İkinci dil
Bu konu başlığı altında 81 tez
The effects of mnemonics on L2 vocabulary learning
This thesis aims to investigate the effect of mnemonics on second language (L2) vocabulary acquisition through a meta-analysis methodology. By conducting a comprehensive review of the literature on mnemonics in L2 vocabulary learning, this study explores their potential as a valuable tool for enhancing vocabulary acquisition skills among second language learners. The analysis incorporates findings from three studies, which collectively provide evidence suggesting a positive influence of mnemonics on L2 vocabulary acquisition. Moreover, this research presents a collection of innovative and unique mnemonic examples to contribute practical resources for future studies in the field. These mnemonic examples aim to support the exploration of mnemonic strategies in teaching and learning L2 vocabulary. The results of the meta-analysis indicate the potential benefits of mnemonics in improving learners' ability to retain and recall new vocabulary items, particularly for individuals with lower proficiency levels. Ultimately, this thesis seeks to contribute to the existing body of knowledge on mnemonics in L2 education, highlighting their potential and inspiring further investigation into their practical application for optimizing L2 vocabulary acquisition.
The relationship between high school students' l2 digital identities and their self-efficacy
Language learner identity is the core of learners' choices, perceived roles, and ways to portray themselves to the world in their learning process. With the rise of informal digital learning of English, many learners learn English on various platforms with diverse goals and motivations. This situation makes language learners create a second language (L2) digital identity by leading them to assume new roles suitable for these digital learning platforms. Numerous studies have been conducted to investigate the impacts of these constructed identities on learners' language skills or willingness to communicate. However, there is a scarcity of research on how language learners construct their L2 digital identities, and whether these identities affect learners' beliefs about their capabilities in the classroom. Therefore, by focusing on learners' experiences and feelings in digital language activities and their beliefs about their abilities in classroom tasks, this study uncovered the relationship between learners' L2 digital identity constructions and their self-efficacy. Adopting an exploratory sequential mixed method, this study used semi-structured interviews and structured questionnaires as the data collection tool which were collected from 116 high school students. Interviews were analyzed with thematic analysis and questionnaires were analyzed with correlation and regression analysis. The findings showed that there is a positive relationship between learners' L2 digital identities, their classroom involvement and English self-efficacy. The study will raise teachers' and educators' awareness of learners' needs and wants and help them to keep up with this era's changing needs through new digital-based language materials and methods supporting autonomous learning. Keywords: Language learning, second language (L2) digital identity, self-efficacy, informal digital learning of English, high school student
İkinci dil olarak Türkçe öğrencilerinin aradilde edimbilimsel gelişimi
Hedef dilin anadili olarak konuşulduğu bir ülkede öğrenim gören bir öğrenci günlük hayatında sipariş verme veya telefon hattına dakika yükleme gibi pek çok iletişimsel görevi isteme ve reddetme gibi söz edimlerini kullanarak ve anadili konuşurlarıyla etkileşime girerek gerçekleştirir. Bu iletişimsel görevlerin söz edimi stratejilerindeki dolaylılık veya "siz" kullanımı gibi kültürden kültüre değişebilen edimbilimsel özelliklerden dolayı yanlış anlamalar olmaksızın başarıyla gerçekleşebilmesi için öğrencilerin hedef dile ilişkin sosyokültürel normları bilmesi gerekmektedir. Bu da öğrencilerin hedef dilde doğal dilsel girdiye maruz kalması ve anadili konuşurlarıyla etkileşim kurması sonucu ikinci dilde sosyalleşme sürecini geçirmesi ile gerçekleşir. Böylelikle öğrenicilerin aradilde edimbilimsel yetileri gelişir ve dili bağlama uygun şekilde nasıl kullanacaklarına dair bilgiyi edinirler. Bu doğrultuda bu çalışma, yabancı/ikinci dil öğreniminde hedef dilin doğal iletişim ortamlarına maruz kalmanın, anadili konuşurlarıyla iletişim kurmanın, öğretici konuşmasının ve öğretim materyallerinin özgünlüğünün, öğrencilerin hedef dilin sosyokültürel bilgisini edinmesine ve aradilde edimbilimsel yeti gelişimlerine olan etkisini söz edimleri kullanımları üzerinden ortaya koymayı amaçlamaktadır. Çalışmada paralel karma desen kullanılarak nitel ve nicel veriler hemen hemen aynı zamanda toplanmış analiz aşamasında birbirinden ayrı tutulmuş ve bulgular yorumlanırken bir araya getirilmiştir. Araştırmanın katılımcıları Türkiye'de dört farklı üniversiteye bağlı Türkçe Öğrenim, Araştırma ve Uygulama Merkezi'nde (TÖMER) ikinci dil (D2) olarak Türkçe öğrenen B2 düzeyi öğrenciler, bu TÖMER'lerde Türkçe öğreten öğreticiler ve anadili (D1) Türkçe konuşurlarından oluşmaktadır. Araştırmada veri, doküman incelemesi, Ders Kitabı Özgünlük Anketi, Toplumsal Etkileşim Anketi, Edimbilimsel Unsurların Öğretilmesine İlişkin Farkındalık Anketi, Konuşma Tamamlama Testi (KTT) ve çevrimiçi ders kayıtları ile toplanmıştır. Nitel boyutta doküman incelemesi ve içerik çözümlemesi ikinci/yabancı dil olarak Türkçe ders kitapları taranmış, D1 Türkçe konuşurları ve D2 öğrencilerinin kullandıkları istek ve ret stratejileri incelenmiş ve konuşma çözümlemesi ile çevrimiçi ders kayıtlarındaki öğretici konuşması ve öğrencilerin ders esnasında kullandıkları söz edimleri analiz edilmiştir. Nicel boyutta ise nitel boyutta elde edilen verinin betimsel analizi ve anketlerden elde edilen nicel veri istatistiksel analizlerle incelenmiştir. Elde edilen bulgular, öğreticilerin anket sonuçlarında edimbilimsel unsurlara ilişkin farkındalıkları yüksek çıkmasına rağmen sınıf içi uygulamaların bunun aksini gösterdiğini, öğretici konuşmasının ve ders kitaplarının doğal dilsel girdi sağlama yönünden yetersiz kalabildiğini, öğrencilerin sınıf dışı Türkçe iletişim ortamlarına yeteri kadar katılmadığını ve tüm bunların sonucu olarak ikinci dil bağlamında hedef dili öğrenmelerine rağmen aradilde edimbilimsel yetilerinde hedef dilin sosyokültürel normlarını bazı yönlerden edinemediklerini göstermiştir. Bu bulgular ve alanyazın ışığında öğreticilerin edimbilimsel unsurların öğretimine ilişkin sınıf içi uygulamalara ilişkin bilgi yönünden desteklenmesi, ders kitabı yazarlarının sözlü derlem gibi doğal dil verisinden yararlanmaları ve edimbilimsel unsurlara kitaplarda daha fazla ve açık bir şekilde yer vermeleri, öğreticilerin sınıf içi konuşmalarında daha az değiştirim yapmaları ve öğrencilerin sınıf dışı iletişim ortamlarına daha fazla katılım konusunda teşvik edilmeleri gerektiği tespit edilmiştir.
