A SOCIOLINGUISTIC PROFILE OF PRE-INTERMEDIATE EFL LEARNERS IN UZBEKISTAN: SUBGROUP DIFFERENCES AND PEDAGOGICAL IMPLICATIONS

This article presents a sociolinguistic analysis of a Pre-Intermediate EFL classroom at Target International School in Tashkent. The study examines learners’ linguistic, ethnic, and educational backgrounds and explores how these factors influence language learning outcomes. The class consists of 20 tenth-grade students from Uzbek, Tajik, and Kazakh backgrounds who are preparing for CEFR and IELTS examinations. Using classroom observation and reflective teaching practice, learners were divided into two subgroups based on nationality, linguistic repertoire, and migration history. The findings reveal distinct differences in pronunciation, fluency, grammatical accuracy, and confidence across subgroups. The article discusses how differentiation, scaffolding, translanguaging, and task-based language teaching can address these differences effectively. The study concludes that sociolinguistically informed pedagogy enhances learner engagement and supports balanced skill development in multilingual EFL classrooms.