Rain

Walid Alzoukani – Syrian Poet

The rain, resembling old coins,

tinkles 

beneath the dome of my high poverty.

It rubbed the goat of the night 

with myth

and placed its wet finger

on the lips of the sorrowful horizon.

It kissed the fingers of the rose 

to open her eyes.

The rain, rolling on the shy windows,

bleeds laughter,

piled beneath my window,

entered my heart,

which is poorer than a tree,

 without permission.

The Role of Speech Competence in Developing Speech Culture among Primary School Students

Urganch davlat pedagogika institute “Boshlang’ich ta’lim”fakulteti Boshlang’ich ta’lim yo’nalishi 236-guruhi 3-kurs talabasi

Masharipova Unsunoy Madamin qizi 

Annotatsiya: Ushbu maqolada boshlang‘ich sinf o‘quvchilarida nutq madaniyatini shakllantirish jarayonida nutqiy kompetensiyaning o‘rni va ahamiyati tahlil qilingan. Boshlang‘ich sinf o‘quvchilari nutqida uchraydigan ayrim kamchilik va nuqsonlarni bartaraf etishning samarali usul va vositalari haqida keng ma’lumot berilgan. Ayniqsa, nutqida kamchiligi mavjud bo‘lgan o‘quvchilar bilan individual yondashuv asosida dars jarayonlarini tashkil etishning natijalari va afzalliklari yoritib berilgan.Kalit so‘zlar: individual, guruhli, metod, kamchilik, nuqson, boshlang‘ich sinf o‘quvchisi.

Annotation: This article analyzes the role and importance of speech competence in the process of developing speech culture among primary school students. It provides comprehensive information about effective methods and tools for overcoming certain speech deficiencies and shortcomings observed in pupils’ speech. Special attention is given to the results and advantages of conducting lessons based on an individual approach for students with speech impairments.

Keywords: individual, group, method, deficiency, defect, primary school student.

Аннотация:В данной статье проанализирована роль и значение речевой компетенции в процессе формирования культуры речи у учащихся начальных классов. Представлена подробная информация об эффективных методах и средствах устранения отдельных недостатков и дефектов речи у учащихся. Особое внимание уделено результатам и преимуществам организации учебного процесса на основе индивидуального подхода к детям с речевыми нарушениями.Ключевые слова: индивидуальный, групповой, метод, недостаток, дефект, ученик начальных классов.

INTRODUCTION

Today, addressing certain shortcomings observed in the speech of primary school students has become an urgent issue. This is because primary school students are in the process of growth and development; they represent a generation that is just beginning to form intellectually and socially. One of the most effective ways to overcome these speech-related challenges is through the development of speech competence.

Eliminating such shortcomings at an early age is crucial, as this period represents the foundation for students’ overall development and cognitive growth. As the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, has emphasized, “Intellectual and cultural potential are invaluable assets of any society.” Educating and nurturing gifted individuals plays a decisive role in shaping the nation’s future.

Therefore, every word, thought, and action of the younger generation must be given special attention. It is essential to show care and support for primary school students and to organize the learning process according to their age-specific characteristics. Teachers play a vital role in encouraging young learners — who are taking their first steps into the world of education — to participate actively in class while maintaining their sense of curiosity, confidence, and creativity. In enhancing students’ speech culture, broadening their thinking capacity, and shaping their worldview, the role of various competences, especially speech competence, is immense.

Competence is the ability to apply one’s theoretical knowledge, practical skills, and experiences effectively in daily life and in solving theoretical and practical problems. The introduction of the competence-based approach in education has led to new methods and perspectives that have significantly contributed to the preparation of qualified specialists.

