Uzbek education today is going through a stage of large-scale reform caused by democratic transformations in the socio-political and economic life of society

Introduction

Uzbek education today is going through a stage of large-scale reform caused by democratic transformations in the socio-political and economic life of society. Modern society expects education to fulfill not only educational, educational, developmental, but also sociocultural functions.

English is an element of culture. It functions within a certain culture, therefore, we must be familiar with the peculiarities of this culture, with the peculiarities of the functioning of the English language in it, that is, we are talking about the need to form socio-cultural competence. [5]
The term "competence" has increasingly begun to appear in the conceptual apparatus of Russian pedagogy. Competence, being a derivative of competence, is understood as a certain area of application of knowledge, skills, abilities and qualities, which together help a person to act in various situations, including new situations. [2]
One of the important achievements of language pedagogy was the position that the success of speech communication fully depends on communicative competence - the ability of communicators to influence each other adequately to the tasks of communication and, in accordance with this, use speech statements. The basis for the development of a sociocultural approach in language pedagogy was the provision on the need for co-study of language and culture. At the same time, when developing the practice of co-studying languages and cultures, a number of problems arise that require specific resolution, which determined the relevance of the work.
This paper considers the problem of finding means of forming the socio-cultural competence of younger students in English lessons.
According to the new state standards for a foreign language, the mandatory minimum content of basic educational programs, in addition to speech skills and language knowledge and skills, compensatory skills and educational and cognitive skills, includes sociocultural knowledge and skills.[17]
The state standard for the level of training in a foreign language emphasizes that the formation of communicative competence is inextricably linked with sociocultural and regional knowledge. Without knowledge of the socio-cultural background, it is impossible to form communicative competence, even within limited limits. [12]
At the same time, teaching a foreign culture is used not only as a means of interpersonal communication, but also as a means of enriching the spiritual world of the individual through the acquisition of knowledge about the culture of the country of the language being studied.
The familiarization of a younger student with the help of a foreign language to a different culture allows, on the one hand, to realize oneself as a person belonging to a certain socio-cultural community of people, and on the other hand, it instills in him respect and tolerance for a different way of life.
Children in elementary school willingly begin to learn English. If reading and writing are more or less familiar to them, then a foreign language is a new subject for most children. Like everything new, it arouses a keen interest of younger students, and the most important thing for a teacher is to maintain this interest. It is easiest and most effective to maintain students' interest in a foreign language, including the process of mastering it in the context of gaming and cognitive activities, which allows you to create natural motives for communication, and also positively affects the formation of the sociocultural competence of younger students. [6]
In connection with the mandatory introduction of a foreign language in the 2nd grade of secondary school, the role of the initial stage in education has sharply increased. There were many tutorials, techniques, subtleties.
Learning a foreign language starts from the 2nd grade. Students of this age are characterized by a high receptivity to learning, which allows them to master the basics of communication in a new language for them with less time and effort compared to students of other age groups. [3]
The purpose of the work is to identify the effectiveness of the use of games in English lessons in elementary school as a means of forming the socio-cultural competence of students.
The goal was specified in the following tasks:

1. 
   To reveal the theoretical foundations of the formation of the socio-cultural competence of elementary school students.
   
2. 
   To analyze the means of forming the socio-cultural competence of younger students in English lessons.
   
3. 
   To study the experience of teachers-practitioners on the use of games in English lessons.
   
4. 
   Consider playing techniques at different stages of a foreign language lesson.
   
5. 
   Develop a collection of games that contribute to the formation of socio-cultural competence.
   

The object of the course work is the formation of socio-cultural competence in primary school age.
The subject of the work is the game as a means of forming socio-cultural competence at the junior stage of teaching a foreign language.
The practical significance of the work lies in the fact that the materials can be used in the course of regional studies and in the classes of elementary school students in English.
The structure of the course work. The study consists of an introduction, two chapters, a conclusion, a list of references and applications.

Chapter 1. Theoretical foundations for the formation of socio-cultural competence in primary school age