THE SILENT MAJORITY: ANALYZING THE PROFILE OF "PASSIVE" EFL LEARNERS

Abstract

In the 21st-century English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom, a significant segment of the student population remains "passive" physically present but communicatively withdrawn. This article analyzes the profile of these learners, moving beyond the label of "quietness" to explore the cognitive and cultural underpinnings of their passivity. By applying the research of Khujakulov on lexical and derivational systems, the paper argues that passivity often stems from a lack of "linguistic confidence" in navigating complex grammatical structures. The study proposes that a shift in the teacher’s linguistic persona can transform this silent majority into active participants.