The comparison of english language curricula in primary schools (The example of Finland, Poland and Turkey)

Foreign language education at an early age includes a wide range of communication skills aimed at providing scientific and sociocultural values as well as a critical point of view. Foreign language education does not only allow the individual to communicate on a second language, it also allows them to approach the events with different ways of thinking and to access the information from the first hand. The peak level of this acquisition depends on the validity of the given foreign language training program, which is equivalent to the quality, sustainability and purposeful teaching methods of foreign languages. Prepared in accordance with this perspective, this study aimed to compare the programs, contents, education process, and methods used in teaching English in Finland, Poland and Turkey elementary schools. The study also aimed to reveal the similarities and differences between the language teaching practices. In this comparative study, document analysis method was applied. Because the scope of the research contained more than one content, several patterns were applied within the scope of the document analysis method. The data obtained as the necessity of the document analysis pattern is classified as a documentary. The research is planned to cover 2017 spring and fall semesters and 2018 spring semesters. During the research, several visits were made to some educational institutions in Finland, Poland and Turkey, and documental data were obtained during these visits. The collected data were systematically compared and the similarities and differences between them were determined and then the findings were revealed. By examining and analyzing all the findings obtained during the study, it is revealed how the methods applied in teaching English as a foreign language affect the teaching and learning levels. The study is also tried to reveal the effects of the different teaching methods applied on teaching English as a foreign language at different levels of education institutions, especially primary school level. As a result of the study, it has been found that different methods used in teaching of English as a foreign language in all levels of education, especially elementary schools, have different effects on the ability to utilise English in the basic education process. It was concluded that factors such as teacher education, material selection, textbooks and the age of starting to learn foreign languages, especially the education programs followed during the foreign language education are effective on learning process. Besides, it is concluded that a single one method of language teaching can not be effective enough to learn a language.