İkinci/yabancı dil olarak Türkçe öğretiminde akademik dinlemeye yönelik üstsöylem belirleyicilerinin tespiti
Öğretim dili Türkçe olan akademik programlara devam eden uluslararası öğrencilerin sayısının artması ve bu öğrencilerin karşılaştığı zorluklar ve ihtiyaçlarının ortaya konmasının sonucu olarak akademik Türkçe öğretimi, ikinci/yabancı dil olarak Türkçe öğretimi alanında son zamanlarda önemi artan bir konu olmuştur. Bu bağlamda uluslararası öğrencilerin akademik dil yeterliliğine sahip olmaları; Türkçe akademik söylemin, akademik söylem türlerinin özelliklerini ve akademik ortamların uzlaşımlarını bilmelerinin yanı sıra okuma, dinleme, konuşma ve yazma becerilerini akademik ortamlarda etkin kullanabilmelerini gerektirmektedir. Ancak alanyazındaki çalışmalar ve basılı ders materyalleri incelendiğinde çoğunlukla okuma ve yazma becerilerine odaklanılırken dinlemeye yeterince yer verilmediği, yer verildiği durumlarda ise yalnızca dinlediğini anlama pratiği yapıldığı ve sözlü söylem veya strateji farkındalığı çalışmaları üzerinde durulmadığı görülmektedir. Bu eksikliğin art alanında akademik dinleme çalışmalarına kaynaklık edebilecek sözlü söylemi betimleyen dilbilimsel çalışmaların yeterince bulunmamasının veya dilbilimsel olgularla pedagojik hedefler arasındaki bazı bağlantıların keşfedilmemesinin payı olduğu düşünülmektedir. İkinci dil edinimi alanyazınında da bu türden bir bağlantıyı kuran ve sözlü akademik söylemde üstsöylem olgusunun varlığının ve öğretim bağlamlarında üstsöyleme ilişkin yapılan farkındalık geliştirme çalışmalarının akademik dinlemeye olumlu etkisini ortaya koyan çalışmalar bulunmaktadır. Bu bağlantıdan hareketle üniversite derslerinde kullanılan üstsöylem belirleyicilerini betimlemeyi ve akademik dinleme alt becerileriyle ilişkilerini araştırmayı amaçlayan nitel ve tür temelli bir metinsel söylem analizi çalışması tasarlanmıştır. Bu doğrultuda öncelikle akademik dinleme alt becerilerinin listelenmesi hedefiyle alanyazındaki ilgili çalışmaların sunduğu listelerin ve referans metinlerdeki ilgili tabloların içerik analizinin yapılmasıyla bir liste oluşturulmuş ve sonrasında veriden yola çıkılarak söz konusu liste geliştirilmiştir. Öte yandan çeşitli bilimsel alanlardan, yüz yüze, web-tabanlı senkron ve web-tabanlı asenkron olarak yürütülen on iki adet tek yönlü öğretim dili Türkçe olan üniversite dersinden maksimum çeşitlilik örnekleme tekniği izlenerek bir özel amaçlı derlem oluşturulmuştur. Bu derlemin MAXQDA adlı veri analiz programı üzerinde manuel olarak analiz edilmesiyle derslerdeki üstsöylem belirleyicileri tespit edilip akademik dinleme alt becerileriyle eşleştirilmiş bir şekilde öğreticilerin ve materyal geliştiricilerinin kullanımına sunulmuştur. Söz konusu envanterin akademik Türkçe dinleme eğitiminin niteliğinin artırılmasına katkıda bulunacağı düşünülmektedir.
