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Alman dili öğretiminde masalın yeri
Masal, çoğunlukla olağanüstü durum ve olayların anlatıldığı halk hikâyeleridir. Masalın öğretici bir yönü vardır ve dinleyenlerin masaldan zevk alması amaçlanır. Almanca dersi ortaöğretim kurumlarında ikinci yabancı dil olarak öğretilmektedir. Bu çalışmada öğrencilerin Almanca dersine karşı tutumları ölçülmektedir. Çalışmanın amacı, masal kullanılarak yapılan etkinlik temelli öğretim ile masal kullanılmadan yapılan etkinlik temelli öğretim arasındaki farkı tespit etmektir. Bunun için Almanca Tutum Ölçeği Diyarbakır Bağlar ilçesinde 4 farklı okulda uygulanmıştır. Bu okullar; Birlik Anadolu Lisesi, Güler Şevki Özbek Anadolu Lisesi, Necip Fazıl Kısakürek Anadolu Lisesi ve İMKB Fen Lisesidir. Bu ölçek, 9, 10 ve 11. sınıflar olmak üzere 820 kişiye uygulanmıştır. Araştırma 2017-2018 Eğitim-Öğretim yılı İMKB Fen Lisesi ikinci yarıyılı Almanca dersinde yürütülmüştür. Araştırmaya 11. sınıf öğrencilerinin bulunduğu iki şube seçilmiştir. Şubelerden biri deney, diğeri kontrol grubunu oluşturmuştur. Deney grubu 26 öğrenci, kontrol grubu ise 28 öğrenciden oluşmak üzere 54 katılımcı ile gerçekleşmiştir. İki grupta da etkinlik temelli ders işlenmiştir. Fakat deney grubu masal ile ilgili etkinliklerin yer aldığı öğrenme ortamında öğrenim görmüş; kontrol grubunu oluşturan öğrenciler ise ders kitabından etkinlik temelli öğrenim görmüşlerdir. Oluşturulan öğrenme ortamları Almanca ders konuları üzerine kurulmuş ve 6 hafta sürmüştür. Araştırmada tutum ölçeği analizinde ön test ve son test kullanılmıştır. Deney verileri, tutum ölçeği ve görüşme formu yardımıyla toplanmıştır. Tutum ölçeği, öğrencilere deney öncesi ve sonrası verilmiştir. Uygulama analizi ilgi, ön yargı ve uygulama boyutundan oluşmaktadır. Öğrencilere dağıtılan ön test ve son test tutum ölçeği verileri incelendiğinde, kontrol grubunda ön test ve son testte her üç boyutta da anlamlı fark olduğu görülmektedir. Bu anlamlı farklılığın son test lehine olduğu görülmektedir. Öğrencilere dağıtılan ön test ve son test tutum ölçeği verilerine bakıldığında, deney grubu öğrencilerinin araştırma öncesi ve sonrası Almanca dersine olan tutumlarında, ilgi boyutunda anlamlı bir fark olduğu görülmüştür. Araştırma sonunda masal ile işlenen dersin öğrenme ortamında öğrenim gören öğrencilerin Almanca dersine yönelik tutumu ile ders kitabından öğrenim gören öğrencilerin derse olan tutumu arasında anlamlı bir farklılık bulunmamıştır. Daha sonra, deney grubundan 11 öğrenci seçilerek görüşme anketi yapılmıştır. Görüşme anketine verilen cevaplardan öğrencilerin masalla işlenen dersten zevk aldıkları gözlemlenmiştir. Ayrıca öğrenciler masal kullanılarak derse devam etmek istediklerini vurgulamışlardır. Sonuç olarak, masal kullanılarak işlenen dersin, öğrencilerin Almanca dersine olan ilgilerini arttırdığı gözlemlenmiştir. Ayrıca öğrenciler Almanca dersinin işleniş şeklinden keyif aldıklarını belirtmişlerdir. Bu yüzden Almanca dersi işlenirken, masal etkinliklerine yer verilmesi önerilmektedir. Anahtar Kelimeler: Masal, masal ve eğitim, masalla öğretim, Almanca masal öğretimi, Almanca ve masal ve Alman dili eğitimi ve masal.
Alfred Döblin'in Berlin Alexanderplatz romanının montaj tekniği açısından incelenmesi
Mevcut Yüksek Lisans Tezi, Alfred Döblin'in "Berlin Alexanderplatz" adlı ünlü eseri ile ilgilidir. Bu çalışmanın amacı, Alfred Döblin'in Berlin Alexanderplatz romanını montaj tekniği açısından incelemektir. Bu, özellikle ünlü eserlerini ayrıntılı olarak anlamak için yazarın biyografik tarafını anlamakla mümkündür. O zamanlar büyük bir şehir olarak Berlin sadece günlük yaşam için önemli değildi; o ayrıca şairler, ressamlar, yazarlar için siyasi ve ekonomik bir şehirdi. Yirminci yüzyıl boyunca metropol, sanatsal eserlerin sayısını artırdı ve Berlin şehri, şehrin kendisinin eylem olaylarına aktif olarak katıldığı kişisel ve tarihi olayların belirlendiği bir ticaret bölgesi oldu. Bu çalışmada ünlü roman Berlin Alexanderplatz'a ait tekniklerden özellikle montaj tekniği üzerinde durulmuştur. Montaj tekniği, Berlin dili, Ganoven Jargonu, doğrudan konuşma, dolaylı konuşma, deneyimli konuşma, iç monolog ve bilinç akışı gibi teknikler incelenmiştir. Alfred Döblin bu teknikleri çok profesyonel ve derin kullanmıştır; kişi romanı okuduğunda ve bitirdiğinde bu profesyonelliği açıkça görebilmektedir. "Berlin Alexanderplatz" çalışmasında şehir hayatı eleştirilmektedir ve şehrin kaosu oldukça iyi tarif edilmektedir. Montaj tekniğinin iki çeşidi vardır; entegre ve demonstrasyon montajı. İlişkisel bir bağlamda, kahramanın tüm algıları, izlenimleri, kararları ve fikirleri deneyimli konuşma ve entegre montaj yoluyla yapılmaktadır. Yazar tarafından kullanılan bir diğer önemli araç doğrudan konuşmadır. O, diyalog sahnelerini doğrudan konuşma yoluyla oldukça fazla tanımlamıştır ve okuyucu yazarın başarılı çabaları ile sahnelerde yer almıştır. Yazar, okuyucunun sürece girmesine izin vermek için olayları diyaloglar şeklinde vermektedir. Karakterlerin gerçekliğini ve yaşam atmosferine aracılık etmek için konuşma dilinden faydalanmaktadır. Berlin ve Ganoven jargonu, yazar tarafından profesyonel bir çizgide kullanılan diğer farklılıklardandır. Schimmer'ın görüşüne ve hâkim çevresine göre Berlin diline ek olarak sosyo-dilbilimsel olarak en alakalı dil katmanı, Jiddisch'ten çok etkilenen Ganoven Jargonudur. Romanda dolaylı konuşmanın etkili örnekleri vardır ve yazar kişisel konuşmayı ağırlıklı olarak doğrudan konuşma şeklinde yeniden üretmektedir.
