The effects of language partnership (Tandem) on intercultural sensitivity of Turkish as a foreign languages learning who students and candidates Turkish teachers

The aim of the study was to determine the effect of the Tandem (language partnership) method on the intercultural sensitivity levels of prospective Turkish teachers and students learning Turkish as a foreign language. In the research conducted with the Mixed Method, quantitative and qualitative research approaches were used together and the findings obtained from two different methods were supported with comments. A pretest-posttest experimental design model without a control group was used in the quantitative dimension of the research. The experimental process lasted 6 weeks. The Intercultural Sensitivity Scale, developed by Chen and Storasta (2000) and adapted to Turkish by Üstün (2011), was applied to the groups at the beginning and end of the experimental process. In the qualitative dimension, a semi-structured interview form was used. The experimental groups consisted of 43 prospective Turkish teachers studying in the 4th grade in the Turkish Language Teaching Program of the Faculty of Education of Nevşehir Hacı Bektaş Veli University in the spring semester of 2023-2024 and 14 foreign students with B2 level learning Turkish as a foreign language at Nevşehir Hacı Bektaş Veli University TOMER. The process continued for 6 weeks with meetings planned by each partner for at least one hour. The analysis of the data obtained from the quantitative data collection tools was transferred to the computer environment. In the quantitative dimension, the effect of the Tandem method on the intercultural sensitivity of both groups in terms of age, gender and place of residence was examined. In the statistical analyses, the significance level was accepted as .05. No significant difference was found in both groups regarding the specified variables. In the qualitative dimension, the effect of the Tandem method on the intercultural sensitivity of both groups was examined. The data obtained from the qualitative data collection tool was analyzed with content analysis. According to the findings of the analysis, the Tandem method had a positive effect on the intercultural sensitivity of both groups.