SOCIOLINGUISTIC PROFILE OF THE LEARNING CONTEXT

The target group of students live and study in Andijan city, Uzbekistan. They learn the English language as a Foreign Language. In the last few decades, the popularity of the English language has increased sharply that indicates a high interest in learning English as a foreign language. All private and public schools follow the national curriculum that aligns with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) that is designed to teach English as a Foreign Language. The government systematically modifies and reforms instructional recourses and assessment system to standardize language proficiency levels across educational institutions both private and public sectors. The government emphasizes the importance of involving more native speakers in educational system while the role of interlocutors should not be underestimated (Kachru, 1990). The reason is that there might be need for educators who use English as additional language to maintain productive learning journey. Many students of the target group are from affluent families and they have to attend specialized schools and educational centers where they conduct English classes that follow the standard language norms with little exposure to any other language varieties. The main requirement for all school students is to achieve international certificates, such as SAT and IELTS in order to be admitted to local and international higher education institutions.