaways from this project in research related courses! In conclusion, being a part of Exploratory Action Research was a priceless experience for me which has made me more professional in my field!

NETRUZ Champion Teacher: Dilshoda Mahkamova

My name is Dilshoda Mahkamova. I work as an EFL teacher at Namangan State University. I graduated from Namangan State University in 2016 and gained my Master’s degree from there in 2018.

Actually, my research interests cover a range of topics for language teaching and learning. As the personal attitude of a learner towards any kind of subject or language is one of the key factors leading the success in that field, my research interest mainly focuses on learners’ motivation in language learning. Moreover, I am keen on researching how language skills can be obtained in an easier and more interesting way in a shorter period of time.

The abstract of my research project

During the pandemic situation, I started some speaking classes with my intermediate students in small groups on Zoom. However, compared to the on-site lessons, I felt some serious changes in my learners’ participation in online learning. Some of them have been much less active in speaking or unwilling to take part in activities. While only a few of them could join the lessons on time. So I felt puzzled about the situation in my online classroom and decide to conduct exploratory-action research on how to motivate my learners to speak in the online setting.

My reflection on the training and exploratory-action research

To tell the truth, I am very glad to be a member of this small exploratory-action research community. This training empowered us not only with the knowledge in the exploratory research but also more ideas to put into action. After the workshops, as a teacher, I started to feel more confident about any problems which may arise in my classroom. Because now, we are able to identify the root of them as well as find the way out implementing this obtained knowledge. Furthermore, it showed us the way of continual professional development, which is needed all the time for teachers. Besides, I learned how reflection is vital in classes as a teacher as it can serve as a mirror to show our success and shortcomings in our teaching process.

 

NETRUZ Champion Teacher: Lazokat Dadabayeva

My name is Lazokat Dadabayeva. I work as an EFL teacher at Namangan State University, Uzbekistan.  My research interest for this project was to explore the issue of giving instructions in the classroom.

Abstract of my EAR project

There have been many successes and failures in giving instruction. Most of us can recall an experience where the facilitator delivered instructions, but we were misunderstood about what we were expected to do. And, as teachers, most of us have had experiences of giving instructions that were unclear or incomprehensible to our learners. This chapter explores some challenges such as students’ misunderstanding of taking instruction in the classrooms and some errors of giving instruction by the teacher. I was found of this research question after observing my classes by my colleague. Through thematic analyzes and taking some actions with my 29 students in one of my classes at Namangan State University, the Practical English department and several effective strategies were found to overcome the mentioned challenges.

My reflection on the training and exploratory action research

Giving instructions has a direct effect on learning; a lesson or activity becomes useless when students do not understand what they are supposed to do. Every teacher is more likely to come across such kinds of challenges in the classroom. However, NETRUZ Exploratory Action Research Project was a huge help to observe our classes and analyze the root problems and find effective solutions.

I wanted to improve the way of giving instructions for classroom activities. After observing on my own and talking with my colleague I found from my instructions that they should be simple and clear in English with eye contact and should be used for modelling, showing and acting. I used to feel a lot of flaws in myself but I never looked for ways to overcome them. However, the NETRUZ project taught me step by step how to find and solve these problems. The project taught me to work on articles again, to find other teachers' solutions and to apply them in my own lessons. Most importantly, I learned that I should be interested in my students’ opinions. I followed many teachers through Netruz and asked them to follow me. Believe me, all this was an invincible obstacle in the past.

To sum up I want to express my gratitude to the NETRUZ! I did all this and solved my classroom issue with my experienced mentors. The NETRUZ has been very helpful to me and I want to participate again in the future, to become a NETRUZ mentor to help other teachers solve their classroom issues.

NETRUZ Champion Teacher: Gulbakhar Nurimbetova

The next NETRUZ teacher-researcher's name is Gulbakhar Nurimbetova. She gained her Bachelor's degree from Karakalpak State University. She currently works at the specialized school for foreign languages N31, Karakalpakstan.

Gulbakhar was born in 1989 in the Kegeyli region of the Republic of Karakalpakstan. She is passionate about English short stories and this interest led her to become a teacher. She has 11 years of teaching experience. During her teaching years, she attended several projects such as the TECHNOVATION Girls International project in 2021, the English Speaking Nations project in 2019-2021. Furthermore, she has TESOL, TEFL, CELT-S and Train the Trainees international certificates. Gulbakhar likes researching English language teaching methodologies, especially how to teach learners in effective ways.

