What and for which areas will specialists in the near and far future economic development be needed? Already, it is necessary to think deeply about this issue, to educate personnel that meet the requirements of the time and pace of reforms. Our future depends on the solution of this issue.
Sh. M. Mirziyoyev
It is widely known that writing is such a complex skill that it requires a person to work on himself or herself deeply to be able to express their ideas and knowledge in a clear way. In a typical classroom atmosphere, a teacher teaches learners how to write in a target language correctly using usual books and materials. This approach towards todays’ learners is not appropriate and does not result in getting effective results as it is considered. This can be seen in many parts of the world because the learners have already been accustomed to the digital means, for example, smartphones, smart TVs and others. This also plays a vital role in their minds while they are doing their everyday activities. The impact of their ‘digital lives’ is felt in their education as well. They feel bored with the usual materials and sources at their lessons. Also, it can be said that the teachers are having problems in making their students be interested in the lessons even though they use computers, projectors to make presentations or show video files in the target language.
The writing skills of the learners are considered to be one of the most important tasks of the teachers to improve highly. As it is known, the writing skills are tested in almost all the language tests around the world. The learners who are learning another foreign language, for instance, the English language have to pass the writing exam on the IELTS, CEFR or TOEFL, and all of these exams require the candidates to write essays, letters to show their writing skills in the target language. At that time, they should be well-prepared for the exams in order not to fail. Because of this reason, the learners should learn how to write correctly in the target language following the rules of cohesion and coherence. Of course, being able to write in the target language well is easy as it seems for the learners. In order to reach this goal, there have been a number of classical, namely traditional methods in education for a long time. Those methods consist of reading special books to learn how to write and practising them during the lessons or doing so at home as home tasks. However, the 21st century is the century of information, and as the result of this, each sphere in the world is getting developed day by day with the help of information technologies and means.
This process can be seen in developing writing skills of learners in learning the English language. Besides that, as Gary Motteram said that the development of our understanding of writing as a process is an interesting journey because computers allowed language teachers to bring these ideas directly into the classroom [2]. Accordingly, in this following article, the general chances of improving the writing skills through social networking services (SNSs) and messengers are highlighted. While describing the features of these means, the advantages of using them are also cited along with.
Actually, the platforms of the SNSs and messengers are such a comfortable place where the process of teaching and learning the writing skills can be united easily and innovatively. The reasons for this are the following:
– Being able to create the study materials online. The teacher can create the study materials for the learners on writing on the virtual platform using its functions and features. For instance:
- Google + SNS enables the teacher to create e-presentations or document files to explain the rules of writing in the target language with the help of newly updated programs online. Besides that, the teacher can post these materials on any platform of the SNSs and messengers easily, and the learners can receive them using their digital devices.
- VKontakte SNS enables the teacher to present the special mobile applications for the learners to practice writing in a foreign language with the teacher’s support and help on the virtual environment of the platform. Moreover, the teacher can create the e-library sharing useful books for the learners to read about how to advance their writing skills on the platform.
- YouTube SNS is an online platform where the learners can watch the videos which can be taken by the teacher on fostering writing skills or ready-made videos. In addition to that feature of YouTube, it is important to mention one point that the lessons on this SNS can be played online or uploaded onto the platform to watch whenever the learners want to watch.
- Facebook SNS also helps the teacher to make special posts emphasizing the theoretical rules of writing in the target language to inform the learners of them systematically and daily. Furthermore, this SNS is a comfortable platform to conduct online classes on the platform of the SNS like YouTube SNS.
- Instagram SNS can be one of the most effective means of information technologies in creating visual materials to attract the learners’ attention to learning foreign languages more and more. On this platform, the teacher can create and design the study materials using varied functions of the SNS online. This SNS is the platform on which the teacher can have online lessons or create a special archive to collect the video lessons for the learners to watch around the world.
- Telegram messenger is not almost different from the above-mentioned means because the features of this platform in creating the materials online are very easy and productive. The teacher can use text-messages as posts on which theoretical rules are illustrated, and he or she can create special bots where the learners can obtain diverse sources which are created by the teacher.
– Being able to work with the learners individually on their writing skills. In learning a foreign language, it is important to learn how to avoid mistakes; therefore, the teacher should work with the learners on their mistakes, namely weak points supporting them on being professional in the target language. Accordingly, the platforms of SNSs and messengers are also such an important place in working over weak points. For example:
- On Google + SNS the learners can send their tasks, such as paragraphs, essays via google mails (gmail), and the teacher receives them to check. Then, the teacher can connect him or her via video/voice calls or mails to help them on their weak points if they are a long way from each other.
- On VKontakte, YouTube, Facebook (Messenger), Instagram (Direct), there are special messaging functions through which the teacher and learners can work together on developing writing skills after the classes of educational institutions.
- On Telegram messenger, the chances of working over weak points are much more than other means. For instance, the learners can send their writing tasks in text-message or file forms to their teachers so that the teacher can check them on the virtual environment easily in an innovative way which optimizes the process in practice as well. Moreover, the teacher can send the learners exact sources to work on their particular mistakes thoroughly.
To conclude everything which are mentioned above, it can be stated that writing skills of language learners are such skills that they should be fostered with a specialist to reach the goal of being master at writing in that language well enough. As human beings are moving forward towards a digital environment, the technologies, methods in education should be innovated in order to meet the requirements of the time.
References:
- Mirziyoyev Sh. M. The Address of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev to the Oliy Majlis. — Tashkent: «Uzbekistan» publishing house, 2018. — 64 p.
- Gary M. Developing and extending our understanding of language learning and technology//Innovations in learning technologies for English language teaching/ Edit. by Gary M. — London: British Council, 2013.-175–192-p.
