THE IMPORTANCE OF ONLINE EDUCATION IN LANGUAGE TEACHING PROCESS

Minnikulov Islom Urolugli,

Teacher of English faculty-1,

Uzbekistan State University of World Languages

It should be noted that foreign language, particularly, English has been taught in classrooms through communicative activities and techniques up to now. One of the communicative activities which make language lessons liven up and more interesting is using different communicative activities in teaching English. Online education is regarded as one of the wide-spread technologies of teaching and learning. Therefore, the question of teaching English by using modern technologies is topical nowadays. In this article, we have intended to explore the effectiveness of online-teaching and learning principles in teaching learners in English classrooms.

We should also admit that language researchers and practitioners have recently shifted their attention from developing structural and formal linguistic skills of learners to the use of language in real life situations to achieve the language teaching objectives and goals. This new approach is conceptualized as communicative approach which tends to lead language teachers to apply task-oriented activities that engage their learners in creative language use in classrooms. More particularly, it should be underlined that online teaching approaches are viewed aslearner-centered activities and have a tendency to encourage the production of fluent speech as well as to serve as excellent communicative activities.So, online teaching approaches can help to solve the problem of learner activeness and autonomy in the language classrooms.

In this connection, it should be highlighted that the aim of online teachingactivities is to encourage learners to "use the language". This can be interpreted in the following way: today a new paradigm in language teaching has appeared and this paradigm simply means the fact that “language is conceptualized as a means of communication, communicative function of language is highlighted and language is taught for not internalizing its internal rules and system but for using it for communicational purposes in language teaching field.

According to Marianne Bakia et al., “online learning” refers to instructional environments supported by the Internet. Online learning comprises a wide variety of programs that use the Internet within and beyond school walls to provide access to instructional materials as well as facilitate interaction among teachers and students. Online learning can be fully online or blended with face-to-face interactions. Each of these approaches is described below [1, 2]. According to StamenkaUvalić-Trumbić,John Daniel,it refers to a method of delivering educational information using the internet [3, 2].

There are some approaches to online learning as noted by Mya Poe and Martha L. A.:

a)     live chat;

b)     audio and video conferencing;

c)      data and application sharing;

d)     shared whiteboard;

e)      virtual "hand raising";

f)       joint viewing of multimedia presentations and online slide shows [2, 6].

Also, Mya Poe and L.A. Marthanote that there some advantages of learning online: a) student-centered learning. In other words,the variety of online tools draw on individual learning styles and help students become more versatile learners;b) collaborative learning. To be more specific,online group work allows students to become more active participants in the learning process. Contributing input requires that students comprehend what is being discussed, organize their thinking coherently, and express that thinking with carefully; c) easy access to global resources. Students can easily access online databases and subject experts in the online classroom; d)experiential learning through multimedia presentations. New technologies can be used to engage and motivate students. Technology can also be used to support students in their learning activities; e) accessible for non-traditional students. Online delivery of programs and courses makes participation possible for students who experience geographic and time barriers in gaining access to higher education; f) draws on student interest in online learning. Many students are interested in online learning [2, 7].

There are some advantages of online teaching as noted by Mya Poe and L.A. Martha. They are as follows:a) offer the opportunity to think about teaching in new ways; b) provide ideas and techniques to implement in traditional courses; c) expand the reach of the curriculum; d) professional satisfaction; e) instructor convenience [2, 7].

In conclusion, it can be said that online education can help the EFL teachers to teach English for communication because research has shown that online approaches in language pedagogy proved to be fruitful activities to promote self-responsibility, self-study skills and learner self-esteem in their own learning.

References

1.Marianne Bakia et al. Understanding the Implications of Online Learning for Educational Productivity.Center for Technology in Learning SRI International, 2012. 36 p.

2.Mya Poe, Martha L. A.Teaching and Learning Online. Communication, Community, and Assessment. A Handbook for UMass Faculty.

3.Stamenka Uvalić-Trumbić,John Daniel. A Guide to Quality in Online Learning. Academic Partnership. 24 p.