Her research project was aimed at developing low proficiency level students to get engaged in group work and pair work activities in the multilevel context.

Abstract of the EAR project

Nowadays the English language is a much-required subject at schools as it offers people to have the essential knowledge to be able to interact with foreigners and study at universities. The purpose of this research project was to explore how to teach reading and speaking with the help of group work and pair-work so that students can understand reading and listening content by working together and achieving better results. This project studied the needs and interests of students to engage them in reading and speaking group/pair-work activities in groups and pairs.

NETRUZ Champion Teacher: Dildora Ashurova

I am Dildora Ashurova, an English teacher at the Academic Lyceum of Bukhara Engineering Technological Institute. I have been teaching English for more than 20 years to teenagers. The lessons I conduct are mostly directed to improve students` four skills to achieve B1 level according to the state standard to enter the higher educational establishment. Simultaneously, I am a teacher trainer of the ESN (English Speaking Nation) program, which was implemented by the collaboration of the American Council for International Education and the Ministry of Public Education of Uzbekistan. As a Core trainer, I received TESOL international certificate by participating in both the TESOL Core Certificate Program and Training of Trainers (ToT) program in 2021.

My research interests

As an educator and teacher trainer, I have been interested in motivating students, improving students’ autonomy in learning, finding the ways to make learning and teaching more effective and engaging, the role of homework for students’ learning, how to teach teenagers more effectively.

Abstract of my research project

Completion of homework is a crucial learning process. Though it often takes place as an after-school activity, it presents multiple challenges for many students, especially for those who have got low-level knowledge and lack autonomous skills. In my exploratory action research, I tried to explore the reasons why do some of my teenage students at the academic lyceum come to the lessons without completing the homework. The data was collected from 24 students of both specialized and non-specialized groups in English, using a questionnaire. The findings show that the reasons varied in those two groups. Accordingly, I implemented some changes in order to help my students to deal with those challenges and manage their homework more responsibly. My study offers new practical ways of motivating students to complete their homework regularly.

My reflection on the training and exploratory action research

I can say that the new phase has started in my life in terms of research activities when I first contacted Elyanora about my interest to participate in the NETRUZ project. I noticed her willingness to support teachers who were novice in research. I should admit the fact that this feeling was leading me during the whole project too. With the help of a group of knowledgeable and supportive mentors like Elyanora and Malika, I have learned how to reflect on my teaching. I can now see that reflecting on your teaching practices helps teachers to discover how what we do in the classroom works or doesn’t work .

I would like to express my deep gratitude to all our mentors who did a great job in each online zoom session to explain the steps of exploratory action research in the easiest way. During the process of exploratory action research, I learned how to search for appropriate articles to find out about how other teachers dealt with the same challenges of teaching. Moreover, I found out that it is better to simple consult students about the problematic issues in order to understand the situation more vividly and take some steps accordingly. Students get motivated if their voices are heard.

Such kinds of projects are the best opportunity to share your experience and get to know other colleagues too. I will surely continue my participation in this project in the future and advise other educators to join this wonderful growing community.

NETRUZ Champion Teacher: Yana Kuchkarova

My name is Yana Kuchkarova. I work as an EFL senior teacher at Namangan State University, Uzbekistan.

My research interests: extended reading, integrating content in language teaching taking into consideration students` beliefs

The abstract of my research project:

My exploratory action research was targeted at identifying the effect of students' beliefs about the content that is supposed to be taught on the achievement of good results.

English language learning is a long process and keeping learners satisfied and engaged in their tasks is not so much easy. Most of us can recall the moments when we did not want to read what we were given because we found the content boring, not appealing or sometimes even useless for us. So, I noticed the same trend in the attitude of my learners at the Access Micro-scholarship program. In one of the small talks of my learners, they were saying to each other that they don’t like so much the books I chose for them for extended reading and would prefer to read something different. I wanted to find out what they would read eagerly. I organized a survey and informal discussions with my students to know about their reading interests and preferences took an online language proficiency test. This study would present my findings on how to engage Uzbek students in extended reading based on their reading interests and preferences.

