American Journal of Interdisciplinary Research and Development ISSN Online: 2771-8948 Website: www.ajird.journalspark.org Volume 30, July - 2024 108 | P a g e THE ROLE OF PICTURES IN IMPROVING STUDENTS' LEVEL OF COMPETENCE IN LANGUAGE TEACHING Ubaydullayeva Dilshoda Abdugani kizi An English Teacher at Secondary School ubaydullayevadilshoda1993@gmail.com Abstract In the article, the necessary recommendations are given on the use of pictures as a teaching tool in the educational process to improve the language skills, in particular, communicative competence of language learners, and the purposeful and effective use of educational activities based on pictures. Keywords: Picture, teaching tools, deductive and inductive method, effectiveness of the lesson, picture-based activities, logical and critical thinking. Introduction Today's educational process requires educators to work on their own development, regularly improve their knowledge and skills in order to work effectively in this process, in other words, to survive. Being aware of new approaches, methods and tools of teaching guarantees increasing the quality of education by applying the acquired knowledge in practice, the possibilities of interesting and useful organization of the lesson, having a clear purposeful approach to creating and designing educational materials. [2.1080] In teaching, some teachers are in favor of using the latest modern methods, while some teachers think that students will have fewer difficulties in learning the language in the lesson processes designed on the basis of the deductive (traditional) method. As a result, most teachers who have witnessed great development in their pupils emphasize the effectiveness of inductive methods. Such conflicting opinions are always present, and teachers try to prove their opinions by sharing the results of pupils in the educational process. It is important to develop sub-skills such as grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation in language teaching, but it is also important to develop the integration of four skills in the practical application of the acquired knowledge. Many people believe that in language teaching, it is better to develop grammar, vocabulary first and then to develop productive and receptive skills. Is it really so? Do sub skills and skills need to be developed separately, or do students make more progress if they focus more on developing both together? [3.79]. I will try to express my personal opinion on this question on the example of a number of activities that I have been using in the course of the lesson. I think that it is important to pay attention to what kind of teaching tools we choose and how to implement them in order to improve the effectiveness of the lesson. If we avoid monotony in using a teaching tool and use these tools purposefully in various interesting ways, we will help students to be American Journal of Interdisciplinary Research and Development ISSN Online: 2771-8948 Website: www.ajird.journalspark.org Volume 30, July - 2024 109 | P a g e interested in a new topic and master it well, and develop their language skills. In the lesson, teachers often express the opinion that it is possible to organize an effective lesson using music, video, cartoons, role plays, different texts as the main teaching tool. Agreeing with these thoughts, I would like to say that picture can be one of appropriate teaching tools in the lesson. You can also say how language integration can be enhanced with pictures. The following picture-based activities that I would like to offer you show how productive and useful my lessons are. Methods Pictures can be used as a teaching tool in the course of the lesson for the following purposes. Teaching grammar with pictures. If we want to teach a grammar rule, let's say, adjective or degrees of adjective, we let the students compare the shape and color of the objects given in the picture in their L1. After explaining the degree of adjective in English, how to form them, how things are compared to each other in a sentence using grammatical rules (suffixes, words, articles), we ask them to compare and describe the items in the pictures they had seen before in English based on the rules they had learned. By applying the acquired knowledge in practice, children will be able to improve their knowledge of grammar and speaking skills. This is much more effective than writing grammar sentences on the board and analyzing them with the teacher's word-for-word translation. This method is definitely suitable for the pre stages of the lesson.[5.81] Pictures for prediction. Before announcing a new topic, we show children a picture and let them predict today’s topic.They guess what the new topic will be based on the elements and the image of actions in the picture. [3.80]. Using logical thinking, they explain why they made such a prediction in the target language. This, in turn, creates a situation for them to remember the memorized words. As a result of listening to opinions, they exchange information with each other. This activity helps to improve children's critical thinking, speaking and listening skills as well. (Student 1: Today’s topic is environment. Student 2: … Zoo might be Student 3: Wild animals…, perhaps) American Journal of Interdisciplinary Research and Development ISSN Online: 2771-8948 Website: www.ajird.journalspark.org Volume 30, July - 2024 110 | P a g e Competent speaker activity Pictures are one of the most effective tools for improving students' speaking skills. Students are shown a picture depicting a problem and given time to express their opinions based on the situations in the picture. In this case, the student explains this problem, the factors that cause it, its solutions, and how he or she can help to eliminate this problem as a person based on the information they have read or heard. By listening to the thoughts, the student’s speech content (task response, fluency and accuracy, grammar range and vocabulary, cohesion and coherence), to what extent they can logically connect the thoughts to each other, to what extent they are able to complete the speech based on what thoughts, what grammatical rules are being used and how to share the information are checked. The achievements and shortcomings in issues such as how the topic is expressed