EXPLORING EFFECTIVE ENGLISH TEACHING APPROACHES FOR CUSTOMS PROFESSIONALS: INSIGHTS FROM QUESTIONNAIRE-BASED RESEARCH

BASED RESEARCH

Yuldasheva Sevara Dilshadovna

University of Exact and Social Sciences

Foreign language and literature (English) 2nd year master’s student

Annotation. This study examines effective approaches to teaching the English language that are specifically designed to meet the professional requirements of customs officers. Acknowledging the critical role of English in international communication, trade facilitation, and border management, the research evaluates the alignment of existing teaching methodologies with the practical language needs of customs professionals. Utilizing data collected through questionnaires distributed to Customs institute cadets, the study identifies the most effective teaching strategies, prevalent challenges in language training, and potential areas for enhancement. The results underscore the significance of context-specific, communicative, and taskoriented approaches, providing actionable recommendations for the development of English for Specific Purposes programs within customs training organizations.

Key words. Customs, terminology, English for Specific Purposes, customs law, teaching methods, authentic materials.

Annotatsiya. Ushbu tadqiqot bojxona xodimlarining kasbiy talablarini qondirish uchun maxsus ishlab chiqilgan ingliz tilini o'qitishning samarali usullarini o'rganadi. Ingliz tilining xalqaro aloqa, savdoni osonlashtirish va chegaralarni boshqarishdagi muhim rolini e'tirof etgan holda, tadqiqot mavjud o'qitish metodologiyalarining bojxona xodimlarining amaliy til ehtiyojlariga mos kelishini baholaydi. Bojxona instituti kursantlariga tarqatilgan so'rovnomalar orqali to'plangan ma'lumotlardan foydalangan holda, tadqiqot eng samarali o'qitish strategiyalarini, tilni o'qitishdagi keng tarqalgan muammolarni va yaxshilash uchun potentsial sohalarni aniqlaydi. Natijalar kontekstga xos, kommunikativ va vazifalarga yo'naltirilgan yondashuvlarning ahamiyatini ta'kidlab, bojxona ta'limi tashkilotlarida maxsus maqsadlar uchun ingliz tili dasturlarini ishlab chiqish bo'yicha amaliy tavsiyalar beradi.

Kalit so’zlar. Bojxona, atamashunoslik, maxsus maqsadlar uchun ingliz tili, bojxona huquqi, o'qitish usullari, haqiqiy materiallar.

Аннотация. В данном исследовании рассматриваются эффективные подходы к обучению английскому языку, специально разработанные для удовлетворения профессиональных потребностей сотрудников таможенных органов. Признавая важнейшую роль английского языка в международном общении, содействии торговле и управлении границами, исследование оценивает соответствие существующих методик обучения практическим языковым потребностям специалистов таможенной службы. Используя данные, собранные с помощью анкет, распространенных среди курсантов Таможенного института, исследование выявляет наиболее эффективные стратегии обучения, распространенные проблемы в языковой подготовке и потенциальные области для совершенствования. Полученные результаты подчеркивают важность контекстно-ориентированного, коммуникативного и целевого подходов, предоставляя практические рекомендации по развитию программ английского языка для специальных целей в таможенных учебных организациях.

Ключевые слова: Таможня, терминология, английский язык для специальных целей, таможенное право, методы обучения, аутентичные материалы.

Introduction. In a world that is becoming increasingly interconnected, effective communication in English has emerged as an essential skill for customs professionals. Acting as the primary representatives of their nations, customs officers are responsible for enforcing regulations, facilitating trade, engaging with international partners, and maintaining border security. These duties often necessitate clear, precise, and professional communication in English, especially in international ports, airports, and trade zones where English is commonly used as the universal language. Despite the significant demand for English proficiency in this sector, many customs officers receive limited or generic language training that fails to address the specific linguistic and functional needs of their roles. Conventional methods of English language instruction often do not meet the distinct requirements of this professional group. While general English courses may enhance basic language abilities, they often lack relevance to the specific tasks and terminology that customs personnel encounter. Consequently, there is an increasing necessity to investigate and adopt more effective, contextoriented teaching strategies—approaches that are not only linguistically robust but also directly applicable to the customs field.