An evaluation of sunshine, 4th grade English textbook from the teachers' perspective: The sample of Diyarbakir city
This study aimed to evaluate Sunshine, 4th Grade English Coursebook from the teachers' perspective in the sample of Diyarbakır city. It was conducted in the state primary schools located in the District of Kayapınar in Diyarbakır. The participants of this descriptive study were 102 teachers who were using the coursebook or had used it at any time of their career. In the study, a "Coursebook Evaluation Questionnaire" consisting of 53 Likert scale questions under 6 categories and 4 open-ended questions were used to gather data about the coursebook. The questionnaire that was developed by the researchers revealed attitudes of the English teachers towards the coursebook in terms of the categories composed of general appearance, organisation, supporting materials, aims, topic contents, linguistic contents, skills, activities and exercises. The data collection was carried out by the researcher in the spring term of 2016-2017 academic year. The quantitative data, obtained from the administration of the questionnaire, were analysed by using SPSS. The descriptive analyses including frequencies, percentages, standard deviations, and mean scores of the questionnaire reflecting the attitudes of teachers towards the coursebook were calculated. In addition, in order to determine the statistical methodology to be used to find the significant differences in teachers' opinions on the coursebook with respect to the independent variables, Kolmogrov-Smirnov Z test was used for normal distribution analysis and Levene test was used to determine the homogeneity status of the data. According to the results of these tests, t-test for independent samples in gender variable; One-Way ANOVA for teaching experience and graduation variables; Kruskal Wallis-H test in the teaching in primary school variable were used. In the analysis of the qualitative data obtained from open-ended questions, content analysis was used. In order to analyse the data, the responses from the participants were categorized depending on their similarities, and sub-categories were created from similar ones. In order to support the ideas that were prominent in sub-categories, the responses from the participants were given as they were. The findings of the study revealed that, in general, the teachers were undecided towards Sunshine, 4th Grade English Coursebook, although they sometimes displayed slightly positive attitudes. When the results were considered in detail, it was revealed that some aspects of the coursebook were found to be incomplete, and the teachers had difficulty in having access to some materials. The findings also revealed the suggestions of the participants about what should be done to improve the coursebook. Keywords: Coursebook, materials evaluation, using coursebooks in language teaching, Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Soziokulturelle hintergründe der verwendung von sprichwörtern und redensarten bei Herta Müller. am beispiel vom werk Niederungen
Herta Müller 2009 yılında Nobel Edebiyat Ödülünü alan ünlü rumen asıllı alman yazardır. 2009'dan sonra bir anda dünya çapında ünlenmiş ve eserleri en çok satanlar arasına girmiştir. Bu çalışmada Müller'in biçemi bağlamında kullandığı deyim ve atasözleri ele alınmıştır. Çalışmanın amacı aşağıda listelenen sorulara yanıt aramaktır: Müller'in temel anlatım özellikleri nelerdir? Hangi anlamda ve hangi ölçüde eserlerinde deyim ve atasözü kullanmıştır? Herta Müller tarafından kullanılan atasözü ve deyimlerin sosyokültürel arkaplanı var mıdır? Varsa nelerdir? Müller'in kullandığı deyim ve atasözlerinde hangi kültürün izlerine rastlanmaktadır? Yukarıda listelenen dört soru Herta Müller'in Niederungen adlı eseri bağlamında analiz edilmiştir. Analiz sonucunda 135 sayfadan oluşan eserde 111 defa deyim kullanıldığı tespit edilmiştir. Bu 111 deyimin 59'unun (%53) rumen kültürü ve dilinden Almancaya aktarıldığı görülmüştür. Bu sayı eserde kullanılan toplam deyim sayısının yarısından fazlasına karşılık gelmektedir. Bu rakamlar kullanılan deyimlerin arka planında rumen kültürünün yattığını net bir şekilde gözler önüne sermektedir. Deyimlerin bazılarının ise rumen kökenli olduklarından dolayı anlamları tamamen belirsizdi. Diğer taraftan yazarın kullandığı 52 (%47) deyimin Alman dili ve kültürünü yansıttığı gözlemlenmiştir. Bu durum Müller' in hem Almanca hem de Rumenceye eşit derecede hakim olduğunu ve her iki dili edebi dil olarak kullanabildiğini göstermektedir. Anahtar Sözcükler: Herta Müller, Göçmen Edebiyatı, Deyimler, Atasözleri, Niederungen.
La dimension culturelle dans l'enseignement du FLE: La place et la fonction de la publicité dans la phase de la transmission de la culture française
ABSTRACT In our study we try to find out the place and the role of printed advertisement handouts in transferring French literature. In recent years, culture has gained significance while teaching French. Foreign language teaching is no longer solely regarded as word knowledge, grammar, etc., as it also encompasses socio-cultural values of the country in which the language is spoken. Part one is given to culture as a concept. For characterizing, culture is a broad and unsteady concept. We have found out that we need to analyze the relationship between language, society, and culture. We have found out that these concepts are strongly interrelated with each other and inseparable. In part two, we have tried to found out types of cultures that will be thought in foreign language classroom, and then we have tried to understood the place of image and culture in the methodologies which are used in teaching French. We have ascertained that there are various kinds of culture and we have tried to classify them through giving examples from handouts. When have come to then point of the place of image and culture in the methodologies which are used in teaching French; we have focused on these two concepts in the history of methodology. We have found that image has been used since the beginning of the history of methodology. The significant point is to make the relationship between culture and image beneficial through modern methods. In part three, we have focused on the perception of image. We think that this plays a significant role in our study. That is the reason why we have tied to understand the position of the reader in view of image as the meaning of the image depends upon the reader. Then we have classified image in two parts: constant and active images. We have thought that this classification would help us to find out the meaning of constant image. After we have done the classification, we have tried to understand the relationship among image, media, ideology and culture. We have found out that image gains strength through allocation tool. 7 Part four is composed of advertisement as a form of message. As advertisement serves to a certain audience it can be regarded as a message. Giving information to public on a product is part of its targets. As a result of that we have decided to analyze advertisement as a communicative message. As advertisement aims at giving message to a certain audience, we can talk about this communication. However, this communication is separate and chilly. We have tried to analyze advertisement posters in relation with various communication theories. Later, we have analyzed these posters as rhetorical message. Advertisement depends upon persuasion and convince of the consumer. Advertisers, through using convincing techniques and also through adding various figures of speech, they benefit from rhetoric. After having analyzed advertisements as rhetorical messages, we have analyzed them as allegation act. Situation of utterance gains significance in advertisement posters as illocutionary. We have tried to analyze the situation of utterance in advertisement posters through three dimensions: dimensions of locutionary, illocutionary, perlocutionary. Finally, in order to understand the detailed form of advertisement posters we have analyzed them through using semiotics. We have understood that the meaning hidden in the posters depends upon the contrast of various concepts such as (fat / thin, ill / healthy, etc.) We have presented the prescribed contents and part of contents. While coming to the final points our study, we have decided to suggest a book called, "the perception and value of printed advertisement posters." We think that this book will contribute to French teaching through filling a missing part and serve as a source to semiotics researches.
Poésie dans l`enseignement du Français
Today, knowledge has become easily accessible thanks to the various technologies and as the result the world has changed and developed rapidly. This has increased the importance of learning a foreign language. In ancient times, learning a language was a luxury, but today it`s a necessity. For this reason, access to knowledge has also taken some importance. People need to better communicate in order to get accurate knowledge. Hence the fact that one can not underestimate the importance of our topic work,
Le discours publicitaire et l'enseignement des verbes et des adjectifs subjectifs à l'aide des textes publicitaires
Teaching a foreign language is an essential key in all the modern societies. But the teaching of a foreign language, French in our case, in its environment of non French-speaking learning is not an easy process and, consequently, always requires improvement by developing new methods and materials. All aspects of the target language should be evaluated to best teach it either in a school or at university level.The subjectivity, being an intrinsic property of the human language and having an important role in the process of the communication, must be part of the process of teaching of a foreign language. This is what we tried to show in this present study,under the light of the linguistic studies on the subjectivity.An effective learning is not only made out of grammatical rules. Moreover, the evaluations and the exercises proposed in a class of language integrate more and more the theory of the statement. What is important here is that the learner can learn a foreign language in its discursivity. Consequently, in our study, we examined the verbs and the subjective adjectives used in the advertising posters from the linguistic point of view.On the other hand, in the process of the teaching of a foreign language, the recognition of the culture of the target language is an undeniable fact. Thus, the advertising posters, which we examined, reflect the French culture and the everyday language and also carry marks of the subjectivity.As it is in the other domains, it is true that using visual elements in the foreign languages teaching is a fact which makes the task easier and more effective. We believe that the advertising texts are going to contribute to language skills of the learners and to improve their vocabulary.
Le role du dialogue romanesque dans la didactique du FLE
In society, people always find themselves in communication or in ?dialogue?. The dialogues contain some specific linguistic features and utterance forms. Such features that the dialogues have make it appropriate to use them in foreign language teaching as well. The approach that see dialogues in foreign language teaching as the forms that transfer the communication statements to the student in the most realistic and effective way, strengthens the relation between dialogues and foreign language teaching. Is it possible to add a new dimension to the relation between these two phenomenon? Does taking the dialogues, those used in foreign languages teaching, from contemporary novels, make it easier for the teachers to reach the determined aims? arallel to newly developed methods and new technological developments, in foreign language teaching, using reality-based material is focused on and thus the desire of the student is rised and a more efficient learning is enabled. These new and contemporary approaches give priorization to using reality-based material has not changed the role and importance of the written materials in foreign language teaching. Using written texts is always important. One of the written texts is novel. The novel is a written text that contains two types of utterance product; first one is the part in which the narrator narrates the incidents (fr. recit), and the other one is the part in which there are the speeches of the characters and has the features of discourse (fr. discours). These speeches play a vital role just as the reality-based materials do. Because of this reason, analysing the relation between foreign language teaching and the dialogues is the aim of this study. While analysing the relation between the dialogues and foreign language teaching the novel containing generally daily French, Zazie in the metro, which is by Raymond Queneau in 1959 will be our corpus. For this reason, with the dialogues taken from the novel giving the student appropriate utterance forms in foreign language and by contributing his communicational, cultural and social progress, setting an example in using the dialogues in the field of teaching French will be the main aims of this study. Key Words: (novel) dialogue, French teaching, literature, interaction, daily language.
Etude des stratégies argumentatives dans le discours journalistique et FLE
The world has become a big village due to globalization, where the mixing of sexes of the people gains more and more ground within the numerous societies which composes it, but also that cultural interbreeding invites each other regularly in our daily life in which the practice of one or several foreign languages has become unavoidable to communicate. Communication is also a mean of collectivization, a window opened to the world, as well as to other cultures, other civilizations and other social practices. Obviously, knowing a foreign language helps people to point the way to tourists, but it has many other benefits than that. In spite of its importance, communication alone is not enough, because it develops and becomes more and more complicated to decipher, sometimes for better understanding. Since there is a real correlation during an exchange in foreign language, it is important to understand beyond words, to read beyond sentences; it is necessary to go beyond phrases, and to attach greater importance to the coherence and the sense of the text. In this study, we offered to analyse journalistic discourse about the membership of Turkey in the EU in order to enable students to decipher French words better « between lines » and to arrest better parties linked to the text or else the consistent parties of the text,. To complete this analysis successfully, we chose, as corpus, certain French newspapers among the most reading materials. These types of articles will help enrich the vocabulary of the students, allow them to differentiate the purely explicative texts of argumentative texts, without forgetting that such journalistic documents develop their ability to take position and foster a critical attitude, which is very important to bring one against argumentation and to create scales needed for the mastery of the discourse analysis. The membership of Turkey in the EU, a subject that often appears among the titles of French and Turkish mass media, could be an efficient tool for this purpose. Hence, a topic of study for our learners in lessons on how to write an essay during which they learn argumentative strategies in written and oral forms will enable them to learn how to convince the other side about their point of view. Key words: journalistic analysis, the discourse analysis, argumentative strategies.