Uluslararası öğrencilere yönelik akademik Türkçe söz varlığının tespiti
Türkçenin söz varlığına yönelik çalışmalar incelendiğinde, bu çalışmalarda söz varlığının farklı açılardan ele alındığını söylemek mümkündür. Söz konusu çalışmalardan birkaçı şöyle tasnif edilebilir: Sözcüklerin kökenlerini merkeze alıp zaman içinde geçirdikleri değişimleri ortaya koyan çalışmalar, sözcüklerin yapısına odaklanıp aldıkları ekleri, bu eklerin kullanım alanlarını inceleyen araştırmalar veya sözcüklerin anlamlarını esas alıp kullanıldıkları bağlamdan hareketle kazandıkları anlama odaklanan çalışmalar. Alanyazın ışığında tasnifteki çalışmalar tarandığında, hâlihazırda akademik Türkçeye yönelik çok az sayıda söz varlığı çalışması olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Bu tespitten hareketle çalışmada, derlem dilbilim aracılığıyla akademik dilin doğal kullanım örneklerinin saptanması ve bir sözcük listesi aracılığıyla öğrenim/öğretim ortamına taşınması amaçlanmıştır. Bu amaç doğrultusunda öncelikle akademik Türkçeye yönelik temsil gücü yüksek, geniş kapsamlı ve dengeli bir özel derlem oluşturulmaya çalışılmıştır. Türkçenin Akademik Derlemi (TAD) adı verilen bu derlemden hareketle oran, aralık, dağılım ve disiplin ölçütleri göz önünde bulundurularak 1567 sözcük içeren Türkçenin Akademik Sözcük Listesi (TASL) hazırlanmıştır. Oluşturulan akademik derlem ve akademik sözcük listesiyle uluslararası öğrencilerin B2 düzeyinden başlayarak özellikle akademik Türkçe derslerinde ders içi ve ders dışı uygulamalarda yararlanabilecekleri bir materyal geliştirilmiştir. Eğitim amaçlı bu materyal, yalnızca öğrencilerin değil öğreticilerin, materyal tasarımcıların, sınav geliştiricilerin ve söz varlığı çalışmaları yapan araştırmacıların da kullanımına sunulmuştur. Böylelikle akademik Türkçe dersleri için tanımlanabilir, gerçekçi hedeflerin belirlenmesi ve uluslararası öğrencilere daha nitelikli bir akademik Türkçe eğitimi verilmesine yönelik bir adım atıldığı düşünülmektedir.
International students' second language pragmalingistic change, culture shock and social identity relation
This mixed-methods study explores the interrelationships among pragmalinguistic development, culture shock, and social identity of 40 international students in the Bridge to Academic Success in English (BASE) program at Renison University College affiliated by University of Waterloo. Data were collected using a questionnaire, discourse completion tests, and semi-structured interviews, and analyzed through SPSS, CCSARP coding manual used by Blum-Kulka et al., and thematic analysis. The findings suggest that participants experienced culture shock, as shown by the questionnaire, DCTs, and interviews. Pragmalinguistic development also improved, bringing participants closer to native speakers, as measured by the control group of Canadian undergraduate students. Participants reported decreased interpersonal stress over time, indicating the BASE program's positive impact on social identity. This study contributes to the literature on second language acquisition and cross-cultural communication, providing insights into the complex relationships among pragmalinguistic development, culture shock, and social identity of international students. Utilizing the CCSARP coding manual and thematic analysis provides rigor and credibility to the study's findings. This study's comprehensive approach distinguishes it from prior research that focused on a single aspect of international student experiences. Conducting the research in a particular cultural context offers a unique perspective on the international student experience at Renison University College. The study provides a nuanced and holistic understanding of the challenges international students face when adapting to new language and culture. These findings may assist educators, researchers, and practitioners in providing necessary support and resources to international students to succeed in their academic and personal growth.
The nature of dialogic reflection on L2 spoken performances of tertiary-level students
This study aims to explore the nature of dialogic reflections of L2 tertiary level learners on their spoken performances through qualitative sociocultural research. To conduct the study, 24 tertiary level L2 learners were given six different speaking tasks throughout 12 weeks, and they did the tasks in the classroom with their pairs and audio-recorded their conversation. Then, the learners listened to their performances and reflected on them dialogically with their pair, and audio-recorded their reflections. The learners yielded 22 hours of interaction with their peers. All the tasks and reflections were recorded, transcribed, and categorized through MAXQDA, a software platform. To analyze the data, sociocultural theory-based analysis methods, which are microgenetic approach and sociocultural discourse analysis, both of which are included in microanalysis methods, were used. The findings revealed that there are two main categories occurring while reflecting dialogically. The most common one is showing regulatory behaviors, and the other one is having affective involvement. In the dialogic reflection sessions, regulatory behaviors appeared in two ways; (1) the learners either initiated a conversation by asking questions, making suggestions, asking for guidance or clarification, and raising awareness or (2) showed regulated behaviors by scaffolding their pairs, making language-related explanations, and establishing mutual understanding between each other. Besides, affective involvement happed in two ways; the first one happened when learners felt their achievement, and secondly when they wanted to praise their pairs or themselves. Finally, the findings give implications for the use of reflection with learners, learner improvement, and classroom interaction.
İkinci dil olarak Türkçe öğrenenlerin evrensel, kültürel ve dilsel mizahı anlama düzeyi
Mizah, dil gibi insana özgü becerilerden biri olarak sosyal iletişimi kimi zaman olumlu kimi zaman da olumsuz yönde etkileyen unsurlardan biridir. Bu bağlamda mizah, ikinci dil konuşucusu için hedef dil kültürüne dahil olmak adına önemli bir rol oynamaktadır. Öte yandan öğrenicilerin hedef dildeki mizah algısına, mizahi türlere aşinalığı sosyal tecrübelerini olumlu yönde gerçekleştirmelerini sağlayacaktır. Sosyal kabulün yanı sıra mizahın tepkilerinden biri olarak gülme dil öğretim sınıflarında da öğrenimi kolaylaştırıcı bir etki sağlayabilir, eğlenceli hale getirerek hedef dile olan motivasyonu arttırabilir. Bu bağlamda söz konusu araştırma, evrensel, kültürel ve dilsel mizah türlerinden hangisinin ikinci dil konuşucusu tarafından daha yüksek düzeyde kavrandığını belirlemeye çalışmaktadır. Araştırmada B2 ve üzeri düzeydeki 25 katılımcıya grafik mizah anlama sorularının bulunduğu Mizah Kavrayış Testi yöneltilmiş ve hedef dil mizahını anlamaları yönündeki öznel ve nesnel değerlendirmeler incelenmiştir. Mizah Kavrayış Testi, evrensel, kültürel ve dilsel olmak üzere üç ayrı mizah alt türünden otantik karikatürler içermektedir. Elde edilen bulgular ışığında dil öğretim sınıflarında mizah algısını geliştirmeyi hedefleyen etkinlikler için önerilere yer verilmiştir. Anahtar Sözcükler: Mizah, Kavrayış, İkinci Dil Öğrenimi, Evrensel Mizah, Kültürel Mizah, Dilsel Mizah.