In modern education, integrating pedagogical and information technologies into the teaching process is considered essential for developing students’ key and subject-based competences. Generally, competences developed in students are divided into two main categories: key competences and subject-specific competences. Some academic sources further classify them into three types: Key competences, General (interdisciplinary) competences, Specific (subject-related) competences

Competences that serve the overall personal development of students are referred to as key competences, while those formed through a specific subject are known as subject competences. Speech competence belongs to the category of subject-specific competences and plays a crucial role in developing students’ speech culture — teaching them to communicate correctly, clearly, and expressively.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Many scholars and methodologists have conducted research on developing speech culture and speech competence among primary school students and teaching them to speak clearly and coherently. For instance, in the book “Methods of Teaching the Native Language in Primary School” by S. Matchanova, H. Bakiyeva, X. Gulyamova, Sh. Yo‘ldosheva, and G. Xolboyeva, the objectives, content, and practical significance of speech development methods are comprehensively covered.

The authors state that the main task of speech development methodology is to create a need and interest in communication among students — encouraging them to speak and interact with others. When this need emerges, students gradually improve their speech, develop a sense of responsibility for their words, and expand their expressive abilities. The authors also view speech not only as a means of communication but as a fundamental component of human thinking, perception, and cognition.

Through speech, students not only express their ideas but also acquire new knowledge, analyze it, and shape their personal worldview. Similarly, in “Methods of Teaching the Native Language” by K. Qosimova, S. Matchanova, X. G‘ulomova, Sh. Yo‘ldosheva, and Sh. Sariyev, the theoretical and practical aspects of developing students’ speech during literacy instruction are analyzed in depth. The main objectives of speech development in this work are defined as follows: Identifying and correcting deficiencies in students’ speech; Expanding their conceptual and imaginative capacity, as well as their vocabulary; Developing skills in understanding word meanings and using them appropriately; Improving coherent speech by teaching students to construct sentences, short stories, and texts logically and coherently, both orally and in writing.

From these sources, it becomes clear that developing speech culture helps to improve not only students’ vocabulary but also their thinking, memory, attention, and communication skills. In modern education, developing speech competence is considered one of the key directions of teaching, as it enables students to express their thoughts independently, logically, and coherently. In this process, the teacher must use individual, group, and interactive methods effectively, considering students’ age and psychological characteristics.

The literature also proposes a set of methodological exercises aimed at speech development, which include: Listening and retelling exercises; Topic-based conversations and role-playing games for developing oral speech; Text-based analysis and rewriting exercises for improving written speech; Working with synonyms, antonyms, and polysemous words to expand vocabulary; Creating stories based on pictures and using proverbs, riddles, and tongue-twisters.

Developing speech culture through speech competence not only improves students’ communication skills, clarity, and expression but also enhances their interest in learning and broadens their worldview. Moreover, it helps them analyze and summarize information independently and express their thoughts accurately and fluently.

Analyses of the process of forming speech culture in primary school students show that developing speech competence is a multi-stage, systematic, and continuous pedagogical process. It is not limited to teaching language skills but is closely linked to students’ personal, social, intellectual, and spiritual development. Most importantly, the teacher’s speech model plays a decisive role in this process.

When the teacher speaks clearly, grammatically correctly, expressively, and understandably, students naturally begin to absorb and imitate that speech culture. Thus, the teacher’s speech serves not only as a means of conveying information but also as an educational influence. Interactive methods play a significant role in speech development. Methods such as “Role Play,” “Brainstorming,” “Learning through Discussion,” “Debate,” and “Cluster Mapping” foster independent thinking, logical reasoning, persuasive communication, and creative expression among students.

These methods also cultivate communication culture and increase social activity. In developing written speech, exercises such as dictations, essays, retellings, story writing based on pictures, text continuation, and word chains enhance not only writing skills but also logical thinking, coherence, and clarity of expression. They also strengthen students’ analytical and creative abilities.

Speech competence is closely connected to reading and listening comprehension skills. If a child lacks the ability to comprehend what they hear, it becomes difficult to express their thoughts clearly. Therefore, reading, listening, speaking, and writing activities must be integrated. Such integration supports the comprehensive development of students’ speech abilities.

