CHALLENGES IN TEACHING AND LEARNING ENGLISH TENSES AT THE SECONDARY SCHOOL LEVEL: AN EXPLORATORY ACTION RESEARCH STUDY

Abstract

Grammatical tense, particularly the distinction between Past Simple and Past Continuous, constitutes one of the most persistent challenges in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) instruction at the secondary school level. This paper reports an Exploratory Action Research (EAR) study conducted during a teaching practicum at School No. 42, Namangan, Uzbekistan. The study involved 30 students in Grades 5–7 and employed three data-collection instruments: reflective journals, video-recorded lesson observations, and semi-structured student and teacher interviews. Findings indicate that confusion over the temporal logic of interrupted actions, misapplication of discourse markers (when / while), and omission of auxiliary verbs (was / were) are the primary grammatical errors. Digital distraction and an over-reliance on decontextualised rule memorisation were identified as compounding factors. Drawing on Krashen’s (1982) Input Hypothesis and Harmer’s (2007) ESA (Engage–Study–Activate) model, a targeted action plan—integrating visual timelines, keyword-focused exercises, and interactive storytelling tasks—was designed and implemented. Post-intervention data show a mean accuracy gain of 27.3 percentage points across four weeks, alongside markedly higher student engagement scores. The paper concludes with pedagogical recommendations for grammar instruction in comparable EFL contexts.