How do the factors of testing, in-class discussion, and extra-mural reading affect L2 reading motivation levels of Turkish university students?
Reading is an important part of learning any new language and thus, being motivated to read in a new language is also an important factor in that process. In this study, two extrinsic motivating factors, the effect of testing and in-class discussion, were examined to see their effect on English reading motivation levels in Turkish university students. Also, intrinsic motivation was examined as the study sought to examine what sources students are reading in English outside of class, why they go to those particular sites, and how often they go to them. 100 students from a university in Turkey's English Preparatory program submitted the questionnaire that was made for this study. Data was then collected from these results. These students were at B1 English level or above at the time of the study, based on the Common European Framework (CEFR). L2 reading motivation research is still limited in Turkey, and the research varies on how motivated students are to read in English outside of class. Since reading motivation is an important part of the L2 reading and learning process, this study sought to evaluate the data on particular motivational constructs. It was found that testing and in-class discussion based on outside reading were motivating factors for the majority of students, but they were not often the sole base of that motivation. In examining the sources students were reading outside of class for non-academic reasons, those cited by the majority of students were books, articles and essays, and entertainment resources. News and magazines, language learning specific, and video content websites were those online resources that students reported they practiced reading in English the most. Entertainment, news and magazine, and interestspecific websites were those most cited by students as the ones they use the most to read in English for enjoyment. The study also found that the highest intrinsic motivational factors that motivated students to use the websites they listed were: interest and curiosity, self-development, learning news and vocabulary, providing fun and enjoyment and providing information on topics of interest. Other intrinsic factors and sources were noted by participants to a lesser degree. The findings of this study revealed that testing and in-class discussion do affect levels of motivation to read outside of class, but they are not the only motivation for students. Students can still be positively motivated to read outside of class without these variables. Moreover, given what sources the students noted they use, how often they use them, and why they use them, two conclusions may be made. One, teachers and curriculum developers can be encouraged that test and in-class discussions do positively motivate students to read in English outside of class, but they do not have to depend on these solely to motivate their students to do outside reading. Finally, teachers and curriculum development members should use the resources, websites, and reasons for motivation to read found in this study to continue to develop higher quality, and more interesting reading materials for students, that they may be more motivated to read in English outside of class. Keywords: L2 reading motivation, testing, in-class discussion, extrinsic and intrinsic reading motivation, extra-mural reading, L2 reading frequency
Yabancılara Türkçe öğretiminde ikinci dil motivasyonel benlik sistemi ve ikinci dilde iletişim kurma istekliliği arasındaki ilişki
Bu araştırmanın temel amacı Türkiye'de Türkçe öğrenen uluslararası öğrencilerin sınıf içi iletişim kurma isteklilikleri ve motivasyonel benlik sistemleri arasında ilişkiyi açıklamaktır. Bu amaç doğrultusunda Hacettepe ve Gazi Üniversitelerinin Türkçe ve Yabancı Dil Uygulama ve Araştırma Merkezlerinde (TÖMER) 43 farklı ülkeden, 97 erkek, 73 kadın olmak üzere toplam 170 katılımcıdan veri toplanmıştır. Katılımcılara "ikinci dilde sınıf içi iletişim kurma istekliliği" ölçeği ile "ikinci dil motivasyonel benlik sistemi" ölçeğinin birleştirilmesiyle oluşturulmuş bir anket uygulanmıştır. Araştırmanın bulguları önce betimsel analizlerle incelenmiş ardından kadın ve erkek katılımcıların motivasyonu ve sınıf içi iletişim kurma isteklilikleri arasındaki farklılıkların istatistiksel olarak anlamlı olmadığı saptanmıştır. Araştırmanın temel amacı olan iki yapı arasındaki ilişkilerin incelenmesi ise Pearson korelasyonları kullanılarak gerçekleştirilmiştir. Araştırmanın bulgularına göre bu iki yapı arasında pozitif yönlü güçlü ilişkiler olduğu görülmüştür. Bu bulgularla süreç odaklı motivasyon yapısı yani motivasyonel benlik sisteminin yabancılara Türkçenin öğretiminde uygulanabilirliği ispatlanarak alana katkı sağlanmıştır. Ayrıca çalışmada katılımcıların Türkçe düzeyleri ile bu iki yapısında anlamlı değişiklikler olup olmadığını incelemek için tek yönlü varyans analizleri yapılmıştır. Bu analizlere göre katılımcıların Türkçe düzeylerinde sınıf içi iletişim kurma istekliliklerine göre anlamlı farklılıklara rastlanmıştır. Bu yüzden eğitimcilerin bu yapıyı da göz önünde bulundurarak eğitim-öğretim süreçlerini planlamaları öğrencilerin Türkçe düzeylerini yükseltmelerine katkı sağlayabilir. Ancak, bu çalışmaya ek olarak araştırmacılar konu üzerine farklı gruplardan ve daha büyük gruplardan toplanacak verilerle alana katkı sağlanmaya devam edebilir. Özellikle, bireylerin algılanan motivasyon ve iletişim kurma istekliliklerini ölçeklerle ölçmenin yanı sıra nitel çalışmaların da yapılmasının alandaki araştırma boşluğunu doldurmaya katkı sağlayacağı söylenebilir.