This research seeks to identify the most effective English teaching methodologies for customs professionals by analyzing data collected through questionnaires distributed to both English language teachers and customs officials. By exploring existing practices, obstacles, and the preferences of learners, the study aims to enhance the design of more focused and effective English language training programs within customs education. The results are expected to provide valuable insights for educators, curriculum developers, and institutional trainers regarding optimal strategies for teaching English for Specific Purposes (ESP) in the realm of customs operations.

Research methodology. As border – customs post is the entrance to the Republic, English language is becoming essential part of Customs officers duty. While having a conversation with passengers or entrepreneurs, and explaining the Customs law, the inspectors must utilize language properly with terminology. Being in a lesson cadets retell the theme using terms correctly, but while having a project based-learning they could not use customs law and terminology. Obviously, they are future inspectors of law enforcement agency, they should explain their action warrantable. That is why we had some questionaries with cadets about the knowledge of customs terminology. The first their task was to match the terms and their definition, which are taken from “Glossary of international customs terms” published by World Customs Organization1. The most mistakes were made with the words: cargo manifest, crew’s effects, equivalent compensation, intellectual property rights, corresponding issuing association and commercial fraud.

According to this task it was understandable that only 74% of cadets could find the meaning of the terms when they are written. While analyzing this task, I decided to have a questionary. (table1) 1 Do you know the

professional terminology

related to Customs sphere?

Yes

80%

No

7.5%

Difficult to

answer

12.5% 2 How often do you read

Customs related

documents(law) in English?

Always

5%

Sometimes

70%

Rarely

17.5%

Never

5% 3 What is your level of

knowledge of English?

Excellent

25%

Good

52.5%

Not bad

20%

Bad

2.5% 4 Do you use Customs

terminology in your speech

in English lesson?

Yes

72.5%

No

12.5%

Difficult to

answer

15% 5 Are you ready to explain

Customs Law to the foreign

citizen in English?

Yes

55%

No

20%

Difficult to

answer

25% 1 “Glossary of international customs terms” published by World Customs Organization

Table 1

To the question “do you know the professional terminology related to Customs sphere?” 80% of cadets answered yes, which corresponds to the answers on the table1. To the questions “how often do you read Customs related documents (law) in English?”, “Do you use Customs terminology in your speech in English lesson?” and “Are you ready to explain Customs Law to the foreign citizen in English?” answers were in average level. But on today’s globalized world, the customs officers must know English language in a high level. So, according to this questionary, I endeavored to analyze some teaching methods.

Task – based language teaching. Task-based language teaching (TBLT), or task-based instruction (TBI), focuses on using authentic language and asking students to complete meaningful tasks using the target language. Such tasks might include visiting a doctor, conducting an interview, or contacting customer service for help2. According to this method, cadets may be given some authentic materials to fully understand their duty. There are 3 types of authentic materials: 1. Authentic listening/viewing materials; 2. Authentic printed materials; 3. Realia used in EFL/ESL classrooms3. Obviously, authentic listening/viewing and authentic printed materials can be widely used, for instance, customs’ passengers’ and cargo declaration or cargo manifest, moreover, they are able to visit border-customs post to face real life situations. Afterwards, teacher may give situations to solve with using customs law and presenting it with group.

CLIL stands for Content and Language Integrated Learning. This means studying another subject (for example, science, history, or literature) and learning a language, such as English, at the same time — integrating the two subjects. The definition is broad because the integration can happen in many different ways4. Although individual programs and courses may have distinct objectives, the primary goal of all CLIL methodologies is to improve students' comprehension of subjectspecific material while concurrently enhancing their proficiency in the target language. Additionally, CLIL promotes learners' overall learning effectiveness and fosters an appreciation for diverse cultures. It is crucial that students retain their native language skills, as acquiring a new language is intended to supplement, rather than replace, their first language. This approach enables cadets to link Customs with the English language, 2 Modern English Teaching Methods Djumabaeva Jamila Sharipovna National University Uzbekistan Named After Mirzo Ulug'bek Article in Journal of Higher Education Theory and Practice · September 2023 3 The types of audiovisual authentic materials and their usage in EFL classrooms J.Djumabaeva D.Ungboeva (PDF) The types of audiovisual authentic materials and their usage in EFL classrooms p34 4 What Is CLIL? The Global Trend in Bilingual Education Explained allowing them to study their profession in English while simultaneously advancing their language abilities. Numerous textbooks, literature, and legal documents are available in English, which can be advantageous. Teaching Customs clearance in English will be beneficial, and educators should also focus on enhancing their own language proficiency.