Bilgisayar-destekli öğretimin sözcük başarısına etkisi
In recent years, computer assisted language learning has come to the forefront of language learning and teaching. Computer assisted vocabulary instruction has been considered to be one of the most common applications of CALL. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of computer assisted instruction on students? vocabulary achievement. The study compares computer assisted instruction with communicative language teaching in terms of their effects on vocabulary achievement. Additionally, the study explores student perceptions of CALL. The subjects of this quasi-experimental study consisted of 52 freshmen studying in the ELT Department of Balıkesir University in the spring semester of 2012-2013 academic years. Before the experiment, the students were randomly assigned to one of the groups; Computer Assisted Instruction or Communicative Language Teaching and they were given a pre-test. Following the pre-test, the CAVI group studied 20 target words by using a Moodle in a computer laboratory whereas the CLT group was instructed the same words by their teacher in a communicative classroom atmosphere. Both groups were given the post-test immediately after the experiment. The same test was also used as the delayed post-test which was administered to the freshmen five weeks after the experiment in order to test the retention. The Attitudes towards CALL Questionnaire was also administered to the CAVI group. The results revealed that both CAVI and CLT groups had some kind of vocabulary gain as a result of the treatments. However, there was no significant difference between the groups in vocabulary gains. Moreover, the results of the present study indicated that the freshmen had positive attitudes towards the use of CALL. Based on the findings of the study, it can be concluded that computer assisted instruction may not always offer better learning experience to students with respect to vocabulary learning contrary to what is believed. Keywords: Computer assisted language learning, computer assisted vocabulary instruction, vocabulary achievement, communicative language teaching
The effects of grammar translation method and communicative language teaching on vocabulary teaching
The aim of this study was to investigate whether there is a significant difference in learners? vocabulary development and retention depending on the teaching method, Grammar-Translation Method and Communicative Language Teaching, at tenth grade. The quasi-experimental research, which was done for this investigation, took place in 2011-2012 academic year by the attendance of 50 learners at tenth grade in Şanlıurfa Vocational High School. One control group and one experimental group were determined for this study and both groups took pre-test before treatment process in which learners were taught vocabulary through teaching methods previously clarified. In treatment process, one group studied on activities based on translation, definition, fill in the blanks, antonym and synonym according to Grammar-Translation Method; while other group was busy with more communicative activities based on information gap activities, games, role-plays suitable to Communicative Language Teaching Method. At the end of four-week treatment process, learners were presented post-test and delayed-post-test one month after the post-test to measure the development and retention levels of vocabulary. It was aimed with these applications to find out whether Grammar-Translation Method or Communicative Language Teaching was more effective teaching method for vocabulary teaching. The results, analyzed in SPSS program on computer, let us present Communicative Language Teaching Method as more effective when compared to Grammar-Translation Method and no significant difference was found between genders in terms of vocabulary development and retention. According to the data and analysis of this research, it is possible to claim that foreign language teaching programs should be shaped according to the principles of Communicative Language Teaching especially at tenth grade.
An evaluation of the pragmatic competence of pre-service English language teachers: Politeness strategies used in making requests in the academic context
The current study aimed to examine, from an interlanguage pragmatics perspective, how Turkish pre-service EFL teachers fulfill the speech act of request in terms of politeness strategies, levels of directness, internal and external modifiers, perspectives, and address terms in the academic context. To collect data, a discourse completion test (DCT), including ten scenarios, was developed, and 89 pre-service EFL teachers studying in a private university in Turkey were asked to write what they would say in response to the situations described in the DCT. The data-the request tokens- were first analyzed qualitatively using an adapted model of the CCSARP framework developed by Blum-Kulka et al. (1989). Then, the results of the request strategies were quantized, and the data were analyzed through descriptive statistics and chi-square. The study's findings demonstrated that the tendency to use conventionally indirect request strategies was high in situations where the degrees of impositions were both high and low in academic contexts. This indicated that the choice of request strategies was parallel for both degrees of imposition. Additionally, it was found that the use of external modifiers was high, mostly occurring as 'grounders' to mitigate the requests. As for internal modifiers, pre-service EFL teachers preferred 'please' as politeness markers to soften the force of the requests on the hearers. Moreover, the tendency to address instructors remained low, highlighting the need for being more formal and polite when making requests in the academic context. Hence, it was observed that the participants mostly made speaker and hearer-oriented requests in the academic context; however, speaker- oriented requests were made more. This suggested that the participants mostly tended to impose benefits on the hearers, where social power and distance are high among the interlocutors. The study's findings indicated that pre-service EFL teachers perform the speech act of request politely to some extent; nevertheless, they need to gain pragmatic competence to make authentic ways of making requests by integrating appropriate mitigating strategies in the academic context. In conclusion, integrating the pragmatic aspects of language into English Language Teaching programs is significant to improve the pragmatic awareness and competence of prospective language teachers regarding the fulfillment of requests in academic contexts in particular and other speech acts in various contexts of conversations in general. Keywords: Pragmatics, Interlanguage Pragmatics, Pragmatic Competence, Requests, Politeness
The utilization of debate instruction using a learning management system to understand the effects on Turkish EFL learners' L2 speaking anxiety
Speaking has been regarded by many students as the most difficult skill to master yet it is essential for communication and learning a foreign language. Because they cannot prepare their speech beforehand, especially in real-life situations, most language learners are afraid of making mistakes when speaking a foreign language. Although numerous research has attempted to utilize different methods to lower the degree of L2 speaking anxiety, there still has been a heavy emphasis on helping students get past this problem. The researcher of the current study chose debate instruction as one of the efficient methods that can aid students in communicating effectively and encourage them to talk confidently as debating gives students the opportunity to participate in a variety of cognitive and linguistic skills. Therefore, the aim of this study is to understand the effects of debate instruction on Turkish EFL students regarding their speaking anxiety, speaking performance and willingness to communicate. The study has been conducted at a foreign language school of a foundation university in Turkey. 189 students and 5 instructors participated in the study. As for the quantitative part of the study, the Turkish version of Foreign Language Speaking Anxiety questionnaire (T-FLSAQ) has been implemented to students as a pretest and posttest. Additionally, a survey regarding learners' perceptions on the learning management system has been given to students. In order to create the descriptive statistics of the survey results, quantitative data have been analyzed by IBM SPSS Statistics 22.0. Qualitative data, on the other hand, have been analyzed by descriptive content analysis. Results of the study show that there is a statistically significant difference between the foreign language speaking anxiety levels before and after the debate instruction. In other words, the participants' foreign language speaking anxiety levels have decreased after the debate instruction. Moreover, the findings show that the use of LMS increases the motivation and satisfaction with the course. In conclusion, researcher of the study suggests the use of debate instruction with the LMS as a medium of teaching in order to lower the level of speaking anxiety of students and to increase their speaking performance as well as their willingness to communicate in English.
Motivation in English language learning: A study on preparatory school students at universities
This study aimed to investigate the role of motivation in English language learning, taking into consideration age groups and genders, and shed light on their effects. Additionally, this study attempted to determine whether the type of high school they attended and the current university they were enrolled in (public or private) had influence on students' internal and external motivation. The study was conducted at foundation and public universities in Ankara, with a total of 212 student participants. Among the participants, 108 were studying at private universities, and 104 were studying at public universities' preparatory schools. The students were at least at the pre-Intermediate level in the preparatory schools of their universities. The participants' ages ranged from 18-40, with an average age of 29, and there were 103 males and 108 females. Language Learning Orientations Scale (Noels et al. 2003) was used to measure students' motivation type. The Social Sciences Statistics Program was used for result analysis, and the validity was assessed through Cronbach's Alpha Coefficient (Cronbach, 1951). The results indicated no significant difference between genders and age groups, while differences were observed based on the type of high school they graduated and university they were currently studying at.
Investigation of the factors that demotivate eap learners at a foundation university
This study investigates the demotivation levels of junior and senior students enrolled in a general English course at a foundation university in Türkiye, who have not undergone a preparatory class. Additionally, it examines whether demotivation levels vary based on demographic variables, including age, gender, high school type, and university study year. Adopting a mixed methods approach, the research utilizes both surveys and semi-structured interviews to collect data from a sample of 104 students and conducts interviews with 15 participants. The data were analyzed using SPSS 29 and content analysis. The findings highlight the complexity of demotivation resulting from a combination of internal, external, and contextual factors. The quantitative analysis reveals a significant difference in demotivation levels between female and male students, with female students reporting higher levels of demotivation. However, no statistically significant differences are found based on the students' year of study or high school type. The qualitative findings generated five main factors influencing students' demotivation: curriculum and instruction, learner attitudes and characteristics, teacher attitudes, learning environment and facilities, and institutional policies and course policies. Overall, this study contributes to the understanding of demotivation in English language courses and offers practical implications for educators and policymakers to address and alleviate the challenges faced by students in their language learning journey.