The effect of a visionary motivational program on learners' ideal L2 self
This study aimed to investigate the effect of a visionary motivational program on learners' Ideal L2. The study was conducted in the academic year of 2017-2018 at a state university, Central Anatolia, Turkey. 59 female and male Turkish EFL learners formed an experimental and a control group. While the experimental group attended a visionary motivational program, the control group attended a general program. Data were collected through a survey questionnaire, semi-structured interviews and an open-ended questionnaire. Quantitative data were analyzed by using a statistical analysis program and the findings were shown in tables and interpreted afterwards. Qualitative data were analyzed using the grounded theory and the constant comparative method. The findings were listed narratively and supported with the direct quotations from the data. The results showed that the Ideal L2 self of both groups increased, but the difference between them was not at a statistically significant level. The overall comparison of the quantitative data did not yield any significant difference between the experimental and the control group in nine domains. However, only in the domain of English anxiety, the control group had a significantly lower level of anxiety after the program. The results from the qualitative data, on the other hand, revealed that both groups found their programs effective and motivating for different reasons such as feeling an increase in their self-confidence, setting broader and concrete goals, understanding the crucial role of English and getting to know themselves.
The impact of metacognitive instruction on EFL learners' listening comprehension skill
The study explored the impact of an 8-week process-based metacognitive instruction with pedagogical procedures on listening comprehension performance and metacognitive awareness of 37 EFL listeners in Turkey regarding different listening proficiency levels and preparatory school backgrounds. A mixed-methods research design with a quasi-experimental study, including a pretest-posttest and an experimental-control group, was adopted in this study. The quantitative data were collected through the Metacognitive Awareness Listening Questionnaire (MALQ) to measure metacognitive awareness of listening before, during, and after metacognitive instruction, and an IELTS listening test as pretest and posttest to measure listening comprehension performance. The qualitative data was collected through stimulated recall protocols from the experimental group during and after the instruction to determine any changes in their metacognitive awareness over metacognitive instruction. Results showed that the experimental group showed a statistically significant increase in their listening performance on the final test to a medium extent. However, their metacognitive awareness of listening showed a non-significant increase at the end of the study, and this was also analyzed regarding the subdimensions of the MALQ. Besides, the experimental group had a significantly higher level of overall metacognitive awareness than the control group to a medium extent. Furthermore, more- and less-successful L2 listeners and preparatory school backgrounds made considerable differences in the study. Also, the quantitative findings on metacognitive awareness of listening were supported by some qualitative findings. Implications and suggestions for future research on learning and teaching L2 listening with the process-based metacognitive instruction were lastly discussed.
The acquisition of null and overt subjects in L2 Turkish at the syntax discourse interface across different languages
This study investigates the acquisition of null and overt subjects at the syntax-discourse interface across discourse null subject and non-null subject languages in L2 Turkish and focuses on L1 transfer effects. Considering this, the study aims to understand whether discursive constraints residing at this interface is problematic to acquire as predicted by the Interface Hypothesis in contrast to Full Transfer / Full Access Hypothesis. Framed within the Syntax before Discourse Hypothesis considerations, it also inquires whether syntactic features are acquiered earlier than discursive principles regarding the use of null and overt subject distribution. The participants of the study consist of two learner groups and a control group. Intermediate and advanced L2 Turkish speakers of Korean and Japanese (n=42, intermediate=15, advanced=27) constitute the discourse null subject group. English and German L2 Turkish speakers at the intermediate and advanced level (n=26, intermediate=11, advanced=15) form the non-null subject group. The control group of the study is composed of native Turkish speakers (n=26). Three tasks were employed to fetch data. The Overt Pronoun Constraint Task was designed to assess the syntactic knowledge of the L2 Turkish speakers on the formal distribution of null and overt subjects in complex sentences with quantified/wh-word or referential DP antecedent contexts. As for the latter two tasks, the Contextualized Grammaticality Judgement Task and Question-Answer Task were framed to evaluate the acquisition of discursive constraints regulating the null and overt subject distribution at the syntax-discourse interface. For each task in the study, descriptive analysis and three statistical analyses were carried out. With respect to the findings of the study, the data taken from the the Contextualized Grammaticality Judgement Task and Question-Answer Task found that the L2 speakers of both learner groups and proficiency levels had problems in acquiring discursive constraints (topic continuity and topic shift) which govern the use of null and overt subjects. This finding is in line with the assertions of the Interface Hypothesis. Since the interface between syntax and discourse presents learnability problems, features residing at this interface cannot be fully acquired. Drawing on the languages with different typologies, the study also suggested that L1 transfer does not hold at the syntax-discourse interface since no difference was observed between two learner groups even though the speakers of discourse null subject group have the same discursive rules in their mother tongues as in Turkish, which necessarily refutes the claims of the Full Transfer models. This study also found that topic continuity and topic shift constructions were not violated equally by the L2 Turkish speakers. Since overt subjects are more salient to perceive and carry more information than null subjects in discourse, violating overt subject constructions in topic-shift contexts is less tolerable than using redundant (overt) subjects in topic-continuity contexts. Finally, the results of the Overt Pronoun Constraint Task found that the formal constraints that govern the co-indexation between subjects of the embedded and matrix clause were acquired by the advanced speakers of both groups despite some target deviant performances in the context of overt subjects. Since the L2 participants were more successful in this task than the discourse-bound tasks, this finding is in line with the Syntax before Discourse Hypothesis. Keywords Syntax-discourse interface, null subject parameter, null and overt subjects, co-reference interpretation, discursive constraints, topic continuity and topic shift
The impact of regulatory focus on second language learners' oral production and motivation