using vocabulary, phonology, the extent to which body language and facial expressions are used to increase the effectiveness of the idea are determined and recommendations are given to them. This will help them to prepare their speech based on the rules in the future improvement. Story activity. Students are given several pictures depicting the processes of a story or event. Based on the pictures, they create and tell their stories. After listening to the stories, they are given the details of the situation or the original passage of the story. They read both versions(theirs and original one) and determine how similar the stories are. This activity is a very effective and practical way to improve students' speaking skills, and it also helps them develop creative writing skills and collaborative working. Read, draw then let others speak activity. A reading passage covering a topic is given to students. In this activity, students participate in group or pair work. Based on the information in the text given to each group, students draw a picture while keeping the sequence of information (they describe the information given in each sentence in the text by one picture or symbol, or the whole information by one symbol or pictures, no words are added to the image, numbers can be written.). Each group shows the pictures they have drawn to other groups of students and asks them what information they want to convey with the help of these pictures and symbols. Students of the group express their opinion based on the images. While listening, words that are right or wrong are not said and are listened to patiently until the end. After the comment is finished, it is announced how much information is correct or incorrect, and the information unshared is stated. This task requires students to be more attentive and responsible. This activity can be used with students of all levels at the pre and post stages of the lesson. It is recommended to choose easier and shorter texts only for young learners. [4.465] American Journal of Interdisciplinary Research and Development ISSN Online: 2771-8948 Website: www.ajird.journalspark.org Volume 30, July - 2024 111 | P a g e Place the pictures in sequence. Pupils are given several pictures depicting the processes of a story or event. The teacher tells a story or an event, and students place the pictures in sequence based on the run of events they heard. It is not possible to leave any information unheard. This activity helps learners improve listening, logical thinking skills and vocabulary subskills. It can be used at all stages of the lesson with students of all levels. True or false activity. Learners work in two groups. Each group is given one picture and asked to remember the elements and symbols in the picture for 30 seconds. Then the picture based sentences are given and pupils are asked to identify T/F statements. The winner will be determined based on the number of correct answers. This activity helps to increase leraners’ vocabulary and critical thinking skills. Who am I or what am I? Depending on what topic you are going to teach each student (for example, Fruits, professions topics), you will give a picture of topic related words. They take turns giving a definition or synonym in the target language to the objects in the picture given to them and explaining "I am ...". The rest of the students will have to find what or who is depicted in this picture. The lesson can be done with students of all levels mainly at the pre stage. Differences and similarities activity. Learners are divided into several groups and each group is given two identical pictures. They identify the differences between the two pictures and explain them in the target language. It helps to improve speaking and listening skills as well as vocabulary and grammar subskills, it is mainly used in the pre and while stages of the lesson. American Journal of Interdisciplinary Research and Development ISSN Online: 2771-8948 Website: www.ajird.journalspark.org Volume 30, July - 2024 112 | P a g e Results By using the above picture-based activities in the course of the lesson, I have achieved effective results in increasing my pupils' interest in the lesson, developing their language communicative skills as well as creative writing skills. More than 80% of my pupils perform tasks based on improving their speaking skills independently and demonstrate it in front of the whole class without fear, and it definitely helps them to increase their self- confidence. Coclusion In conclusion, I would like to say that no matter what teaching tools and methods we aim to use in the lesson, the most important thing is that we always take into account the age, interest, level of competence and opportunities of the students when organizing the lesson. So, based on the level of competence of our students, if we organize lessons using both teacher-centered approach (grammar-translation method) and student-centered approach (the latest innovative teaching methodology), we will achieve great success in teaching language to students. References 1. Abdukhayotovna A. K. The role of authentic materials to develop pupils’ communicative competence in English classes at academic lyceums //Berlin Studies Transnational Journal of Science and Humanities.,2022.,Т.2., №.1.5 Pedagogical sciences. 2. Khamzaev S.A, Gilyazetdinov E.Z, Sultonova N.A, Samanova Sh.B, “The problems of developing an ESP course and the importance of ESP teacher training on the example of Uzbekistan, Journal of Critical Reviews, ISSN- 2394-5125 Vol 7, Issue 7, 2020., 1080-1085p 3. Sultonova N.A. "Listen, Sing, Speak and Succeed: Developing Speaking Skills Through Musical activities”, “Ko‘p tillilik muhitida xorijiy tillarni rivojlantirishning innovatsion va integrativ muammolari”-Xalqaro ilmiy-amaliy konferensiya, 78-84p. 4. Sultonova N.A., Intercultural Competence in Teaching Foreign Languages, SSN: 2235- 767X Volume 07, Issue 6, June 2019, 463-468p 5. Shin, J. K. (2006). Ten helpful ideas for teaching English to young learners. English Teaching Forum, 44(2), 2-13. 6. Tuxtayeva N.A., Technique of professional training of future English language teachers through development of linguistic competences// British View ISSN 2041-3963 Vol 8 Issue 4 2023 Universal impact factor 8.528 SJIF 2022: 4.629 – P 78-85.