The effects of collaborative learning on the autonomy of university preparatory school students
This study aims to investigate the effects of collaborative learning on the autonomy of prep school students from the teachers' perspective. Mixed-method approach was applied for this study. The participants of this study consisted of 71 instructors who worked at the prep school of a foundation university. They participated in this study by completing the survey online and attending the interview sessions. For the quantitative data, the Likert scale questionnaire was taken by the survey of Borg and Al-Busaidi (2012). The questionnaire has 37 questions and the 5 options of 1=strongly agree, 2=agree, 3=neutral, 4=disagree and 5=strongly disagree. The Statistical Packages for Social Science (SPSS) was used to analyze the data collected and generate participant scores. For the qualitative data, 10 volunteer instructors were interviewed to obtain more specific, deep and detailed knowledge and perspective about the effects of collaborative learning on the autonomy of prep-school students. For the interview, open-ended questions were asked to understand their consideration for the effects of learner autonomy on prep school students and the effects of collaborative learning on prep school students' autonomy. The results of this study showed that learner autonomy has positive effects for the prep school students and collaborative learning has a huge impact on promoting autonomy for the learners at prep school. The instructors stated that autonomous learners are more likely to be more successful through an English language learning journey. They also indicated that learner autonomy can be promoted and fostered better with collaborative activities such as pair-work, group work and shared tasks. Key Words: learner autonomy, collaborative learning, self-discipline, self-control, self- awareness
Investigating the relationship between parental involvement and attitudes towards english language learning
This study explored the relationship between parental involvement and parental attitudes in their children's process of learning the English language. The research involved 307 parents of elementary school students as participants. As the research approach, sequential explanatory mixed method design was employed. As the data collection tool, two questionnaires "parental involvement" and "parental attitude" were administered for the quantitative part of the study and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 participants for the qualitative part. The collected data were then analyzed using SPSS software. During the analysis of the data, Pearson correlation was used to examine the relationship between family involvement and attitude. Arithmetic mean, standard deviation, frequency and percentage analyses were used for the descriptive analysis of the questionnaire items. Considering the normal distribution of the data, one-way ANOVA and Independent samples t-tests were applied to determine the effect of independent variables on both involvement and attitude. In the qualitative phase of the study, content analysis was used to interpret the interview data. When the findings obtained from the quantitative data were examined, a moderate, positive and significant correlation (r = 0.478; p < 0.01) was found between parental involvement and parental attitude, indicating that a stronger level of parental involvement corresponds with a more positive attitude toward their children's English language learning. The qualitative data added depth by revealing varying levels of parental involvement due to various constraints expressed by the participants, while also highlighting a generally positive attitude towards English learning.
Different stakeholders' localized conceptualization of technology-enhanced language assessment literacy in higher educational context in Türkiye
This quantitative study investigates the localized conceptualization of Technology-Enhanced Language Assessment Literacy (TELAL) within the higher education context in Türkiye. Focused on a foundational university, the research explores TELAL perspectives across four crucial stakeholder groups: EFL language instructors, administrators, testing unit members, and EFL teacher trainers. Utilizing purposeful sampling and an adapted questionnaire, the study engages 139 participants. Methodologically, using SPSS, the research employs descriptive and inferential analyses, including Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) and radar graphics. The findings emphasize a general belief in the effectiveness of technology in language testing, accompanied by varying degrees of integration of online resources. It is noteworthy that the study reveals that participants' roles within the language assessment process do not significantly impact their proficiency across all dimensions of TELAL. The study reveals a significant need for training in web-based technologies for language assessment. Key Words: Technology-Enhanced Language Assessment Literacy (TELAL), Language Assessment, Educational Technology, English as a Foreign Language
Demotivation among middle school students in English classes and teacher strategies to overcome it
To help students succeed in English classes, it is important to know and overcome the factors that reduce students' motivation. Therefore, this study investigated the factors that demotivate middle school students in English classes as well as teacher strategies to overcome demotivational factors. To achieve this goal, the study was carried out across four distinct schools situated in different cities in Turkiye—Ankara, Istanbul, Samsun, and Erzurum—during the spring semester of 2022-2023. A mixed-method design was employed to ensure a comprehensive acquisition of data. In the quantitative part of the study, data was collected from 632 middle school students in grades 5th to 8th using the Foreign Language Demotivation Scale (FLDS) developed by Acarol (2020). This scale featured 32 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale and encompassed five sub-dimensions: Teaching Material, Teaching Methods, Teacher Attitudes, Negative Experiences, and Failure Experience. Results indicated that Teaching Materials ranked as the most demotivating factor, while Teacher Attitude emerged as the least demotivating. Notably, these factors varied across several variables such as gender, grade level, city, academic performance, and learning experiences. Additionally, in the qualitative part of the study, 10 EFL teachers were interviewed to gain valuable insights into their strategies for identifying and overcoming demotivation factors. Teachers stressed the importance of using authentic and technological materials to motivate students, along with student-centered approaches featuring interactive elements such as using games. Positive teacher attitudes, clear rules, and personalized interventions were identified as crucial for re-motivating students based on their interests and learning paths. This study offers valuable insights into student motivation by examining four schools, though its limited scope suggests opportunities for further exploration. Future research could delve deeper into students' perspectives on demotivation, the role of cultural influences, and external factors. This expanded research would enrich our understanding and enable the development of targeted strategies for boosting student motivation in English classes, ultimately leading to more effective and engaging learning environments.
An investigation of young adolescent students' foreign language anxiety levels and their causes
This thesis endeavors to delve into the foreign language anxiety experienced by young adolescent students and explore its underlying causes. The ultimate goal of this research is to provide valuable insights that can aid teachers in comprehending and effectively managing the foreign language anxiety of their young learners, thereby mitigating negative emotional impacts. The study was conducted across both private and public schools in Ankara during the spring semester of the 2022-2023 academic year. A mixed method was used in the research methodology to obtain more in-depth and comprehensive results. Quantitative data collection utilized the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) developed by Horwitz et al., (1996) and translated into Turkish by Aydın (1991) and involved 414 students from 5th to 8th grades. Simultaneously, qualitative data were acquired through semi-structured interviews conducted with 12 students exhibiting high levels of anxiety according to FLCAS results. After analyzing the results, it was evident that young adolescents exhibited a moderate level of foreign language anxiety, which was influenced by factors such as age, parental expectations, gender, learning experiences, school type, and academic achievement. The effects of these variables on foreign language anxiety were thoroughly discussed and analyzed. Following semi-structured interviews with 12 anxious students, the causes of their anxiety were identified as speaking activities, teacher manners, peer reactions, parental pressure, and fear of receiving low grades in exams. Consequently, all the findings were comprehensively discussed and summarized, and potential suggestions were offered for teachers and future studies. It is important to note that while this study offers valuable insights, its scope is limited to 226 students from a single public school and 188 students from a private school in Ankara. Therefore, caution must be exercised in generalizing the findings beyond this specific context. Future research endeavors may benefit from diversifying data collection tools, including input from teachers to enrich the understanding of foreign language anxiety, and exploring additional perspectives to develop comprehensive strategies for addressing student anxiety in language learning environments.
Analysis of primary school students' attitudes towards reading skills supported by in-class and extracurricular resources
This case study investigates elementary students' attitudes toward reading skills in a private primary school setting in Northern Eastern Arabia, considering gender differences. It examines whether their performance improves over a 20-week period, using a sample of a personalized e-learning tool— a tailored and interactive learning program—recognized for its innovative approach. A mixed-method design was employed for the research methodology. The participants include 125 second-grade students and 5 teachers. Data were collected through a 20-question survey known as 'Elementary Reading Attitudes' (ERAS) by McKenna and Kear (1990). Additionally, structured interviews with teachers, utilizing the ERAS framework, captured educators' perspectives. T-tests were used to determine significant differences between the mean scores of male and female groups. SPSS was employed for data analysis. The study revealed statistically significant variations in total scores, recreational reading, and academic reading sub-dimensions based on classroom variables. Furthermore, female students demonstrated a higher degree of positive attitude compared to their male counterparts. Further research is recommended to examine general reading attitudes among elementary students, explore potential gender-based discrepancies with larger groups, and assess the effectiveness of IXL in phonics instruction to enhance early reading abilities. Keywords: teaching phonics, reading skill, foundations of early teaching literacy, ERAS
An evaluation of an EFL coursebook in terms of Bloom's Revised Taxonomy and critical thinking skills
This study aims to analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of an EFL coursebook used in an English preparatory school at a foundation university in Ankara, Türkiye, in promoting EFL learners' critical thinking skills. As a coursebook evaluation study, the study adopts a mixed-methods research design since it utilizes Bloom's Revised Taxonomy and a 4-point Critical Thinking Likert scale adopted from Selvihan Demir (2008) to analyze the units to reveal the extent to which activities address critical thinking skills. For the first phase of the study, all unit activities were analyzed following the cognitive steps of Bloom's Revised Taxonomy. For the study's second phase, 30 EFL instructors using the coursebook evaluated the coursebook's effectiveness in fostering critical thinking skills using the Likert scale. This particular study is unique from prior research in the field because the participant instructors performed as evaluators after receiving the necessary training. Using coding techniques from Bloom's Taxonomy for systematic content analysis, the study reveals how well the coursebook aligns with the higher-order thinking needed for critical thinking objectives. The data collected via the scale were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The findings highlight areas for improvement in the book's design, emphasizing the importance of integrating higher-order thinking skills even though the book includes a specific part called "Critical Thinking". This research provides valuable insights into the field of English Language Teaching regarding the effectiveness of coursebooks in promoting critical and higher-order thinking skills. It is believed that it will serve as a resource for educators, curriculum developers, materials developers, and other stakeholders seeking to enhance critical thinking skills in Turkish educational contexts.
