OPPORTUNITIES FOR OVERCOMING PSYCHOLOGICAL BARRIERS IN TEACHING ENGLISH IN GENERAL EDUCATION SCHOOLS IN UZBEKISTAN

Аннотация

This article investigates the psychological barriers in English language teaching in general education schools and analyzes evidence-based strategies to overcome them, drawing on both local observations and international research. Common psychological obstacles such as language anxiety, lack of motivation, and low self-esteem are discussed. Research from scholars such as Horwitz (1986), Dörnyei (2001), and Krashen (1982) is used to ground the findings. The paper proposes a set of interventions, including emotional scaffolding, student autonomy, and teacher training in English language teaching on international best practices. Keywords: psychological barriers, foreign language anxiety, motivation in second language acquisition, affective filter, teacher emotional intelligence, mindfulness in education, learner autonomy, language learning strategies, general education in Uzbekistan. 1. Introduction Language learning is not solely a cognitive process but a deeply emotional one. In many countries, including Uzbekistan, students face psychological barriers that significantly hinder English language acquisition. These include foreign language anxiety (FLA), low motivation, and fear of negative evaluation. This study aims to contextualize these psychological factors in Uzbekistan while aligning with internationally recognized theories and practices. 2. Methodology 2.1 Research Design: A mixed-methods design combining quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews. 2.2 Participants: 120 students from Grades 5–9 in Tashkent and Fergana; 20 English teachers. 2.3 Data Collection Tools: Modified FLCAS, Dörnyei’s Motivational Scale, CEFR-based observation rubrics. 2.4 Data Analysis: Quantitative data analyzed using SPSS; qualitative data via NVivo thematic coding. 3. Results 3.1 Psychological obstacles (Local and Global trends) Table 1 shows the psychological barriers identified among Uzbek students in Al Beruniy International school and global averages: Barrier Type Uzbekistan Sample (%) Global Avg. (from meta-analysis) Language Anxiety 78% 70% (MacIntyre & Gardner, 1994) Low Self-Efficacy 65% 68% (Bandura, 1997) Fear of Negative Judgment 55% 60% (Young, 1991) Lack of Motivation 58% 62% (Dörnyei, 2001) Figure 1. Comparison of psychological barriers between Uzbekistan and global averages: 1 26 1 International scientific journal ISSN: 2181-3906 «MODERN SCIENCE АND RESEARCH» 2025 VOLUME 4 / ISSUE 6 / UIF:8.2 / MODERNSCIENCE.UZ 3.2 Teacher Perspective ✓ 90% of teachers noticed student silence or withdrawal during speaking tasks ✓ 70% expressed need for psychological training to manage learner emotions 3.3 Effective Strategies (Cross-national Comparison) Strategy Effectiveness (Uzbekistan) Backed by 85% improvement in Positive reinforcement Krashen (1982), Bandura speaking Group work / Pair work 70% improved engagement Vygotsky (1978) Mindfulness activities Reduced anxiety in 60% Gregersen et al. (2014) Student autonomy in task Dörnyei (2001), Deci & Ryan Boosted motivation 40% selection (1985)