Spanish Skills for Tourist Guides: Enhancing Communicative

Competence

Abdunazar Kh. Juraev

, Munira Ch. Tuychieva

, Solikha A. Anorboyeva

Nilufar A. Sabirova

and Sojida S. Akhadova

Uzbekistan State World Languages University, Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Keywords: Communicative Competence, Tourism, Guides, Speaking, Monolog, Matching, Vocabulary.

Abstract: This article underscores the significance of communicative competence among tourist guides in Uzbekistan,

a nation renowned for its allure along the Silk Road. With the recent decree by the Uzbekistani president

facilitating visa-free travel for tourists from over 100 countries, the role of tourist guides has become

increasingly pivotal. The newfound accessibility has rendered the profession more appealing and demanding

a higher level of proficiency. Within academic circles, particular emphasis is placed on equipping students

with proficiency in the Spanish language to meet the evolving demands of the tourism sector. Through this

article, we present the findings of our research, shedding light on the imperative need for effective

communication skills among tourist guides to cater to the growing influx of international visitors to

Uzbekistan.

1 INTRODUCTION

The global demand for proficiency in foreign

languages is steadily increasing, necessitating the

enhancement of lexical competence alongside other

skills. Despite being the most populous country in

Central Asia, Uzbekistan has seen a comparatively

modest number of students learning Spanish as a

foreign language in its universities. However,

initiatives such as teaching Spanish in educational

institutions worldwide, including the UK, USA, and

Russian MGIMO, highlight the growing importance

of Spanish language proficiency. Pedagogical

technologies, particularly online resources like "El

portal Español," play a significant role in fostering

communicative competence, with a focus on common

Spanish verbs. In Uzbekistan, reforms aimed at

nurturing well-rounded individuals stress the

importance of foreign language education and

communication skills. Collaborative efforts with

UNESCO and DGP Research & Consulting

underscore the commitment to higher education

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3552-3111

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8492-4213

https://orcid.org/0009-0006-3559-4517

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1671-9389

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0945-9953

development. This research aims to enhance students'

communicative competence in Spanish, aligning with

global trends and educational priorities.

2 STUDY OBJECTIVES

The research involves examining a wide array of

literature spanning linguistic, psychological,

psycholinguistic, pedagogical, and methodological

domains. It focuses on investigating lexical

synonyms in Spanish through a comparative

typological approach. Additionally, it includes an

assessment of the current state of Spanish language

instruction through questionnaire surveys with

students and teachers, as well as observations of

teaching practices, tests, and the development of

instructional materials. An experiment is conducted

to evaluate the efficacy of proposed exercises, with

results analysed using mathematical statistics. The

objective is to enhance the teaching of synonyms

1604

Juraev, A., Tuychieva, M., Anorboyeva, S., Sabirova, N. and Akhadova, S.

Spanish Skills for Tourist Guides: Enhancing Communicative Competence.

DOI: 10.5220/0012987700003882

Paper published under CC license (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

In Proceedings of the 2nd Pamir Transboundary Conference for Sustainable Societies (PAMIR-2 2023), pages 1604-1607

ISBN: 978-989-758-723-8

among students at a higher educational institution,

while the subject pertains to refining the meaning,

form, methods, and tools for communicative

competence development, particularly through

synonyms, among Spanish language learners as a

second foreign language.

3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

The research utilises various methods including

theoretical, diagnostic, and pedagogical experiments,

along with mathematical tools for statistical analysis.

Key findings include revealing lexical concept

relationships between Spanish and Uzbek,

determining typological difficulties in using Spanish

synonyms, and enhancing didactic support for

synonym usage.

Reliability is established through theoretical

frameworks, methodological tools, and practical

applications, validating the research outcomes.

The significance lies in improving students'

communication skills in Spanish through developed

exercises and recommendations for text drafting and

oral speech enhancement.

Exploring communicative competence reveals its

importance in foreign language teaching theory and

practice, stemming from linguistic theories of

Chomsky and Saussure to Hymes' introduction of

communicative competence.

In Uzbekistan, students improve their Spanish

communicative competence through vocabulary-

based text composition and dictionary usage, yet the

development of oral speech remains underexplored.

Linguistic competence development criteria,

including lexical competence, are outlined in state

education standards, underlining the importance of

synonyms in language learning.