The relation between EFL teachers' mindset and their strategies, opinions and preferences on corrective feedback in speaking
This study investigates the relationship between EFL teachers' mindsets and their strategies, opinions and preferences about corrective feedback in speaking. The participants of this study are EFL (English as a Foreign Language) teachers in public and private primary, middle and high schools in Ankara, Türkiye. The research design of the study is a quantitative study consisting of a two-part online questionnaire. The quantitative data of the study was collected through the mindset scale developed by Carol Dweck to examine the mindset preferences of EFL teachers. The second questionnaire was developed by Eva Kartchava and adapted by Ali Hashemi to find out English teachers' strategies, opinions and preferences for corrective feedback in speaking. A total of 171 English teachers working in public and private primary, middle and high schools in Ankara participated in the online survey. The data obtained from the questionnaire were evaluated in SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences; SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL) 22 package programs. Chi-square analysis (Pearson Chi-square) was used to compare categorical variables between groups. The compatibility of continuous variables with normal distribution was evaluated by Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. Student's t test was used to compare paired groups, and One Way ANOVA analysis was used to compare more than two variables that fit the normal distribution. The Pearson correlation test was used to examine the relationship between continuous variables. Linear regression analysis was used to determine the predictive power of the dependent variable. The results show that 84% of the EFL teachers who took part in the study disagree that corrective feedback is a waste of time when it comes to speaking practice. 16.1% of EFL teachers, however, disagreed or were unsure. Though they remain in the minority, a sizable majority of EFL teachers still think that all language learners' errors should be fixed. The score of growth mindset elements of English teachers working in public institutions was significantly higher than the score of those working in private institutions. A significant portion of EFL instructors have a mindset of development because they assume intellect. EFL teachers are typically concerned with and appreciative of speech correction comments. However, it is also evident that other individuals showed no emotion at all or showed little interest in receiving constructive criticism. It is believed that the results of this study will contribute to the field by providing a more detailed understanding of English teachers' preferences, views and strategies between the concepts of growth mindset and verbal feedback, and by enabling English teachers to have more informed approaches and practices. Although the study will be conducted with EFL teachers in various public and private schools in Ankara, this study is limited in terms of the number of participants in terms of generalization to all EFL teachers in Türkiye. Keywords: English teachers, Mindset, Oral Corrective Feedback Preferences, Strategies
The impact of ARCS-based vocabulary instruction with an online presentation tool on EFL students' achievement and motivation
The current study aimed to investigate the impact of ARCS based vocabulary instruction with an online presentation tool on EFL students' vocabulary achievement and motivation. The study employs a quasi-experimental research design. A 4-week intervention was planned to gather necessary data. 43 high school students studying at a state high school participated in the study. A pre-test as a vocabulary achievement test was applied to determine the vocabulary knowledge of students in both the experimental and the control groups before the intervention process began. The number of students in the experimental group was 21 and they were taught vocabulary with an online presentation tool for 4 weeks. The course design for the experimental group was prepared according to ARCS motivational model developed by Keller (1987). The control group, consisting of 22 students, learned the same vocabulary items with traditional methods, and ARCS model was not applied for this group's lesson plan. After the intervention process ended, a post-test as a vocabulary achievement test and the Instructional Materials Motivation Survey, prepared by Keller (2010) and adapted into Turkish by Kutu and Sözbilir (2011) were implemented in both groups. The results of the study revealed that both groups' vocabulary knowledge improved and there was not a significant difference between them. However, there was a significant difference between the motivation scores of these groups in favor of the experimental group. In conclusion, integrating ARCS model of motivational design with technology is significant to improve motivation of EFL students. Key Words: Information Communication Technologies, Online Presentation Tools, ARCS Model of Motivational Design, Vocabulary Instruction
Intelligibility, accentedness, and comprehensibility of different English accents in Turkish context
Native-like accents or foreign accent concepts are also very popular in the Turkish context, as most of the speakers tend to have foreign accents, possess a foreign accent, and indicate their first language through a transfer of sound and intonation. Also, prior studies in Türkiye suggest that the Turkish foreign accent is generally viewed more negatively than native accents. However, there is a lack of clear evidence on whether these negative perceptions are attributed to the intelligibility, comprehensibility, or accentedness of TFA. This study investigated the intelligibility and comprehensibility of the Turkish foreign accent and explored its connection to accentedness by comparing it with native accents for Turkish EFL listeners. The study was done with 30 Turkish EFL students with similar backgrounds at a foundational university in Ankara. In accordance with the aim, this study was done using a mixed-method design to have a coherent and well-defined analysis of the collected data. There were two tasks for the numerical data and a semi-structured interview in order to have a better understanding of the participants' ideas and as well as the accentedness concept. The data was collected through participants listening to three recordings from three different accents during the tasks and having an interview afterwards. Pearson correlation was used for the correlation between the intelligibility task and a comprehensibility scale, whereas a thematic analysis was done for the semi-structured interview. According to quantitative studies, the correlation between intelligibility and comprehensibility was found to be more on TFA compared to native accents. In order, the Turkish foreign accent was higher than the American accent, and the British accent was the least for both in intelligibility and comprehensibility. However, in terms of intelligibility, AA and TFA were found to have similar levels of intelligibility, with the TFA demonstrating a slightly higher degree. Also, it was found that most of the participants favored the TFA and did not have a problem understanding it. The familiarity with the Turkish foreign accent had a significantly positive influence on the participants. Only a few participants were disturbed by the Turkish foreign accent, and the reason for this issue was social attractiveness and competence rather than understandability of Turkish foreign accent. In that sense, pronunciation, intonation, and stress issues could be taught to all learners more explicitly, and Turkish foreign teachers could be preferred more in the educational setting since these findings highlight the importance of intelligibility and comprehensibility in pronunciation instruction. Lastly, it is possible to suggest that a native-like accent may not be a crucial point in the Turkish context and having all the stakeholders face different accents from all over the world is needed.
An analysis of the alignment of English textbooks in Turkish primary schools with the 21st century skills
This thesis aims to analyze the extent to which the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade English textbooks used in Turkish public primary schools align with 21st-century skills. The study focuses on key competencies such as communication, critical thinking, problem-solving, collaboration, and creativity. Conducted as a qualitative study, it employs document analysis to examine the textbooks systematically. The findings reveal that only a limited number of activities directly promote these skills. The study concludes that there are significant shortcomings in the current textbooks regarding the development of 21st-century skills, and recommends a revision of instructional materials accordingly.
Mapping the interface between pragmatics and EFL teaching in Türkiye: A review study of current research trends and gaps
This systematic review study aims to depict the status-quo of research on pragmatics in teaching English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in Türkiye in an effort to reveal trends and gaps in the literature. To this end, it examines relevant master's theses (M.A.) and doctoral dissertations (Ph.D.) conducted in Türkiye over the last 10 years, thoroughly investigating their scope, research design, participants, and data collection instruments through systematic content analysis. The findings revealed that 84 theses on pragmatics in the context of EFL teaching were conducted in Türkiye within the past decade. Results also demonstrated that the studies primarily focused on cross-cultural pragmatics and speech acts, showing a great interest in various communicative aspects of language and how language operates in various cultures. Considering methodology, most studies adopted a mixed-methods research design, displaying a preference for relying on both qualitative and quantitative data. A variety of data collection tools were found to be used in the studies, predominantly surveys and discourse completion tasks. Moreover, cross-cultural pragmatics and speech acts (i.e., apologies, refusals, and requests) were explored more than other topics of pragmatics (i.e., pragmatic failure, politeness, and implicatures). It can be concluded that the studies conducted over the past decade in Türkiye tend to be more conventional, while recent global research trends in pragmatics in the EFL context have deflected the focus into topics such as digital communication, intercultural communicative competence, and assessment of pragmatic competence. This study is believed to yield valuable insight for researchers in applied linguistics by identifying gaps in the relevant literature and offering recommendations for further research in deficient areas of study.