Reflection on training and exploratory action research:

Teachers tend to teach in a way they learn and often ignore the fact that learners learn differently. Assuming that learners would like the same thing as the teacher does, one of the biggest mistakes a teacher may make while preparing materials is to provide learners with the readings the teacher herself/himself enjoys reading not considering students’ preferences. What’s more, some teachers remain unnoticed of this issue for quite a long time. The NETRUZ Exploratory Action Research Project was the reason for me to reveal the problem and lead to resolve it to make my classes more effective for my learners. Through the project, I learned that considering learners’ preferences and beliefs is important and may lead to better learning outcomes as was observed in my case.

NETRUZ Champion Teacher: Khurshida Eshimova

Hello dear colleagues. I am Khurshida Eshimova. I am from Tashkent. I work at specialized school number 91, Tashkent. I have been working as an English teacher for 13 years. My students are learners of 5-11 grades. I start work at 8 a.m. I love my job and teaching in general.
This year (2021) was very prosperous for me as I got an international TESOL trainer and Uzbek national C1 certificates. I am keen on learning languages. Nowadays I can speak five languages including my native Uzbek language: English, Turkish, Russian, and a little Persian. I believe and apply a proverb in my life: “People can take away everything from you, but not your knowledge”. That is why I do suggest other students and teachers keep on learning as we live and learn whole our lives.

MY RESEARCH INTERESTS

I am interested in innovative ways of teaching English in this digital century, applying It and various apps into the learning process, managing big multilevel and multicultural classes, teaching adult learners as well.

ABSTRACT OF MY RESAERCH PROJECT

I have always been using various activities in English lessons. This makes my lessons alive and more interesting. Moreover, it makes the lessons colourful and student-centred as well. While choosing activities I pay attention to the level of my learners and the objectives of activities or tasks. I think the acceptance and interest of activities vary due to learners’ age and level. Surprisingly, some of my students do not want to participate in some activities. It is sometimes hard to make them stand up from their chairs. That is very strange when I consider the activity interesting, while some of my students find it boring or uninteresting that they do not even want to take part. Due to this reason, I started working on this research. My research focus was to observe the usage of activities in English classes and their effects on my students' motivation.

MY REFLECTION ON THE TRAINING AND EXPLORATORY ACTION RESEARCH

This is the first time I have been working on doing research on a particular topic. I worked with professionals where there was a friendly atmosphere. From the beginning of the training, it was interesting with lots of detailed information and practices along with thorough explanations. The organizer Elyanora led the project; she introduced us to all our mentors who are indeed skilled and experienced. Introductory topics and tasks gradually led and prepared all mentees to plan their own research. As the form of the meetings were online via Zoom, we were given a choice to choose the right and convenient for us. This was especially beneficial for teachers who work in educational organizations like public schools, colleges and universities. In every session, we could gain knowledge and experience about formulating our research. Moreover, we had chances to be a visitor in online sessions where international researchers shared their investigations. It was one of the most effective ways of motivating that Elyanora could achieve. Our mentors worked with us according to our research interests. While working on my action research I realized that I could look at the situation or my lesson from the point of learners and observers. Moreover, when I started searching for reasons for challenging situations in my lessons I stepped forward to the students’ site. I realized that we became closer with my students after those informal talks. I did not pay attention to that earlier before, unfortunately. Besides that, I could understand if we do reflections after each lesson, we will develop and practice our research skills.

I really appreciate and am thankful to NETRUZ, all the organizers, trainers and mentors of the project for giving us a chance to try something new at the same time interesting, self-developing and job-connected activity for our further professional career. I would love to continue researching and practising it in the future with other new topics. In conclusion, I can say surely that I am happy to be a member of the NETRUZ community!

NETRUZ Champion Teacher: Janar Abuova

My name is Janar Abuova. I have been working as a teacher for 12 years. I am a holder of CELTA and TEFL certificates and MA TESOL graduate from Webster University. Additionally, I have finished the CLIL program by NILE teacher training course and OPEN Teacher Training program provided by US embassy. Currently, I am a Senior Lecturer of English at Yeoju Technical Institute in Tashkent. While working at the institute I was one of the founders of the double degree program for Content and Language teachers in Uzb
ekistan. This program is considered unique for Central Asia and focuses on Educating Future Content and Language teachers in Uzbekistan. After launching English Education faculty, I worked as curriculum developer and syllabus designer. Simultaneously, I work as a material designer for the IT park.