The present study aims primarily to find out whether different instructional framing conditions named as promotion and prevention and learners' inherent regulatory orientations affect second language (L2) learners' speaking task performance in individual speaking tasks. The general design of the study is based on regulatory focus theory (Higgins, 1997, 1998) and regulatory fit theory (Higgins, 2000). A total of 70 B2 level English learners studying at an English preparatory unit of a foundation university in Ankara participated in the study. A mixed method research design consisting of quantitative and qualitative data collection procedures was implemented. For the quantitative part, initially, survey methodology was used. As a part of the experimental design, L2 learners were assigned to the promotion and prevention instructional conditions to carry out the speaking tasks. Semi-structured interviews and teacher diary keeping methods were implemented as parts of the qualitative data collection. The results showed that L2 learners' regulatory foci influenced their performance in the speaking tasks in the prevention experimental condition. However, this result was not clear in the promotion experimental condition. Some performance differences were realized between students in the prevention and promotion conditions in terms of pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, fluency and comprehensibility. It was found out that students in the prevention condition had better performance in terms of vocabulary usage and grammatical accuracy, whereas students in the promotion condition had better performance in terms of fluency. The implications of the study are applicable to the areas of L2 curriculum, syllabi and material preparation processes, individual learner differences, L2 testing and assessment. Keywords: regulatory focus, regulatory fit, prevention focus, promotion focus, L2 motivation and success, L2 speaking skill
An investigation into profile of ELT teacher education programmes in Turkey
The desired outcomes of educational systems necessitate higher levels of quality in the structure of each undergraduate degree programme of the higher education institutions. Assessing the quality of the departments on the basis of reconciled terms in accordance with the national objectives necessitates a systematic internal evaluation procedure for the programme components as a crucial asset for improvement and maintenance of quality. In terms of the quality in the foreign language teacher education programmes, raising qualified language teachers have an increasing value over the improvement of the learners' language profiles since the teachers substitute a critical asset in arousing interest of learners, raising their competences and attainments towards languages. This master's thesis aims to evaluate the efficiency of English language teacher education programmes in Turkey with sets of principles through preservice teachers` perceptions. The study was conducted at 4 undergraduate English Language Teacher Education programmes in Turkey with 116 preservice teachers from Hacettepe, Ufuk, Sabahattin Zaim, and Sakarya University. Throughout the mixed method research design, the quantitative data was collected with 4 questionnaires designed by the researcher while for the qualitative data, in-depth interviews were utilized. The quantitative results indicated that most of the preservice teachers were satisfied with the efficacy of their departments` curriculum, its training in knowledge and understanding, strategies and skills, and values. On the other hand, the qualitative findings proposed some suggestions like rearranging the proportion of theory and practice, increasing connections with other departments and encouraging teacher educators and school mentors for professional development.
A study into the interplay between first and second language reading motivation and vocabulary development
The present study aimed to examine the cross-linguistic effect of L1 vocabulary, reading motivation and habits on L2 vocabulary, reading motivation and habits. In this respect, proposing a model, the study aims to contribute to the foreign language education and research. Moreover, the study also seeks to contribute to Turkish language studies through illustrating Turkish vocabulary size, reading motivation and habits of university students. With respect to the sample size and data collection tools required by the complex theoretical model proposed, the study employed a quantitative survey research design. The data was collected through vocabulary size tests, reading motivational scales and reading habits questionnaires from a total of 490 participants from the four different state universities. As the complex theoretical model suggested, the model proposed in the study was analyzed with PLS-SEM technique. The results revealed that L1 vocabulary size and reading efficacy were the two predictors of L2 vocabulary size; however, L1 vocabulary size was the best predictor. Whereas L1 reading habits explained L1 vocabulary size, L2 reading habits did not predict L2 vocabulary size. Although participants' most highly endorsed reading motivational dispositions in L1 and L2 were different, only intrinsic reading motivation explained reading habits in L1 and L2. Moreover, L1 reading motivation and habits significantly predicted L2 reading motivation and habits. In this respect, the study suggests that L1 vocabulary size and reading habits are important in the development of L2 vocabulary size and reading habits.
Interrelationships among L2 linguistic knowledge, working memory functions, and L2 reading
The purpose of the study is to investigate the relationships between processing/storage functions of working memory (WM) and explicit/implicit second language (L2) knowledge as well as the contributions of these variables to L2 reading comprehension. Participants were 84 moderately proficient late adult learners of English. WM capacity was measured through reading span tasks administered in L1 and L2 and an operation span task. An untimed grammaticality judgment test (GJT) and a metalinguistic knowledge test were administered to measure explicit linguistic knowledge in the L2 while a timed GJT and an elicited oral imitation test were used to measure implicit linguistic knowledge. Reading comprehension scores were obtained from a retired paper-based TOEFL. Results suggest that WM's storage function is language independent and it is not affected by the type of secondary task employed. The findings also suggest that WM's processing function is not task-dependent. Furthermore, results corroborate previous studies arguing against a trade-off between the processing and storage functions of WM. Based on the findings regarding the relationship between linguistic knowledge and WM capacity, it can be argued that the type of knowledge assessed by the so called implicit knowledge tests could actually be automatized explicit linguistic knowledge resulting from large amounts of practice in late adults learners of advanced proficiency in an instructional context. This automatized and primarily explicit L2 linguistic knowledge and WM's processing function are the best predictors of L2 reading comprehension, demonstrating the dominant role of automatized knowledge in efficient L2 reading comprehension for instructed L2 learners.
Development of a speaking test for second language learners of Turkish
This study reports the findings of an initial investigation into a speaking test for learners of Turkish as a second language (L2) that is in the development process. The test aims at assessing the speaking proficiency levels of incoming exchange and Erasmus students at Boğaziçi University. For this purpose, six tasks were developed based on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (Council of Europe, 2001) level descriptors. These tasks were administered to a 24-person sample of L2 learners of Turkish enrolled in intermediate and advanced level Turkish language classes at Boğaziçi University. The study focused on the cognitive demands, contextual features, and "scoring validity" (Weir, 2005) of the tasks. The cognitive task demands were analyzed based on Field's (2011) cognitive processing framework for speaking, which is based on the Levelt (1989) model of speech production. The discussion of contextual task characteristics was built upon the aspects of context validity outlined by Weir (2005). Generalizability theory analyses were conducted to investigate the dependability of the scores and to examine the effect of different numbers of tasks and raters on score dependability. The findings from these qualitative and quantitative analyses provide empirical evidence into the validity and dependability of the test and inform the further refinement of the test tasks.