The impact of multiple intelligence tendencies and learning styles on the academic achievement of English language teaching students at university
Learning is important and differences are valuable. Today's understanding of education is now aware of this value of difference and in the design process of education, these differences are taken into consideration with great care. The theories such as Learning Styles and Multiple Intelligences which have been emerged from such a perceptive have been widely used in learning environments in recent years. Experiential Learning Theory" firstly dealt by Kolb in 1970's. After by Grasha and Reichmann the learning styles which was handled with a different typology was also widely accepted and adopted as multiple intelligences theory. As a result of these new developments and paradigms, it is inevitable that learning and teaching environments might be also become indispensable to the changes. Knowing the multiple intelligence theory and learning styles of the stakeholders gained importance in terms of planning and evaluating instruction all processes. Considering its importance, this research aims to discuss a problem of the relationship between academic success and students' multiple intelligence tendencies, and their learning styles. So as to reach the answers to the problems, "Learning Style Scale" by Grasha and Reichmann and "Multiple Intelligence Scale" by McClellan-Conti were used. The study was conducted in two universities, one a vocational and one a public university. 257 students (183 female and 74 male), who were studying English language teaching, participated in the study. Data were analysed with SPSS-24 package program. As a result of this analysis, it was determined that the normal distribution was given and the results were reached by using parametric methods. In the research, it was seen that the distributions of cooperative learning and competitive learning styles of the students, who are studying English language teaching, were significantly higher than the other learning styles. Additionally, it is concluded that the students, who are studying English language teaching, have a higher tendency for existential intelligence. While there is a positive relationship between existential intelligence tendency and academic achievement, three learning styles that increase academic achievement in terms of learning style, are independent, collaborative and participant styles. This research aims to explain fourteen sub-problems in terms of gender, age, class and type of university Key Words: Grasha-Reichmann Learning Style Scale, McClellan- Conti Multiple Intelligence Scale, English Language Teaching, Academic Achievement
Examining the relationship between pre-service English language teachers' perceived level of self-assessment and self-efficacy in professional knowledge-base
Being an effective language teacher needs both theoretical knowledge and practical knowledge in their professional knowledge-base. Since the combination of these two variables promote teacher effectiveness, the relation between these two factors needs to be investigate for moving the teacher effectiveness one more step further. In this study, theoretical knowledge of participants associated with their self-assessment perception level, and practical knowledge associated with perception level of self-efficacy. The present study aims to examine the relationship between pre-service English language teachers' self-assessment and their self-efficacy. Following a quantitative research design, the research used quantitative data collection methods and the sample group of the study was chosen by convenience sampling method of the non-random sampling strategy. Self-assessment and self-efficacy questionnaires were administered to a sample of 137 pre-service English language teachers (106 females and 31 males). The data were analyzed by utilizing SPSS version 25 software program. To find out the strength and direction of the relationship between the self-assessment and self-efficacy variables, the Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient (coeff. = 0.649, sig. value =0) was calculated. The results indicated that there was a significant relationship between pre-service English language teachers' self-assessment and their self-efficacy perception. Lastly, simple regression test was performed for determining the functionality between self-assessment and self-efficacy perceptions of participants. The R square value was calculated as 0.421 with 0.0 level of significance, which reveals a functionality between these two variables. Key words: Pre-Service English language teacher, Self-Assessment, Self-Efficacy, Teacher effectiveness
A suggested syllabus for speaking course at an aviation vocational school in accordance with CEFR B1 level
The purpose of this study is to design a syllabus for English Speaking II course at an aeronautical vocational school based on Common European Framework of Reference for languages (CEFR) criteria and tailored to the needs and interests of aviation students. In order to achieve this purpose, both qualitative and quantitative methods were used in this study. First, B1 self –assessment checklists of CEFR were administered to the students in second grade taking English Speaking course to explore their needs and goals about the speaking course. Second, an open-ended questionnaire was administered to the students to obtain their viewpoint and expectations of the course. The data were collected from 97 cabin services and transportation management students. After the data were analyzed, an English Speaking course syllabus was designed by the researcher. The findings of the study revealed that aviation students place high value on Aviation English and aim to enhance their speaking skills especially for their professional development. Another key finding is that cabin services students feel more competent themselves in speaking than transportation management students. It was also found that lesson hours of speaking course should be increased to meet the students' speaking needs. This study aims to contribute to the field of ESP, particularly to Aviation English for both students and course designers. Key words: English for Specific Purposes, the Common European Framework of Reference for languages (CEFR), speaking, needs analysis, aviation students
Autonomy of English teachers with refugee students in their classes
The purpose of this research was to investigate the autonomy of English teachers with refugee students in four different dimensions, which are teaching and assessment, school management, professional development and curriculum development. 121 English teachers working in state secondary schools in Ankara participated in the study. Data were collected through questionnaires and open ended questions. The results showed that in teaching and assessment and professional development participants had generally high autonomy. However, in school management and curriculum development their autonomy were lower. When compared to English teachers without refugee students, t-test results showed that overall autonomy of English teachers with refugee students in their class were lower. Furthermore, the results also showed that number of refugee students in the class did not affect the autonomy of teachers contrary to the expectations. Additionally, it was concluded that professional experience of teachers did not affect the autonomy of English teachers. In open ended questions teachers mainly stated that they could not select textbooks, even though they could use their autonomy in the amount of homework they gave, disciplining students and setting rules and norms for their classes. Moreover, majority believed that they were not involved in school management. Furthermore, most of the participants thought that they were not autonomous regarding the content of in-service professional development programmes, and they generally could not attend these programmes according to their needs. Finally, vast majority of the participants stated that they were not involved in curriculum designing process.
The effect of model United Nations conferences on secondary education students' attitudes and anxiety about speaking English
The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of Model United Nations Conferences (MUN) on students' English speaking anxiety and their attitudes towards English. MUN conferences constitute one of the most important academic activities that develop the middle school, high school and university students' diplomatic skills and international relations, foreign language development and leadership, teamwork, critical thinking, creative thinking, problem solving and public speaking skills. MUN Conferences play an important role in the development of students, mostly in the form of club work in Turkey, and both as club work and as an elective course abroad. This research was conducted on the students who attended the "YUKOMUN -Yükselen College Model United Nations" conference organized by Yükselen College in the 2019-2020 academic year. A total of 150 students attended the conference and 33 students who attended an MUN conference for the first time were included in this study. In order to collect data, "Foreign Language Class Anxiety Scale" developed by Horwitz in 1986 and translated into Turkish by Dalkılıç in 2001, and "Attitude towards English Scale" developed by Aiken in 1979 and translated into Turkish by Tunç in 2003 were used. The study was conducted through online surveys in the fall semester of 2019-2020. According to the results of the study, the English speaking anxiety of the students who attended the MUN conferences decreased significantly and their attitudes towards English increased positively. In addition, a semi-structured interview was conducted with students to explore the effects of MUN conferences on their personal development.
The perceptions of English language lecturers toward the effectiveness of the Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) in teaching grammar at Zawiya University in Libya
This study explores the perceptions of English language lecturers toward the effectiveness of using the Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) in teaching grammar at Zawiya University in Libya. A quantitative research design particularly the descriptive survey design is adopted and to collect the required data, a questionnaire from Bani Taha (2016) was used and distributed to participants (n=203) to reveal their perceptions toward the effectiveness of using CLT in teaching grammar. The results showed that the majority of English language lecturers at Zawiya University were positive toward using CLT to teach grammar (mean= 4.04). The results also unveiled that they preferred using a variety of communicative activities in grammar classes (mean= 3.52). Further, the current research investigated the challenges that hinder the effective use of CLT to teach grammar and found that large classes, difficulty in assessing grammar communicatively, and students' low English proficiency are the most common challenges. The findings also indicated that most participants recognize the Communicative Language Teaching as an effective way to teach grammar, but due to several challenges, the teaching process becomes more difficult. Therefore, this study aims to provide education authorities like stakeholders and syllabus designers with the information needed regarding the effectiveness of CLT in teaching grammar at tertiary level in order to develop an effective syllabus for better English grammar teaching.
A case study: Exploration of Generation Z students' EFL learning environment in tertiary education
As of 2019-2020 academic year, there are almost 8 million students at tertiary education in Turkey including vocational, undergraduate, and graduate students (Yükseköğretim Bilgi Yönetim Sistemi, 2020). Hence it is crucial to acknowledge the existence of Generation Z students (born between 1996-2010) in higher education. The fact that different cohorts; Baby Boomers, Gen X, Gen Y and Gen Z are working and studying together necessitated this study, which aimed to explore Gen Z students' EFL learning environments. The study was conducted at a foundation university's School of Foreign Languages in Turkey. Data were collected during 2020-2021 academic year employing focus group meetings, semi-structured individual interviews and field notes. The data were examined through qualitative inquiry methods and data analysis software. The findings revealed that although there was no change in teaching philosophies of instructors, they had to go through a process of adaptation with Gen Z students. It was also found out that different instructors belonging to different generations had dissimilar attitudes and practices towards Gen Z students. Although the essence of teaching and learning still stayed the same, Gen Z students were noted to have more elevated interest in the language learning due to their close contact with technology and internet. Therefore, traditional methods of teaching are no longer suitable for Gen Z, and along with instructors, institutions and publishing houses have to share their parts in establishing an effective learning environment for Gen Z students. Keywords: Gen Z EFL learning environment, Gen Z learning preferences, Gen Z student characteristics, technology incorporated lessons, cohorts of instructors, Gen Z teaching philosophies, infrastructure in establishing Gen Z learning environment
The investigation of teachers' attitudes towards the use of songs in developing vocabulary for young learners in ELT classes
The English language has dominated as a global language during history. Undoubtedly, it is one of the most commonly used languages in the whole world until today. English has mainly taken this place due to political and military events; such as struggling, wars, expansion, colonization, in addition to religious and economic reasons. The previous factors have played a vital role regarding the global spread of this language in most of the countries throughout the world. This study highlights the use of songs in developing a vocabulary for young learners in Libya. Using such a method has different attitudes from the teachers' point of view. The main purpose of this study is to investigate teachers' attitudes towards the use of songs in developing a vocabulary for young learners in ELT classes. The descriptive methodology is applied using a quantitative online survey as the main method for data collection. The study sample included 163 participants of English language teachers that were randomly selected. The study concluded the positive teachers' attitudes regarding the use of songs in developing English vocabulary. The results also showed that there is no statistically significant impact of teachers' gender, their educational level, school type, and grade level on the use of songs method in teaching the English language. Furthermore, the results showed that there is a statistical significance of the teachers' experiences and the grades they teach on the use of songs method in developing vocabulary and teaching the English language.
