The ministry of higher and secondary specialized education of the republic of uzbekistan

1.4 SOCIOLINGUISTIC COMPETENCE

From my point of view, Sociolinguistic competence is an essential part of effective communication. Sociolinguistic competence refers to the ability to use the language that is appropriate to social contexts, ability to select a topic that is appropriate to the communicative event what to say, how to say, whom to say, where to say. I think sociolinguistic competence means how culture affects the way people interpret their opinions by using words, sentences, utterances, more specifically how the speakers are influenced by their cultures in understanding and explaining the words, sentences, utterances or messages

Every language learner must learn how to produce and understand language in different sociolinguistic contexts.

While communicating we give information about how our language is rich, by expressing our idea with correct grammar rules and structure. The most important is we should know where to speak and how to speak. This is the main idea of sociolinguistic competence, where we can learn to choose right words, expressions which suitable to the social context. It has been said that it does not matter how well a person knows a language’s grammar, if he or she does not know how it must be used for successful communication.

Sociolinguistic competence also refers to the ability to select topics that are appropriate for a communicative event. For example, friends choose the appropriate topic to talk. If they understand each other very well, the chosen topics might well be appropriate.

During my lessons I try to connect the topics and words with real events.

My students are future language teachers. That’s why sociolinguistic competence is very important. They should know what this competence means and how it should be developed.

In my classes paraphrasing and filling in the gaps can develop students’ sociolinguistic competence. In any type of text that I use in my classes there are certain words, phrases, idioms that need to be explored. While working in groups, students can focus on them and to other groups what it means in their understanding. Alternatively, it can be assigned as a homework, in which they do research on looking for the origin and be ready to give reasons for the dictionary meanings. Another way of developing this competence in verbal communication class can be comparing two pictures on the same field and finding differences. The students can compare them according to certain criteria and be ready to explain what caused those differences the focus will be mostly on culture.

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