The study also found that family environment and psychological climate play an essential role in shaping children’s speech. When parents listen to their children’s thoughts, answer their questions logically, and encourage independent thinking, children become more verbally active. In the classroom, mutual respect, open communication, and trust between teacher and student foster active participation in speech-related activities.

Speech culture is the culture of thought, as speech reflects a person’s intellect, knowledge, and worldview. Each individual expresses emotions, feelings, and ideas through speech. The richness, clarity, and expressiveness of one’s speech indicate their level of thinking. Therefore, developing speech culture in primary school students is one of the key ways to enhance their thinking, cognition, and creativity.

Speech competence includes the following main components: Oral speech skills – the ability to express thoughts clearly, fluently, and expressively while observing communication etiquette; Written speech skills – the ability to express ideas in written form, observing spelling, punctuation, and stylistic norms; Reading and comprehension skills – identifying main ideas from texts, analyzing and summarizing content; Listening comprehension skills – understanding spoken material, identifying main ideas, and answering related questions.

Developing these components systematically helps integrate knowledge, skills, and abilities harmoniously in students. For example, to improve oral speech, students can be asked questions, involved in conversations, and assigned expressive reading of literary texts and poems. Through written speech, students learn to express their ideas correctly in grammatical, lexical, and stylistic terms. Listening and comprehension can be enhanced through technological tools — audio tales, video materials, and interactive games. In conclusion, developing speech culture and speech competence in primary education forms the foundation for raising not only articulate speakers and writers but also logical thinkers, socially active, and culturally mature individuals.

Therefore, teachers’ professional preparation must include deep knowledge of methodological approaches to developing speech activity and their effective application in practice.

CONCLUSION

To sum up, developing each student’s speech means not only improving their speaking and writing skills but also broadening their thinking, worldview, and intellectual capacity. The primary school stage is the most critical period in a child’s formation — this is when their oral and written speech, communication culture, and thinking abilities are developed.

In this process, speech competence plays an essential role. It teaches students not only to know the language but also to use it appropriately, logically, and politely in real-life situations. It develops their ability to think independently, express their ideas clearly and grammatically correctly, listen attentively, and communicate respectfully. Moreover, the formation of speech competence turns students into active participants in the learning process. This, in turn, helps them master not only their native language but also other subjects more deeply, engage in discussions, solve problems, and think creatively.

Thus, developing speech culture in primary education is a complex yet highly effective pedagogical process that integrates knowledge, thinking, morality, and social engagement. In this process, the teacher’s speech example, interactive teaching methods, and supportive family and social environments play decisive roles. We believe that only through such a systematic approach can we raise a future generation of cultured, thoughtful individuals who value the power of words and possess a rich and developed speech competence.

REFERENCES

Ibragimova F., Farsaxonova D., Shukurova X., Mamayusupova S., Xolsaidov F.Methods of Teaching the Native Language in Primary School.– Tashkent: Innovatsiya-Ziyo, 2021.Qorayev S. B., Tirkashev N. I.Main Aspects of Competence-Based Education.– ISSUE, 2022.Matchanova S., Bakiyeva H., Gulyamova X., Yo‘ldosheva Sh., Xolboyeva G.Methods of Teaching the Native Language in Primary School.– Tashkent: Ishonchli Hamkor, 2021.Qosimova K., Matchanov S., G‘ulomova X., Yo‘ldosheva Sh., Sariyev Sh.Methods of Teaching the Native Language.– Tashkent: Nosir Publishing House, 2009.

(Young light skinned Latina woman with long brown hair, a gray and white striped top, and reading glasses)

ARTISAN 

In a corner of the earth, an artisan cherishes her loom, which she prepared with colorful thread. 

She is a woman who embroiders with love and dedication, blankets that tell stories of the land and its people. 

She embroiders fish that swim in a river of colors and textures, and birds that fly, with wings that stretch toward the sky. 