Assessing preservice english teachers' 21st century skills
Teacher education of English language in the 21st century is facing many new challenges. The present study assessed the level of skills of the 21stcentury of the preservice teachers and explored whether there is a statistically significant difference in the mean scores on any of the five latent variables of 21stcentury skills between preservice teachers in group 1 (freshmen & sophomores) and those in group 2 (juniors & seniors).The key instrument of the present study is the 21stCentury Skill Assessment Questionnaire (CSAQ) developed by Ashraf, Motallebzadeh, and Arabshahi (2016). SPSS analysis was used, as well as MANOVA (Multivariate Analysis of Variance) for the analysis of data. The population of the study included the teacher candidates, preservice teachers of the ELT Department of the Faculty of Education in Baskent University in the school year of 2019 - 2020. All the population took part in the study so the size of the sample was equal to the size of the population.
Exploring the metacognitive awareness level of EFL instructors
The main aim of the present study is to explore the metacognitive awareness level of EFL instructors. To this end, it also aims at examining whether there is a significant difference in the metacognitive awareness level of the EFL instructors in terms of their age, graduation degree, the number of years of teaching experience, and the number of training courses received for professional development. The study has a non-experimental quantitative research design. It was conducted with 161 voluntary EFL instructors who work in the Preparatory Classes of the School of Foreign Languages at the foundation higher education institutions in Ankara, Turkey, during the 2020–2021 academic year. The data collection tools were a Demographic Information Form developed by the researcher and a self-report instrument entitled the Metacognitive Awareness Inventory for Teachers (the MAIT) devised by Balçıkanlı (2011). The MAIT, a Likert-type scale with 24 items, represents two major dimensions of metacognition: knowledge of cognition and regulation of cognition. Knowledge of cognition includes the three general types of knowledge (i.e. declarative, procedural, and conditional) whereas regulation of cognition consists of metacognitive skills (i.e. planning, monitoring, and evaluating). The data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics. The results revealed that the EFL instructors have a high level of metacognitive awareness. While the mean score obtained for the declarative knowledge subcategory was found to be the highest, the lowest score was obtained in the evaluating subcategory. The results also showed that there was a significant difference between the subcategories of the metacognitive awareness of the EFL instructors according to the above-mentioned variables of interest. The study concludes with suggestions for further research and practice.
Problems faced by English language instructors while teaching English online during the COVID-19 pandemic
With the unexpected Covid -19 Pandemic, the educational institutions shut down and started distance education without any preparation made previously. Like many teachers, English language instructors also had difficulties while teaching online. The aim of this study was to explore the problems faced by English language instructors while teaching English online during the Covid-19 pandemic. The study was conducted in three universities in Ankara. Data were collected in 2020-2021 spring term. An online questionnaire was prepared by the researcher. The data were examined through SPSS. It was concluded from the findings that there were some problems, such as lack of standardization and lack of student-teacher interaction. Moreover, other results showed that the videoconferencing systems used were not suitable for activities and tasks. Online class management was difficult. Students could not ask questions easily in an online lesson. Trainings about technical issues were missing. The student-teacher interaction did not affect students or instructors positively. Instructors thought that online lessons did not attract students more than traditional face-to-face lessons due to lack of interest and motivation.
A case study: Bilingual children's code-switching mechanisms
The present study is a case study that discussed the code-switching mechanisms of four Libyan bilingual children. It attempted to figure out the reasons that lie behind this linguistic behavior, in addition to highlighting the techniques and mechanisms that the children applied during code-switching. It is a case study that lasted for two years through which the researcher observed the daily conversations of the four children under study. The children were divided into two groups: simultaneous and successive, depending on the stage of their exposure to both languages. Discourse analysis and Hymes' functions of code-switching were used to analyze the children's switched utterances. The results showed that the bilingual children after a considerable time of exposure to both languages, form spontaneous bond with the two languages and they switch languages for various reasons following certain techniques to make the utmost utilization of the two languages in their daily communication with others.
Depicting EFL instructors' language assessment literacy in assessing productive language skills and their perceptions and practices on formative assessment of productive language skills
The purpose of this study was to depict EFL instructors' language assessment literacy in assessing productive language skills and their perceptions on formative assessment of productive language skills in preparatory schools in Turkey. In this mixed-method research, the data were collected through semi-structured interview and language assessment knowledge questionnaire (LAKQ). For the quantitative part of the study, a questionnaire was adapted from Ölmezer-Öztürk (2018)'s "Language Assessment and Knowledge Scale" and 60 EFL instructors working in preparatory schools in different universities in Ankara completed the questionnaire. For the qualitative part of the study, a semi-structured interview was utilized to investigate the EFL instructors' perceptions on assessing productive language skills through formative assessment and 11 volunteer EFL instructors participated in the interview. The data obtained from the questionnaire were analysed using SPSS through descriptive statistics and the qualitative data were analysed using Creswell's (2014) systematic content analysis framework. The results revealed an average level of language assessment literacy (LAL) of the EFL instructors in assessing productive language skills. However, with respect to certain skills in LAL, this level was found below average in "Assessment Tools" parts of both Items for Assessing Writing and Speaking parts. The result also revealed that the instructors implemented formative assessment, mostly observation and in-class activities, in their classrooms to assess their learners' productive language skills. Moreover, the problems they encounter in the classrooms were mostly learner-based however, the solutions they offered were mostly instructor-based. The study also provided some pedagogical implications and suggestions for further studies.
Attitudes of 1st to 4th grade English teachers working at a private school towards the use of creative drama
For teachers, creative drama is one of the most powerful tools to have in the classroom for conveying the knowledge and the communication that the learners need in every step of learning stage. Hence, the main purpose of this study is to examine the attitudes of the 1st to 4th grade English teachers towards the use of creative drama in one of the private schools in Ankara which has its own approved curriculum without any drama course. Sixty-five teachers voluntarily participated in the research. In this study, The Attitude Scale towards Creative Drama Lessons was adapted and used to measure attitudes towards the use of drama. The data of the research were collected from the participants via e-mail due to the Covid-19 pandemic era, the busy work schedule of the teachers and the restriction of other private schools to participate. The data analysis was completed by transferring the study data to IBM SPSS Statistics 26 and IBM SPSS Statistics Amos 23 programs. The data was analysed using descriptive statistics. As a result of the study, there was a statistically significant positive relationship between teachers' attitudes and class size. However, it was concluded that there was a statistically significant negative relationship between the professional experience and attitudes of the teachers. While teachers with more professional experience are more inclined to use familiar and traditional methods, young teachers are open to creative drama and the use of new methods and techniques. And there was no statistically significant positive relationship between the students' age and the impacts of using drama in the classroom, and it shows that drama activities are appropriate for different age groups.
