Foreign language teachers' opinions on foreign language education policies in Turkey

This research aims to put forward the views of the foreign language teachers and the administrators, who are also foreign language teachers but have additional duties in management and work in state primary, middle and high schools at the central district of the province of Kastamonu, on the foreign language education policies in Turkey and to contribute policy developers in the development of language education policies. This study aimed to determine the opinions of foreign language teachers on foreign language education in Turkey, their views on the problems in foreign language education, their views in the context of curriculum, legislation, teacher assignment policies, foreign language teacher training system, In-service training studies related to foreign language education, foreign language teaching methods within the framework of foreign language education policies and the positive and negative reflections of these policy variables on foreign language education and the expectations of foreign language teachers about the foreign language education. In this study, descriptive scanning model was used as the qualitative data analysis method to reveal the existing situation regarding the foreign language education policies in Turkey in the framework of teacher opinions. The research was conducted according to one of the qualitative research designs named as Case study design. The target population of the study is the state primary and secondary educational institutions in the central district of Kastamonu province in the 2017-2018 academic year. The sample group consists of 12 foreign language teachers and 3 managers who work in these educational institutions. As a data collection tool, a semi-structured interview form consisting of 6 questions was used by the researcher. The data collection was done by the researcher in the form of a visit to schools and implementing the interview form to teachers and administrators. The raw data acquired from the field was obtained by getting the permissions of the teachers who are the stakeholders of the study. The transcripts of the data records have been subtracted and converted into a written text form. The raw data, which has been converted into a written text form, has been rendered meaningful and interpretable by being categorized under theme headers. For the analysis of the data, the Qualitative Data Analysis Program NVivo 12.2.0 Plus Program was utilized. In the research, in accordance with the opinions put forward by the teachers, it was determined that there were serious problems in the field, arising from foreign language education policies. After the interviews with teachers, it has been found that there are significant disruptions in the variables of language education policies such as curriculum, legislation, teacher assignment policies, foreign language teacher training system, In-service training system and foreign language teaching methods, and that they have negative reflections as well as positive reflections on foreign language education. Research also put forth teachers' expectations on the problems faced related to the foreign language education policies in foreign language education in Turkey.