An evaluation of English language pre-service teachers' subject matter competencies based on the opinions of faculty members

In this thesis titled "An Evaluation of English Language Pre-Service Teachers' Subject Matter Competencies Based on the Opinions of Faculty Members" the primary aim is to evaluate the subject matter competencies of pre-service teachers. To achieve this aim, the study draws on the experiences and perspectives of faculty members serving in English Language Teaching (ELT) departments at six public universities in Turkey. The study seeks to discuss the pre-service teachers' levels of subject matter competencies and their pre-service training based on their own insights. Furthermore, it aims to evaluate the subject matter competencies of pre-service teachers in order to contribute to the effective, efficient, and sustainable teaching and learning of English as a Foreign Language in both formal and non-formal educational institutions in Turkey, and to develop recommendations grounded in valid, scientific data. This research adopts a qualitative methodology, specifically employing a case study design. The findings indicate that, although faculty members believe teacher candidates should demonstrate a high level of competence in subject matter knowledge, they are, in fact, not sufficiently proficient in the four language skills—particularly in speaking and writing—. Moreover, the linguistic and structural differences between English and Turkish—stemming from their belonging to distinct language families, as well as their cultural, grammatical, and syntactic differences—create various challenges for students throughout their subject matter training. Another issue identified in the study is that the course curricula are not implemented in alignment with the actual needs in terms of content and intensity. Finally, it was observed that large class sizes and insufficient or limited technological infrastructure further deepen these problems in English language education.