Understanding synonymy aids in choosing precise

concepts in conversation, enhancing communication

skills, with absolute and partial synonyms playing

distinct roles in language acquisition

4 RESULTS & DISCUSSION

Methods of Teaching Synonyms:

• Overview: The chapter outlines areas of

teaching synonyms, difficulties in

assimilation, technology integration, and

lexical exercises.

• Concepts: Describes concepts of

independence, correspondence, and partial

correspondence in Spanish and Uzbek.

• Interpretation: Illustrates cases of

complete coincidence, partial coincidence,

and complete difference between Spanish

and Uzbek concepts.

Synonym Selection and Teaching:

• Selection Process: Highlights the selection

of common synonyms from Spanish speech,

with a focus on verbs.

• Complexity: Identifies verbs as the most

challenging aspect of learning Spanish

grammar.

• Learning Stages: Describes a two-stage

process for presenting and practicing

vocabulary, considering lexical skills.

Assimilation and Exercise Design:

• Vocabulary Groups: Categorizes Spanish

vocabulary into easy, relatively difficult, and

difficult groups for exercises.

• Exercise Structure: Explains exercises for

real vocabulary assimilation, receptive and

reproductive skills, and various lexical units.

• Implementation: Discusses in-class and at-

home exercise formats and the importance

of repetition.

Interference and Learning Difficulties:

• Typological Analysis: Analyzes lexical

synonyms and identifies interference points

between Spanish and Uzbek.

• Challenges: Details difficulties in phonetic-

graphic connections, meaning, grammatical

forms, and correct usage.

• Resolution: Proposes addressing

interference through systematic vocabulary

organization.

Experimental Study on Communication

Improvement:

• Purpose: Defines practical aims including

vocabulary's role in communication skill

acquisition.

• Implementation: Details organization,

analysis, and discussion with students and

teachers across multiple universities.

• Challenges: Notes difficulties due to limited

synonyms in textbooks and manuals.

Quantitative Analysis of Student

Performance:

• Pre-Experiment Analysis: Evaluates

speaking skills before the experiment in

control and experimental groups.

Spanish Skills for Tourist Guides: Enhancing Communicative Competence

1605

• Post-Experiment Analysis: Compares

speaking skills six months after the

experiment in both groups.

• Final Sample Analysis: Examines speaking

skills at the end of the experiment for

conclusive insights.

Outcome and Effectiveness:

• Results: Show improvement in speaking

skills among students in the experimental

group post-experiment.

• Conclusions: Attribute effectiveness to

modern teaching technologies and

methodologies.

• Implications: Suggests positive impact on

communication skills through systematic

vocabulary exercises.

5 CONCLUSION

The research underscores the pressing need to address

the challenges inherent in teaching Spanish

vocabulary, a crucial aspect in enhancing students'

communicative competence. By analysing classroom

dynamics, pre- and post-experiment assessments, and

educational materials, it becomes evident that a

tailored curriculum, aligned with CEFR standards, is

essential. The study reveals that students' proficiency

in Spanish significantly increases through targeted

vocabulary exercises, emphasizing the importance of

a systematic approach to vocabulary acquisition.

Moreover, the integration of synonyms as a

pedagogical tool proves to be highly effective,

fostering linguistic sensitivity and expanding

students' lexical repertoire.

The findings highlight the significance of macro

comparative analysis in language teaching,

particularly in comparing the lexical systems of

Spanish and Uzbek. This approach not only enhances

students' understanding of linguistic nuances but also

facilitates cross-cultural communication. The

experimental experience validates the efficacy of

developed exercises in enhancing students' speaking

and writing skills in Spanish. Through consistent

practice with synonyms and other linguistic exercises,

students demonstrate marked improvements in their

ability to articulate ideas fluently and accurately.

Furthermore, the study unveils the pivotal role of

active teaching methods, such as role-playing and

design games, in bolstering interest and proficiency

in the Spanish language. These interactive approaches

not only engage students actively in the learning

process but also provide practical opportunities for

them to apply their language skills in authentic

contexts. Importantly, the research identifies a

growing interest among students and educators in

mastering Spanish, driven by its status as the second

most spoken language globally. This underscores the

increasing importance of Spanish proficiency in

Uzbekistan's educational landscape, reflecting

broader trends in globalization and intercultural

exchange.

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