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Opinions of English teachers on the challenges faced in 12-hour Elective English/Foreign Language Courses in Türkiye
There is a need to address the importance of teacher thoughts and various opinions about Elective English Courses and the challenges of teaching Elective English Courses. The evaluation of teachers' thoughts and various perspectives regarding the challenges of Elective English Courses and instruction is crucial. Therefore, this study aims to investigate "English Teachers' Views on the Challenges Faced by English Teachers in Elective English/Foreign Language Courses in Türkiye". This study aims to investigate the views of English Language Teachers who teach Elective English courses consisting of 12 hours per week according to the annual plan and curriculum of the Turkish Ministry of National Education. 111 volunteer teachers participated in the study. The study was conducted with an online questionnaire via Google Forms. The data was analyzed quantitatively. This study can also be seen as a suggestion for curriculum and textbook designers for these minority class groups. In this study, the views of EFL teachers on various challenges were examined. Firstly, the difficulties teachers face with students are discussed. Secondly, problems related to the main textbooks were discussed. Thirdly, the difficulties teachers faced with administrative support were emphasized. In addition, teachers' views on the difficulties and inconsistencies of the content of the Elective English Courses in terms of the structure of the YDT exam were analyzed. Finally, the psychological difficulties of teaching Elective English Courses and teachers' experiences of these difficulties were evaluated. These questions aim to gain a comprehensive understanding of the various challenges faced by teachers. Additionally, this study can serve as a resource offering suggestions for curriculum and textbook designers targeting minority class groups. Keywords: Elective English Classes/Courses, Teacher Perspectives, Teacher Opinions , Challenges Faced by English Teachers
Pre-service English teachers opinions and efficiency perceptions towards alternative assessment and evaluation
The aim of this study is to examine the opinions of pre-service English teachers about alternative assessment and evaluation and their efficiency perceptions towards using assessment and evaluation tools and methods in terms of some variables. For this purpose,''Alternative Assessment and Evaluation Attitude Scale'' and ''Assessment and Evaluation Competence Survey'' developed by İzci et al., (2012) were administered to the 3rd and 4th grade pre-service teachers studying in the English Language Teaching Department of Trakya University Faculty of Education in the 2022-2023 academic year. After the Scale and Survey, open-ended questions were asked to the pre-service teachers by the researcher. Quantitative data obtained from data collection tools were analyzed using SPSS v.27 and AMOS v. 23., and qualitative data were analyzed using the content analysis method. As a result, it has been revealed that pre-service English teachers think that alternative assessment and evaluation approaches provide positive support to the learning and teaching process, but have some limitations. In addition, it was found that the efficiency perceptions of pre-service teachers in using alternative assessment and evaluation tools and methods was higher in methods such as multiple choice tests, true-false tests, projects, observation and worksheets, compared to other methods and less competent in using structured grid, concept misconception test, interviews, rubrics and learning disability assessment tests in the assessment and evaluation process.
Almanca öğretmenliği bağlamında eylem araştırması: Önemi, ilkeleri ve uygulama alanları
Eylem araştırması, tarihin en eski zamanlarından beri problem belirleme, belirlenmiş problemleri inceleme, bu probleme çözümler sunma, sorunun çözümünde en etkili yolları bulma gibi birçok alanda hem bilim insanlarına hem de eğitimcilere ışık tutmuş değişim ve gelişimin öncüsü olmuş bir araştırma türüdür. Bu araştırma türünün yaygın olarak kullanıldığı en önemli alanlardan birisi ise eğitim alanıdır. Eğitim, bir toplumu geliştirmede ve ilerletmede en önemli basamaklardan biridir ve eğitimle, toplumun gelişimi ve ilerlemesi için sorunlara çözümler bulanabilir. Bu çalışmada Eylem Araştırması Almanca öğretmenliği bağlamında ele alınmış, önemi, ilkeleri ve uygulama alanları bakımından betimlenmiş, Almanca Öğretmenliği bölümünün ders programı ve Bologna Bilgi Paketi incelenmiştir. Çalışmanın uygulama bölümünde ise üç Almanca Öğretmeni, Eylem Araştırması'nın kullanıldığı bir proje olan PEP'e (Practical Exploration Project-Sınıf İçi Uygulamalı Araştırma Projesi) katılan üç katılımcı ve bir Almancayı Öğretmeyi Öğrenme (Teaching Learning German- DLL) öğreticisi/mentoru ile çeşitli soru-cevap şeklinde görüşmeler gerçekleştirilmiş, PEP uygulaması, Eylem Araştırması ve Eylem Araştırması kullanımının, öğretmen ve öğrencilere fayda düzeyi ortaya çıkarılmıştır. Çalışmanın özgün bölümünde ise Almanca Öğretmenliği lisans programına Eylem Araştırması'nın entegrasyonunun sağlanması ele alınarak yorumlanmıştır ve yapıcı önerilerde bulunulmuştur. Elde edilen veriler değerlendirildiğinde Eylem Araştırması'nın ve PEP'in öğrenme çıktıları açısından öğretmen adaylarına ve öğretmenlere verimli ve etkili olduğu, katılımcı ve yürütücülerle görüşmeler ve formlar aracılığı ile ifade edilmiştir.