The effects of priming in the production of L2 morphology
Recent studies suggest that priming may be a useful method in facilitating second language (L2) learning, yet there has not been any investigation about how priming can trigger the development of morpho-syntactic forms in the L2. As such, this study was motivated by the need to investigate the effects of priming in the production of morphology, a domain which poses much difficulty for L2 learners. The study examines whether exposure to grammatical and ungrammatical morphological primes can affect the accurate production of the third person singular –s in L1 Turkish-L2 English learners. The study involved a pre-test-post-test design and data was based on oral production. Participants were asked to describe pictures shown on a computer screen subsequent to different prime sentences they hear from the researcher in the confederate-scripting paradigm. The grammatical primes consisted of English sentences with verbs marked with –s and the ungrammatical primes included sentences with an omitted –s. Participant's correct use of the target morpheme in their descriptions of the experimental items were then analyzed and compared to identify priming effects in the immediate and delayed post-tests. Results indicated an increase, for all groups, in the number of accurate use of –s from the pre-test to the post-tests; however, no significant difference was found among the groups in terms of accurate use of –s. These findings suggest that the interlanguage grammar of L2 learners cannot be altered on the basis of priming-a form of implicit learning, in the domain of inflectional morphology.
Second language processing of English past tense morphology
In the present study, highly proficient second language (L2) speakers' processing of English past tense morphology was investigated in order to understand whether their processing routes (i.e., decomposition, storage or a dual-route) were comparable with native (L1) speakers of English. To this end, two instruments were developed. In the masked priming task, the reaction times (RT) for regular and irregular verbs were measured. The prime-target pairs were presented in three prime conditions: i) Identity (save-SAVE; build-BUILD), (ii) Test (saved-SAVE; built-BUILD), and (iii) Unrelated (carry-SAVE; share-BUILD). In the sentence reading task, the same regular and irregular verbs used in the masked priming task were inserted in sentences and the participants' fixation durations for each verb type were compared. The study also sought to explore whether working memory (WM) has any relationship with L2 morphological processing. In addition to these, two WM measures, Automated Reading Span (ARSPAN) and Automated Operation Span (AOSPAN) tasks were adopted in order to discern whether WM correlates with the RTs in the masked priming task and fixation durations in the eye tracking task. The L2 speakers also received a Turkish version of the ARSPAN so that any confounding effects of language on WM performance could be ruled out. The findings of the masked priming task showed that L2 speakers had slower RTs than native speakers. In addition, the regular verbs were responded to slower than irregular verbs in both groups. Further analyses revealed a partial priming pattern across the conditions for regular verbs (identityRT < testRT < unrelatedRT), which is interpreted as reduced decomposition and full priming pattern for the irregular verbs (identityRT = testRT < unrelatedRT), which is interpreted as decomposition, in both groups. In the eye tracking task, major significant differences were not found between the participant groups and verb types in terms of early (first-fixation duration, gaze duration) and late (second fixation duration, total fixation duration) processing measures. Regular and irregular verbs yielded significantly different fixation durations only in the native speaker group with regard to gaze duration, with slower durations for regular verbs. The correlation analyses did not point to any relationship between WM and masked priming and eye tracking results in either group. The extreme-groups analysis, whereby high and low WM subgroups in each participant group were compared, also did not result in significant between-group differences in terms of morphological processing. Comparable processing patterns in native and nonnative groups obtained in the present study oppose to earlier views that L2 learners are less sensitive to the morphological structure of the target language compared to native speakers. It seems that high proficiency L2 English speakers can employ the decomposition route in accessing inflected forms in the L2 similar to native speakers. Thus, our findings suggest that real-time processing of morphologically complex words can ultimately be native-like for adult L2 learners. Despite the lack of qualitative differences in processing, quantitative differences were found in the form of slower RTs in the L2 English group. These differences could not be accounted for by differences in WM.
Metacognitive awareness of listening strategies in L2 English and L3 Italian
Transfer of language skills across languages has been an essential question in the field of bilingualism. Theoretical approaches to this issue proposed assumptions on metacognitive awareness defined as learners' own introspective consciousness on their learning processes. Second language (L2) research on language skills has investigated transfer issue especially in reading skills; however, there is limited research on the transfer of language skills in third language (L3) learning and listening skills and strategies. To address this gap, the current study examined the role of metacognitive awareness in listening strategies in an L2 English L3 Italian context with university students in Turkey. The study explored learners' metacognitive awareness of listening strategies in their more proficient L2 compared to their less proficient L3, and whether L2 and L3 metacognitive level correlated with L3 listening comprehension. To this end, a questionnaire of metacognitive awareness of listening strategies in L2 and L3, and a listening comprehension test in L3 were implemented. Results indicated higher levels of metacognitive awareness in certain strategies depending on the language, pointing to the role of proficiency in the use of listening strategies. In addition, metacognitive awareness of listening strategies in L2 and L3 were significantly correlated, suggesting possible transfer of skills across languages. Finally, the results yielded a direct relationship between L3 proficiency and L3 listening comprehension while L2 proficiency was not related to L3 listening comprehension.