My research interests for NETRUZ project.

As a teacher and a researcher, I am interested in investigating methods that could be beneficial for teaching low-level students in higher education, so they could pass their exams without failing. My topic was devoted to teaching academic writing for low level students by implementing a genre approach. I explored the real level of students and how it corresponds with the syllabus of the subject. I investigated students’ perceptions, expectations, needs and hopes for my classes. Also, I observed my colleagues’ lessons with the same group and listened to their comments regarding their observation of my class. Based on this, I implemented new actions to change the way of teaching and tried a genre approach in writing. The research showed that a genre approach is a successful method for low level students while teaching writing. The main reason is that while teaching you are giving input of all necessary elements of writing that is specific for that genre and learner can easily produce efficient amount of writing by integrating writing for learning into the Academic English.

Reflection on training and exploratory action research

At the beginning I was not really sure, what was the project for and how it could be helpful for me. However, after observing their input sessions and having a couple of meetings with my mentor I could clearly see the reason of the project. It teaches simple teachers to explore even the smallest pitfalls of the class and turn it into the benefits. I personally learned that even global problem and difficult situation could be solved if it is correctly investigated and the reason of the failure is properly treated. Therefore, action research can be key of success for the teachers of remote areas with lack of resources or other difficulties as it enhances critical thinking and makes teachers act in order to have productive classes.

NETRUZ Champion Teacher: Jamola Urunbaeva

Jamola Urunbaeva Ikramjanovna is an EFL teacher at Inter Nation English Language School teaching IELTS preparation classes. She taught Grammar in Context, Vocabulary, Writing, Integrated Skills, Discourse Analysis, Listening and Speaking, Language Teaching Course, Teaching Development Course, and ICT in Education when she worked as an EFL Teacher at the “Department of Teaching English in Integrated Ways” at Uzbek State World Languages University for five years. She did two Masters Degrees in English Linguistics at Uzbek State World Languages University, Tashkent, Uzbekistan in 2015 and a Masters of Arts in English Language Teaching at the “English Language Department” of Hasan Ali Yucel Faculty of Education at Istanbul University, Turkey in 2012. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Philology from Uzbek State World Languages University, Tashkent, Uzbekistan, between 2005 and 2009.

Her Research Interests: The Paradigm Shift in Teaching the English Language in Third World Countries, intercultural Competence in Language Teaching/Learning, Experimental Research on the Implications of Current Models and Frameworks at Specific Setting, Collaborative learning, Enhancing communicative skills, Promoting a global community & cultural exchange.

Abstract of the EAR research project

The present investigation is an exploratory action research (EAR) project and was conducted to define and deal with challenging and disruptive students in EFL classrooms. The participants of the study were B1 (pre-intermediate) level General English course students at Inter Nation English Language School in Uzbekistan, and their ages ranged from 13 to 31. The data was compiled through two different questionnaires in the form of students’ reports in order to provide answers to two research questions. First, an exploratory practice (EP) was carried out with the participation of 42 students from three general English classes by using the first questionnaire as the data collection tool. The purpose was to comprehend what disruptive behaviour in the class meant to students and to explore students’ awareness of how they think of challenging and disruptive students in terms of the seriousness level to be dealt with in classes. Following the EP findings, a five-week action research (AR) project was supported in one of the classes with the participation of 15 students. The AR study was the application of the arisen subjects from the EP in the form of accepted student behaviours. Resulting in the classroom enactments, the second data collection tool, which was the second questionnaire, was handed to the students. The verdicts of the second questionnaire delivered the considerations of the students on the AR study. The collected data was content analyzed, and the teacher-researcher provided reflections on the whole development.

NETRUZ Champion Teacher: Guzal Eshchanova

My name is Guzal Eshchanova. I received my MA in Linguistics (English language) from the Uzbek State World Language University University of Uzbekistan in 2007, and BA in Philology (English language) from Uzbekistan State World Languages University in 2000. I have been working as a teacher of 
English in Higher Education for 22 years. Currently, I am a Senior Lecturer of “Tashkent Institute of Irrigation and Agricultural Mechanization Engineer” National Research University. Simultaneously I work as an English teacher at Specialized School on Exact Sciences under the mentioned university. I am also actively participating in various British Council projects, e.g. the Online Teacher Community Team, Change Academy, etc. I also decided to take part in this training to improve my teaching practices.