Perceptions of pre-service teachers on using literature as an authentic text in English language teaching classes
The main purpose of this study is to explore the perceptions of prospective English language teachers about using literature as an authentic material in language teaching courses, and their perspectives towards literature courses in English Language Teaching and English Language Teaching departments at universities. In this study using mixed research method, the questionnaire developed by Stephanie Chantall Harrison (2018) was adapted and used to collect quantitative data and analyzed via SPSS 22, interview questions were prepared for qualitative data and analyzed in accordance with Creswell's (2014) systematic content analysis. In this study, 91 pre-service English teachers completed the questionnaire and interviews were conducted with 10 pre-service English teachers. When the collected data were analyzed and examined, it was seen that the pre-service English teachers believe that literature has an important place in language teaching, and they want to use literature in their future careers. Pre-service English teachers stated that they consider the literature courses they take at their universities useful for their own development, but they want more content that they could use in the field of teaching. At the end of this study, suggestions for future work are presented. Key Words: Literature, English language teaching, pre-service teachers, authentic material
Evaluation of a local EFL coursebook in terms of intercultural communicative competence components
The purpose of the current study is to evaluate a local EFL coursebook "Relearn" used for 9th graders in public high schools in Turkey in terms of the intercultural communicative competence components. The book was constructed within the standards of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages and was developed in conformity with the national ELT curriculum by Turkish Ministry of National Education. The coursebook was content analyzed via a checklist created on the basis of Byram's Intercultural Communicative Competence Model (1997). The findings revealed that the majority of the coursebook's content was culture-free, and there were limited number of intercultural activities. The activities mostly belong to "knowledge" dimension of Byram's framework. This study is believed to shed light on the significance of developing intercultural communicative competence and provide useful insights for EFL teachers, EFL teacher educators, coursebook writers and curriculum developers. Keywords: English Language Teaching, Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC), Materials Evaluation, Culture and Language Teaching
Self-directed learning among tertiary level EFL learners-a case study at a private university in Turkey
The aim of the study was to investigate the self-directed learning skills of university students studying at the English Language School at a private university in Ankara in Turkey. As for the participants, they were students at a private university at the School of English Language in Turkey. Their ages differed from 17 to 21. Their level changed from intermediate to upper-intermediate and they learned English for academic purposes. The Likert-type scale named the Self-Directed Learning Skills Scale (SDLSS) prepared and piloted by Ayyıldız and Tarhan (2015) was implemented with 154 participants. Then, the second research question, which was about the participants' experiences with respect to SDL both inside and outside the classroom was analyzed with the help of 12 participants through an unstructured interview prepared and piloted by Leach (2000) at the University of Technology in Sydney, as well. This interview consisted of three sections that were about SDL in formal and non-formal contexts and factors affecting SDL. As a result, participants got the highest scores from the sub-dimensions of motivation and self-confidence, ability to plan learning, ability to manage information, assessment of learning process, and evaluation of learning success/results. Participants got the lowest scores from the sub-dimensions of attitude towards learning and learning responsibility. In general, the participants' SDLSS sub-dimension scores and total scores were moderate. Self-Directed Learning Skills Scale sub-dimensions points of the participants did not show a statistically significant difference according to their gender and age. Participants highlighted a variety of characteristics that appeared to impact their desire and aptitude to be self-directed learners as they discussed their experiences. The background of the learning, domain expertise and the level of the teaching being completed, the socialization or conditioning effect of prior experiences, personal self-confidence, and inspiration, opportunities left to engage in learning, availability of resources, and their age were recognized as the eight variables.
Libyan English teachers' awareness about technological pedagogical content knowledge
This study aimed to investigate the awareness of Libyan English teachers about Technological Pedagogical Content knowledge (TPACK). The study also examines the TPACK of Libyan English teachers according to some variables such as gender, age, marital status and educational qualification. The Descriptive analytical method was used in the study and quantitative data were collected from 427 participants using the TPACK questionnaire. Data were analyzed quantitatively. Quantitative findings showed that Libyan English teachers have intermediate Technological Pedagogical Content knowledge (TPACK). Statistically significant differences were found in the evaluation of the TPACK levels of the participants in favor of the upper-ranked age groups. Married teachers also scored higher than singles on all subscales. Finally, the findings reported that there was no statistically significant difference between the mean scores of the participants in the TPACK subscales, except for Technological knowledge (TB) and Pedagogical knowledge (PK).
An investigation of ELT teachers' information and communicationtechnologies (ICT) self efficacy levels (A case of Libya)
This research aims to examine ELT teachers' self-efficacy levels towards Information and Communication Technologies and the relation between their self-efficacy levels and demographic traits. The data was collected through a scale (a computer self-efficacy scale (CSES) during the 2021-2020 academic year. The data included items related to the use of ICT technologies with personal information about the participants. The study was conducted on 176 Libyan English language teachers in Zawia at Zawia University in Two Faculties (Faculty of Art and Faculty of Education). Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data in SPSS program. The findings of this study show that the majority of teachers' self-efficacy levels towards Information and Communication Technologies are at moderate level. Results further revealed that the relation between their self-efficacy level and demographic traits is significantly positive in terms of work experience, age, period of using computer and Internet. It can be concluded that duration of computer and internet use, experience and age play a vital role in teachers' self-efficacy towards Information and Communication Technologies and the lack of such knowledge and skills decrease their self-efficacy levels and hinder it.
The investigation of the perceptions of senior year pre-service ELT students towards the effectiveness of lecturers at universities
The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of senior-year pre-service ELT students (also known as pre-service EFL teachers) towards the effectiveness of their lecturers considering their genders. 104 pre-service EFL teachers from different universities studying English Language Teaching in Ankara, Turkey and 9 lecturers from different universities in Ankara, Turkey participated in this study. Data from pre-service EFL teachers were collected through questionnaires and from lecturers with structured interviews. The results showed that male pre-service EFL teachers' perceptions of lecturers in terms of gender did not show any significant difference between female and male lecturers. However, female pre-service EFL teachers gave higher scores to their male lecturers for several items. In terms of effectiveness and student expectations, male lecturers obtained a lower score among pre-service EFL teachers for showing interest and making learning fun although they stated that they are curious about their students' backgrounds and interests, and they have the intention of making classes more enjoyable. Nevertheless, they added that they make an effort to incorporate effective communication into their lessons and they were given more credit for having strong communication abilities. Both male and female lecturers obtained lower scores for flexibility from pre-service EFL teachers despite their assurances that they incorporate a variety of activities and tailor their schedules and syllabi to the needs and expectations of their students as well as the course material. Additionally, female lecturers were given a lower score despite claiming that they solicit student feedback to help them develop their classes or syllabi and that they are open to constructive criticism. As they also mentioned that they are interested in their students' needs, interests, and backgrounds, they obtained a higher score for actively listening to students. Regarding the questionnaire and interview data, pre-service EFL teachers gave similar scores for several items to both male and female lecturers, and the lecturers' claims showed that they impose effective teaching into their classes, which showed that there is no relationship between gender and teaching effectiveness. However, the differences among the scores they obtained for some of the items showed that gender and teaching effectiveness have a relationship.
Exploring the relationship between EFL teachers' language assessment literacy and their reflective teaching
As many language teachers struggle to bridge the research-practice gap in language evaluation, they have not yet put a crucial piece of the puzzle of teacher education in place. Besides classroom instruction, teachers' Professional Development (PD) should include opportunities for reflection. This study explores the relationship between EFL teachers' language assessment literacy and their reflective teaching of Turkish EFL teachers, reexamining their current classroom assessment practices and their plans for future language assessment actions by reflecting on the practical relevance of recent assessment research. Teacher reflection on research-based theories and language assessment procedures are compatible and guides teachers' reflection on future language assessment performance, according to the findings (reflection-on-action). We also encouraged teachers to make suggestions for practically improving their Language Assessment Literacy (LAL). The data collection method includes a questionnaire distributed among 100 EFL teachers, and the collected data was analyzed using SPSS software following a multiple-phased systematic content analysis. Keywords: Language assessment literacy, Reflective teaching,Turkish EFL instructors
Perceptions of students about language learning advising program: A case study
The present study seeks to reveal the perceptions of students in an English preparatory school regarding the effectiveness of the Learning Advisory Program (LAP) at a state university. Specifically, the study aims to investigate the efficacy of the LAP in terms of motivation, language learning strategies, goal-setting practices, and academic success. This is a case study carried out with mixed-method research. In the current study, both quantitative and qualitative data were collected from intermediate-level students who took advising sessions for 12 weeks offered by LAP Clubs in the LAP at a state university. The participants in the quantitative phase of the study were 50 students who voluntarily participated in the advising sessions twice a week for 12 weeks. In the qualitative phase of the study, eleven of the participants were interviewed by the researcher. The data collection tools were the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ), one-to-one interviews, and the achievement scores of the participants. The quantitative data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics. The questionnaire was conducted twice; before and after taking the advising sessions. The quantitative data results revealed that the LAP has increased the students' motivation level, improved their goal-setting practices, and enhanced their language learning strategies to some extent. Similarly, the results of the content analyses of the qualitative data revealed that the students' perceptions related to LAP were positive as they found it helpful for developing their motivation, setting goals, and determining learning strategies. On the other hand, according to the academic scores of participants at the end of sessions, it cannot be claimed there is a direct impact of advising sessions on the learners' academic success and these findings cannot be generalized. The study ends with recommendations for further research and practice.
The perceptions of EFL instructors at preparatory schools after Covid-19 pandemic and their emerging inset needs
Currently, educational institutions use online instruction and implement new guidelines to uphold students' academic needs and avoid COVID-19 restrictions. Language instructors, on the other hand, were obliged to almost immediately shift to online learning due to the rapid outbreak. Many English language instructors have previously had experience with distance education, but it was not the case for the rest of it. The present study discussed the new training requirements of preparatory English language instructors in Ankara. A triangulation method was issued on EFL teachers working at preparatory schools of universities in Ankara. A sequential exploratory approach was carried out by some slight changes in scaling the survey to collect 4 –point Likert-scale results. The questionnaire was developed by by Tekin & Yaman (2008) with the contribution of utilizing Guskey's (2000) approach and an effective needs analysis for teacher training. It was also taken from Koç's (2016) paper, 'A General Investigation of the In-Service Training of English Language Teachers at Elementary Schools in Turkey'. To be congruent with the instructors' training requirements and to obtain rich data, a set of interview questions served as a tool. The findings were reviewed in terms of the participant profiles, and how they might be understood with a few distinct perspectives, overlapping themes, and subthemes, as well as their implications and recommendations for teaching foreign languages in higher education. The advantages and difficulties that English language instructors found when engaging in online teaching and learning were primarily attributed to the need for more training in both the instructional and technological aspects of the field.