İlkokulda yabancı uyruklu öğrencilere ikinci dil olarak Türkçe öğretiminin kapsayıcı eğitim açısından incelenmesi
Bu çalışma ilkokulda yabancı uyruklu öğrencilere ikinci dil olarak Türkçe öğretimini kapsayıcı eğitim açısından incelemek amacıyla yapılmıştır. Çalışma Konya ili Karatay ilçesinde bir devlet okulunda sınıfında yabancı uyruklu öğrenci bulunan 10 sınıf öğretmeni ve 3 PİKTES öğretmeni ile bu okulda eğitim gören 10 yabancı uyruklu öğrenci ile gerçekleştirilmiştir. Çalışma nitel araştırma desenlerinden olan durum çalışması ile yürütülmüş olup veriler görüşme aracılığıyla toplanmıştır. Görüşmeler katılımcının kendini rahat hissettiği ortamlarda sohbet havasında gerçekleştirilmiştir. Yapılan görüşmelerde yarı yapılandırılmış görüşme formu kullanılmış aynı zamanda ses kayıt cihazı ile veriler desteklenmiştir. Elde edilen verilerin analizi için kodlar oluşturularak veriler kodlar altında toplanmıştır. Kodlar altında toplanan veriler içerik analizi ile analiz edilmiştir. Elde edilen veriler ışığında yabancı uyruklu öğrencilere ikinci dil olarak Türkçe öğretimi için eğitim hayatının başında sistemli bir uygulama olmadığı, öğrencilerin sınıflarda Türkçeye maruz kalarak öğrendiği ve okul çapınca öğrenciler ve velilerde Türkçe dil sorunu olduğu sonucuna ulaşılmıştır. Yapılan gözlemlerde öğrencilerin çoğunun okuduğunu anlama gerektiren durumlarda zorlandığı, öğretmenlerin hiçbir öğrenciyi seçmeden sürece dâhil etmeye çalıştığı gözlenmiştir. Ulaşılan sonuçlar değerlendirildiğinde ikinci dil olarak Türkçe öğretiminin iki şekilde yapıldığı sonucuna ulaşılmıştır. PİKTES projesinin olduğu okullarda ayrı bir sınıf oluşturulmaktadır ve bu durumun kapsayıcı eğitime uygun değildir. Bununla beraber projenin olmadığı okullarda ise sınıfta öğretmen ve akran etkileşimi ile öğrendikleri yabancı uyruklu öğrencilerin fazla olduğu sınıflara bir yardımcı öğretmen verilerek öğretmenlerin sınıf içinde her öğrencinin aktif katılımını sağlaması hususunda destek verilebilir. Aynı zamanda dil bilmeyen çocukların PİKTES projesi kapsamında ayrı sınıflara alınmasındansa çocukların aşamalı bir şekilde ders saatleri dışında destek eğitime alınması şeklinde bir program geliştirilebilir. Bunların dışında en eğitimin en önemli unsurlarından olan aile faktörünün süreçte daha aktif bulunabilmesi için velilere yönelik dil eğitimleri veya kurs sınıfları açılarak ulaşılmak istenen amaçlara daha kalıcı ve hızlı bir şekilde ulaşılabilir.
The effects of Shadowing technique on L2 learners' pronunciation skills
In this study, it was aimed to find out the effects of Shadowing, a method which is one of the pronunciation development methods of students in the process of learning English as a foreign language, over the students' pronunciation development. The study was carried out with students studying in the preparatory department at a private university. A mixed-methods design was applied and the data were collected quantitatively and qualitatively. Qualitative data were collected through a pre-test and post-test which were taken by the control group and experiment group. Throughout the study, short videos of native English speakers were sent to both the experiment group and the control group. The experiment group repeated the sentences in the videos they listened to and sent them to the researcher as a sound recording. The control group only listened to these videos. At the end of the study, qualitative data were collected through an open-ended questionnaire applied to the experimental group. According to the results of the quantitative data obtained in the study, the implementation of Shadowing Method has positive effects on the development of students' English pronunciation. It was revealed that the pronunciation mistakes of the experimental group, in which the shadowing method was implemented for eight weeks, made in the pre-test before the Shadowing Method was implemented, were more than the pronunciation mistakes they made in the post-test after the Shadowing Method was implemented for eight weeks. These results show that the Shadowing Method improved students' English pronunciation. According to the quantitative data analyzed by the thematic coding method, it was determined that the motivation of the students increased with the shadowing method. It was stated by the participants that the shadowing method was helpful, effective, fun and motivating. The fact that it is not time consuming and provides consistency are among the positive comments made by the participants for this method. As a result, the Shadowing Method, which is an English pronunciation improvement method, revealed good learning results on pronunciation improvement. At the same time, it was observed that students developed positive perspectives towards their own learning experiences. The fact that the Shadowing Method does not take much time, is a method integrated with technology, the listening resources are provided by native English speakers, the materials used are obtained from interesting sources such as TV series, movies, music make this method both practical and fun to use. The Shadowing Method is recommended to be used in the language learning process to improve English pronunciation.
Morphological processing of verbal inflection: Evidence from L2 Russian
The present psycholinguistic research aims at contributing to the debate on mechanisms underlying mental representation and processing of morphologically complex words by studying processing of verbal inflection in L2 and L1 Russian speakers through the implementation of a written elicited-production experiment that tests the conjugation of real and nonce verbs. The research focus is also on examining whether L2 Russian speakers differ from L1 Russian speakers in their morphological generalization mechanisms. For this purpose, a written elicited-production experiment with 42 L1 and 42 L2 advanced speakers of Russian was implemented remotely in online mode, the first production experiment of this kind for Russian. The results revealed that L2 Russian speakers processed verbal inflections differently from L1 Russian speakers both in real and nonce verbs. L2 Russian speakers were affected by the frequency and verb class manipulations more than L1 Russian speakers which denoted the differences in language learning backgrounds, notably in implicit and explicit input frequencies. The results also demonstrated the effect of morphological rules on the processing of real verbs and the impact of the knowledge of probabilities and morphological cues on the processing of nonce verbs. These results thus suggested that the hybrid mechanisms of morphological processing posited by the Rules and Possibilities Model were employed by L2 Russian speakers.