My NETRUZ Classroom-based Research Project was aimed at identifying proper vocabulary teaching strategies for ESP students majoring in Agricultural Mechanization (students especially with less developed ESP vocabulary).  I have been motivating my learners to overcome various vocabulary learning difficulties, which hinder their proper communication with each other.  My students believe that learning English for Specific Purposes will lead them to acquire speciality-related foreign languages and make them become competitive graduators, which is a demand of the labour market at present. With this in mind, they work hard on themselves and as a supporter, I also assist them to overcome the language barrier by accelerating their speaking skills in English. Thanks to the NETRUZ project I am improving my teaching skills as well as my students’ vocabulary learning skills in my lessons.

In my research project, I explored the reasons why my students (students of agricultural mechanization) use less ESP vocabulary, sometimes even L1 in English classes and the ways to switch them on English in laboratories, where I conducted my classes with the aim to increase the motivation of my students. I started to pay more attention to the way that learners use English with me in the class, even before the audience in the laboratory classes, where different tractor equipment was demonstrated for new guests with the participation of students. It was interesting for me to understand my learners' perceptions and expectations. Additionally, identifying my colleague's opinions about my classes through critical-friend observations was huge assistance for me, as we could find the solutions to the existing problems, that we faced in our classes. I learnt about other ELT teachers' experiences related to my context from different articles and webinars provided by NETRUZ Project.

Reflection on training and exploratory action research:

Overall, within the training course, I was able to develop the methodologies that work in my teaching context and learnt how the learning outcomes might be better when as teachers we feel our readiness to change our approaches in teaching with a big hope for better understanding. 

NETRUZ Champion Teacher: Nozima Mukhtarova

My name is Nozima Mukhtarova Kuchkarovna. I received my MA in Linguistics (English language) from the National University of Uzbekistan in 2021, and BA in Philology (English language) from Uzbekistan State World Languages University in 2005. I have worked as an English teacher at academic lyceums for 14 years and at school for 2 years. Currently, I am a Senior Instructor of the Communicative English Module at the Branch of the Russian State Pedagogical University named after A.I. Herzen in Tashkent. Simultaneously I work as an English teacher at Specialized School N-227.

To develop proficiency skills, I have become a member of the Online Teacher Community Team organized by the British Council. I have accomplished English Language and ELT Methodology Programme.

My research interests for the NETRUZ project:

In the following EAR I am determined to find ways of encouraging my students to interact with each other in English during the classes, to improve their English communicative skills, particularly speaking. I would like to boost confidence in them, help them to overcome the language barrier, motivate and accelerate their speaking in English. Thanks to the NETRUZ project I am improving my teaching skills as well as my students’ attitude to my lessons.

The abstract of my research project:

My topic was devoted to exploring the reasons why my students (students of preschool education direction) use mostly L1 in English classes and the ways to switch them on English. I explored how my students feel while speaking in class to me, to each other and to the whole audience. I tried to find out what are their perceptions, expectations, needs and hopes of the class. Besides, I asked my colleague to observe my lesson and exchanged her opinion on this issue. I learnt about other ELT teachers' experiences related to my context from different articles and webinars provided by NETRUZ Project.

Reflection on training and exploratory action research:

The training was designed in high quality, to develop the proficiency skills of English teachers with the help of triangulation: exploring yourself, your learners and other teachers’ experience. It was unique in terms of exchanging ideas, learning to question appropriately and finding the right answer, approaching an issue from different points which surely serve to be more critical and creative. All mentors contributed with informative presentations, were supportive and motivating. This training helped me to design materials concerning my students’ abilities and preferences, to be open to my students, to let them know that I am not different to their perceptions and expectations. Moreover, it helped me to engage my students in learning English with pleasure and to boost their wish to use the target language more. Overall I benefited from this course in terms of exploring my attitude to each lesson, creating more engaging activities by learning my students’ weaknesses, strengths and wishes.