She also embroiders masks of her ancestors, with eyes that seem to see, with ancient wisdom passed down by her grandmothers from generation to generation. 

Each thread, each stitch, each color is a message sent, 

through time and space, to those who know how to listen. 

The artisan is surrounded by her creations, with a heart full of pride, and a spirit that is free. 

She is a bearer of culture, and her art is a reflection of the beauty and wisdom of her people.

Nidia Amelia García, from Buenos Aires, Argentina, is a writer and an active member of Juntos por las Letras (Together for Letters). She has participated in numerous virtual events in Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, Spain, Colombia, Portugal, Nigeria, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and elsewhere. She has also contributed to literary anthologies such as “Books of the Immortals” and “Anthology of the 50 Poets of the World 2022.”

1)

RAINBOW

The sky is gray.

He whines.

His lamentations are legion.

The sky is pale

He gets angry

Blues Day

Today the scorpions are letting loose

The sky is gray

Hearts are gray

And even often black with storms

The sky is gray

I trot little mouse

I smile

My smile is sad though

He wants to drip too

To sink in the gulp

To annihilate oneself far from the stench

My smile quivers

My smile moans

The sky is gray

I smile

My smile hesitates

But I hear on the umbrella canvas

The tender note the slow note

A joyful poppy tempo in winter

But I see my cat

Impassive who seizes the moment

He was waiting for me with all his love

With the accuracy of his wisdom

He certainly doesn’t smile

But his eyes speak the language of the soul

The sky is gray

Sad human race

Filled with hatred and arrogance

Today the scorpions are letting loose

The sky is gray

Hearts are gray

And even often black with storms

But I draw

Once again

At the well of infinite Love

So despite the tumult of shouts and hatred

To which the multitude abandons itself

I smile

And my smile

Print on the gray sky

Through her tears

The colors of my light

2)

BEFORE THE GREAT AWAKENING

Amber News

The read leaves abandon themselves

And flee to the wind

I was that lost page

Tears of despair

At the railing of my balcony

They are pearled without thread

I was that tear

In his mad race

The clock is moving

And catches a cold in the gray morning

Might as well get drunk too

I am this hour stopped

With a tissue

Autumnal cold

Under your crystal clear skin

The days fall asleep

I am silent

Rendered

Under the covers

Night under the eyelids

Warm

Dreams languish

Eternity

Under glass

Autumn fades away all its colors

Before the Great Awakening

Miracles 

Miracles happens everywhere… everyday..

Just take the moment to understand and communicate with people….not fanatics… not close minded..

Miracles happens 

I have seen one in my younger age

Miracles are the people who are close enough to understand what is your purpose and your character and will Push you to achieve your dreams 

Miracles happens 

Miracle is your faith and your ability to maintain the Light in the darkness 

Miracles are everywhere 

Don’t confuse technology with faith 

Don’t worry about the fake..rich life..of a man who never tried in his life

Miracle is your inner soul to stay intact from evil attack 

What is Ours

Out of faded afterthought in its spreading yard of white flame

a line of dark that splits the light moves in several directions at once

and before long has left a skyline of hands raised for shade

to better receive the sight of land despite the only definition  

being a debt none of us can afford, though our purpose is the image,

to live in it, to know its glow, know the floor of eternity as the back of the mind

which is the image’s way of ending, of achieving stillness, and further

into the image, sleeves are rendered over the bulk of bare wrists, and we,

we become aware it is us seeing it all, that our silence is always our purpose,

is always to see and refuse what is ours, unable to afford what we’re looking at.

If they are present, the warmth is theirs, so I am still agitated,

wounded even by sleep. Carts of fruit have broken in the street.

Everything cannot form neat little lines; some things must splatter to happen.

The recurring aprons have failed their pledge. The self-checkout is gathering cobwebs.

The menus are blowing away in the wind. A couch in the street is the crested horizon.

But I am still here, shoes and everything, and I am absolutely wasting all of my joke.