Technology-Enhanced Language Learning (TELL) encompasses a diverse range of digital tools, platforms, and applications designed to support language learning activities both inside and outside the classroom5. While each CLIL course may have distinct objectives, the overarching goal of all CLIL programs is to enhance students' understanding of academic subjects alongside their proficiency in the foreign language being instructed. Concurrently, learners are anticipated to refine their learning strategies and cultivate a greater appreciation for an alternative culture. It is also crucial that their native language remains robust—acquiring a second language should complement their existing skills rather than supplant the language they already command. E-learning platforms such as Moodle, Blackboard, and Canvas have become pivotal in delivering English for Specific Purposes (ESP) courses. These platforms offer comprehensive and robust solutions that enhance the teaching and learning experience through a variety of tools and features specifically designed to meet the needs of ESP students6. Moreover, media streaming devices like Google chrome cast and Rokku make group explorations interactive and presentations amazing7. In Customs Institute there are all opportunities to utilize technologies during the lesson, so that with the help of these tools and programs, lessons become more interesting and effective.

Conclusion. To achieve genuine effectiveness in English language instruction for customs education, it is essential to transcend basic language acquisition and emphasize contextual, interactive, and professionally pertinent learning experiences. Collaboration among curriculum developers, educators, and training institutions is crucial to incorporate practical customs-related content, promote the application of terminology in communication, and utilize modern technology to foster more engaging and efficient learning environments. This approach will ensure that customs 5 THE EFFECTIVENESS OF TECHNOLOGY-ENHANCED LANGUAGE LEARNING METHODS Uktamjon Ortikov Khudoyberdi ugli Oriental Renaissance: Innovative, educational, natural and social sciences SJIF 2024 = 7.404 / ASI Factor = 1.7 (E)ISSN: 2181-1784 4 (3), March., 2024 www.oriens.uz p162 6 INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES IN TEACHING ENGLISH LANGUAGE TO ESP STUDENTS Jambulova Ayimkhan EURASIAN JOURNAL OF ACADEMIC RESEARCH Innovative Academy Research Support Center UIF = 8.1 | SJIF = 7.899 www.inacademy.uz p41 7 Modern English Teaching Methods September 2023 Journal of Higher Education Theory and Practice 23(14) professionals are linguistically equipped to fulfill the requirements of their critical roles in a globalized context.

Rеfеrеnсеs: 1. “Glossary of International Customs terms” World Customs Organization June 2024 2. Modern English Teaching Methods Djumabaeva Jamila Sharipovna National University Uzbekistan Named After Mirzo Ulug'bek Article in Journal of Higher Education Theory and Practice · September 2023 3. The types of audiovisual authentic materials and their usage in EFL classrooms J.Djumabaeva D.Ungboeva (PDF) The types of audiovisual authentic materials and their usage in EFL classrooms p34 4. The Effectiveness of Technology-Enhanced Language Learning Methods Uktamjon Ortikov Khudoyberdi ugli Oriental Renaissance: Innovative, educational, natural and social sciences SJIF 2024 = 7.404 / ASI Factor = 1.7 (E)ISSN: 2181-1784 4 (3), March., 2024 www.oriens.uz p162 5. Innovative technologies in teaching English language to ESP students Jambulova Ayimkhan Eurasian Journal of Academic Research Innovative Academy Research Support Center UIF = 8.1 | SJIF = 7.899 www.in-academy.uz p41 6. What Is CLIL? The Global Trend in Bilingual Education Explained