ENHANCING GRAMMATICAL COMPETENCE THROUGH CONTEXTUALIZED INSTRUCTION IN MEDICAL ENGLISH CLASSES

The ability to use English accurately and appropriately has become increasingly important for future medical specialists. While medical students often acquire professional terminology successfully, many experience difficulties when applying grammatical structures in professional communication. This study investigates the effectiveness of contextualized grammar instruction in Medical English classes and examines its impact on students’ grammatical competence. The study was conducted with forty second-year medical students at a medical university in Uzbekistan. The participants were divided into an experimental group (20 students) and a control group (20 students). During a four-week instructional period, the experimental group received grammar instruction through contextualized activities, including doctor–patient role plays, symptom-description tasks, case discussions, and treatment recommendation exercises. The control group followed conventional grammar instruction based on rule explanation and controlled practice. Data were collected through classroom observation, pre-tests, post-tests, questionnaires, and interviews. The findings revealed improvement in both groups; however, the experimental group demonstrated significantly greater progress. The average score of the experimental group increased from 61.5 to 81 points, while the control group improved from 62 to 72 points. Students exposed to contextualized grammar instruction also reported greater confidence and engagement during communicative activities. The results suggest that integrating grammar instruction with realistic medical communication can strengthen grammatical competence and improve students’ ability to use English in professional contexts. The study supports the use of contextualized grammar teaching as an effective approach in Medical English education.