I find my truth in what I don’t agree with, and from my seat on the airplane

I hear the flight attendant announce the only missing passenger, and it’s me.

                                                                                                            —The Banker

To Come

We thought we might shut the anthem up good,

so we drank, watched unspeakable joy capsize,

touched burgundy night, were outraged with ourselves

in the morning, and realized our inexpressiveness

was our only morality, the anthem. It came from

the heart of inconsequence, only to be glimpsed while forgetting.

It came from a place of purity, purity that rang like escape routes

from an implacable faith, where scouting was a shout at water

lathered in streaks of ash. The anthem came from a place

people weren’t sure really existed, yet had memories of,

memories that announced themselves like collective hallucinations

in rehearsal of childhoods to come, but in the end, the anthem

turned out to be nothing more than the stale air

shut away in a room that was locked from the outside.

           All the many thin, angled bars of light

           slowly floated dust down the old beer signs.

           The jukebox again repeated the good song

           which spoke clearly in the only voice.

          The bad song does not speak in the only voice.

                                                         —The Drinker

Cop

Soon it will be dark, and in her lack of sight

her ear will supply all the courtyard birdsong

of trickling water in a cold office bathroom.

There will be an elevator shaft, and in the silent elevator,

her ear will supply the sound of a dog walking in circles.

Outside on a park bench will sit a little harmonica

and passersby will invent a child blowing into it.

When we think of the past, our efforts seem silly.

It’s often difficult to decide on a monument

when every single sleep that comes answering is bare.

                                             A god is vice begins and ends vice

                                                                                 —The Thief

The One in Charge

One day the ice in his glass

did not melt properly

and he discovered he was empty.

But when no one can afford

to relax at the top, how to tell

what relaxing looks like?

          We kidded ourselves; we spoke of tar and rain,

          balconies and raw meat, sun on umbrellas.

          But what we desired most could only suffice

          if too much to receive, a place only visible

          from the outside, so we looked all over

          not for what we had lost, but for the moments we lost it;

          we looked for the beautiful ways, the ambitious ways which

          in the past, with far more people to know, we lost it all.

                                                           —The Second Gunman

Coin into Fountain

Like any precise enough metallic

put to milliseconds across a dome of daylight,  

it wasn’t itself as it was happening,                        

as it was happening, it was something else,

it was a flickering jewel between towers   

in shaky blue sky above city traffic,

then the slap of the surface, water closing fast

the circle by mimicry of shape and rushing

across the engraved profile toward itself

until a clash spiraling finger oil upward

to dissolve under the surface and its dialogue

which was then the intact hum of the buried above

while the bottom was struck and all the other coins

already installed long enough to bear small life

fell storied into their own respective borders,

and the dialogue above the surface continues;

who is there left to abandon?  

                                       They learn when they buy.

                                                                   —The Billionaire 

Derek Thomas Dew (he/she/they) is a neurodivergent, non-binary poet currently living and teaching in New York City. Derek’s debut poetry collection “Riddle Field” received the 2019 Test Site Poetry Prize from the Black Mountain Institute/University of Nevada. Derek’s poems have appeared in a number of anthologies, and have been published widely, including Interim, ONE ART, Allium, The Maynard, Azarão Lit Journal, Two Hawks Quarterly, Ocean State Review, and Overgrowth Press.

.

Lucia Berlin
(1936-2004)

Lucia, Daughter

Northern lights in the sky
over Alaska her father
deep in mines, engineer
moving from mining
town to town
to tar paper shacks
to a boarding house
to a log cabin in the woods
long johns and a baby sister
then Father off to war. 

Waiting for him, waiting
under a treeless sky
air heavy with heat, dust
in El Paso with Granpa
the town dentist, mean
drunk and her mother
shut down, closed off
in a dark bedroom
with a bottle. 

Father’s new job: Arizona
a real house in the hills
the bright evening star
in the dark night sky
Mother in pretty dresses
baking cakes, playing bridge
picnics and potlucks
until the next move.

A prestigious position
in Santiago, Chile
a two-story Tudor
green lawns, fruit trees
purple iris, a gardener
Mother in bed all day
with a bottle.

Teenage Lucia the hostess
for her father’s social events
private school, rich friends
skiing, swimming, movies
dressmakers, hairdressers
nightclubs, balls, boys
then a dorm in Albuquerque
her girlfriends still in Chile
married with mansions
busy with children
but after the revolution
all her old friends
murdered
or suicides.

Lucia, Wife

She’s tall, lean, svelte
dark hair, sapphire eyes
at 17 still passive
when her parents reject
her 30-year-old lover
a Mexican-American veteran
throws her out of his car
never sees him again.

A few months later
she marries a sculptor
who rearranges her
hair, clothes, stance
and avoids the draft
with their first son
with a second on the way
he’s off to Italy
on a grant, with a girl
doesn’t see him again
for sixteen years.

A musician called Race
kind, quiet, a good man
talented Harvard grad
from a big warm clan
playing gigs on piano
gone while she’s home
with the babies
in a cheap rural rental
outside Albuquerque.

Dusty, silent except for
horses, cows, chickens, dogs
red chili on strings
drying in the sun
in an old adobe
rounded, wind-softened
the same dirt-brown
as the hard-packed earth
no phone
no stove
no running water
loads of diapers
she’s too alone
this pretty young girl.

Lucia, Lover

Race moves them
to an unheated loft
in New York City
he’s out all night
at his jazz gigs
she’s up all night
typing stories
while wearing gloves
while the kids sleep
in earmuffs and mittens

until a way out arrives
with a bottle of brandy
four tickets to Acapulco
another Harvard man
Race’s buddy Buddy
dark, handsome, rich
bad boy
with a drug problem

offering the sexy allure
of escape to hot sun
sky blue pools
white sand beaches
and crazy love
with a heroin addict.

She bites, writes
bears two more sons
an electric life
flying in Buddy’s plane
landing like crop dusters
for detox and retox
always fearful
of his dealer friends.

To keep him clean
they move away
to another land
live in a palapa
with a thatched palm roof
and a beach sand floor
on the edge
of a coconut grove
surrounded by mountains.

The boys love it there
amidst parrots, flamingoes
spearing eels and fat fish
dark nights in hammocks
swaying under rustling palms
in the soft ocean breeze
heady with gardenias
their paradise life

until Buddy gets bored
and the drug dealers come.

***

Lucia Berlin shared the stories of social outsiders with her own special brand of detachment, humor, and economy, presenting the brutality of blue collar life tempered by her compassion for human frailty. She was relatively unknown until eleven years after her death when a collection of her selected stories hit the New York Times bestseller list.

Born Lucia Brown in Alaska, she spent her childhood in mining towns all over the west. After her mining engineer father got promoted to an executive position, the family lived in Chile in relative luxury. She moved to Albuquerque for college, returning later for graduate school. 

Married multiple times, she lived in Manhattan, rural Mexico, and New Mexico. After leaving her third husband, a heroin addict, she took her four young boys and settled in California. 

As a single parent, Berlin worked odd jobs including cleaning woman, physician’s assistant, hospital ward clerk, and switchboard operator. Her stories were based on incidents she experienced herself in her difficult life. She would type late at night while the boys were asleep, a bottle of bourbon at her side. 

She eventually gave up the booze and remained sober, teaching writing at the San Francisco County Jail, Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics, and University of Colorado Boulder. Lucia Berlin died in California at age 68.

Her books: 

A Manual for Cleaning Women: Stories

Evening in Paradise: Stories

Welcome Home: A Memoir

Originally from Boston, Mickey J. Corrigan hides out in the lush ruins of South Florida. She writes pulp fiction, literary crime, and psychological thrillers. Her poems have appeared in literary journals and chapbooks. A collection of biographical poems on 20th century poets is in press with Clare Songbirds Publishing.