The role of digital game-based learning in enhancing vocabulary acquisition
In this study, the effect of Digital Game Based Learning (DGBL) approach on vocabulary acquisition was examined by using Quizizz, which is a learning platfrom that offers multiple tools to learn vocabulary by playing interactive games, as a Digital Game Based Learning tool to develop the english vocabulary of students studying in the prepatory class at a university in İstanbul. In this study, which lasted 16 weeks in total, 40 students took part. In this research, Quizizz was taught in a classroom with 20 students in the experimental group, while 20 students in the control group were taught in another classroom using the traditional method. After the tests were carried out on the students, a survey was conducted with the focus group. The data obtained in this research was analyzed statistically. The result of the research revealed that the vocabulary acquisition of the experimental group students in the class taught with Quizizz learned more words compared to the control group students who were taught with the traditional method, and the positive effect of Digital Game-Based Learning (DGBL) on the learning process was revealed.
Almanca öğretmenliği lisans programlarında çeviri derslerinin uygulanma koşulları
Almanca Öğretmenliği lisans programları müfredatlarında uygulanan çeviri derslerini incelediğimiz çalışmada hem Almanca Öğretmenliği öğrencilerinin görüşlerini hem de Bologna ders formlarını inceleyerek, üniversitelerin çeviri dersleri üzerine neler vaat ettiğini ve öğrencilerin çeviri derslerinden neler beklediğini objektif olarak inceledim. Çeviri dersi alan öğrenciler ile yapılan anket çalışmasında Almanca Öğretmenliği öğrencilerinin çeviri dersleri ile ilgili düşünceleri çeviri derslerinin Almanca Öğretmenliği lisans programlarındaki yerinin daha da güçlendirilmesi gerektiğini ortaya koymuştur. Anket verilerine göre Almanca Öğretmenliği lisans programlarında çeviri derslerinin ve uygulanan derslerin kapsamının genişletilmesi ile öğrencilerin çeviri, kültür, dil bilgisi edinçlerinin gelişebileceği öğrenciler tarafından açıkça belirtilmiştir. Çeviri etkinliği, özellikle yazılı çeviri yazma becerisine dil bilinci kazandıracağından dolayı destek sağlayacaktır. Anket verilerinin yanı sıra incelenen Bologna Ders Tanıtım Formları ve YÖK'ün Almanca Öğretmenliği lisans programı çerçevesi de incelendiği zaman öğrencilerin çeviri dersleri ile ilgili taleplerinin sadece üniversiteler tarafından karşılanamayacağı, bu konuda YÖK ve üniversitelerin kapsamlı bir çalışma yapması gerektiği YÖK'ün Almanca Öğretmenliği lisans programı çerçevesinin tamamen güncellenmesi gerektiği de görülmüştür. Aynı zamanda öğrencilerden gelen bir eğitim ile çevirmen sertifikasına sahip olma talebinin de maalesef karşılanamadığı ve bu konuda atılan bir somut adım olmadığı da yapmış olduğum çalışmada gözlemlenmiştir. Çalışma, konuyla ilgili kitaplar, yerli ve yabancı araştırma eserleri, makaleler, yerel ve ulusal dergiler, yüksek lisans ve doktora tezleri ve Avrupa Ortak Dil Kriterleri Çerçevesi incelenerek ve betimleyici yöntem kullanılarak oluşturulmuştur. Çalışmanın temel amacı olan Almanca Öğretmenliği lisans programlarında çeviri derslerinin uygulanma koşullarını incelemek ve tartışmaktır. Bunun için öncelikle konuya dair temel kavramların öneminden bahsedilmiştir. Çalışmadaki bir diğer amaç Almanca Öğretmenliği lisans programlarında çeviri derslerinin nasıl ve hangi koşullar da geliştirilebileceği, çeviri derslerine nasıl katkıda bulunulabileceği, öğrencilerin taleplerinin nasıl karşılanabileceğine dair açıklamaları yapmak ve uygulama örneği ile desteklemektir. Anahtar kelimeler: Yabancı dil öğretimi, Almanca, çeviri, Almanca Öğretmenliği, çeviri becerisi.
The use of short films in developing German language skills
This study focuses on short films aimed at improving reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills in German. The aim of this study is to facilitate the improvement of German language teacher candidates' proficiency in the four basic skills of German: reading, writing, speaking, and listening, by utilizing short films and highlighting the advantages they offer. For this reason, short films were prepared to improve the German reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills of German language teacher candidates. The study utilized a descriptive survey model and aimed to answer the questions, "Is it possible to prepare activities with short films to improve the four basic language skills?" and "What kind of a curriculum be presented with activities that will improve the four basic skills using short films?" The study is limited to second-year students (n = 45) of German Language Teaching at Trakya University for the academic year 2023-2024. A semi-structured form consisting of 31 questions was implemented to obtain the students' attitudes and opinions regarding short films. After the implementation of the pre-test and post-test using the semi-structured form model, both qualitative and quantitative data were collected from the participants regarding the four basic skills for each short film. In the study, it was concluded that short films contribute to the four basic skills of German in many ways in the foreign language education process. The use of short films in German language teaching is to provide a fun learning environment, to motivate students in terms of motivation and attention, to contribute to the development of German Language Skills, to determine that short films are advantageous as teaching materials, to convey culture and language and to develop applied language skills. The findings revealed that the prepared short films are effective in enhancing the four basic skills of German language during foreign language education process. They also provide students with both motivation and an enjoyable learning environment throughout the process of German language teaching. Keywords: Short film, Foreign Language Teaching, Four baisc foreign language skills, Teaching German as a Foreign Language
Yetişkinlere Almanca öğretiminde yaratıcı dramanın yöntem olarak kullanılması
Bilindiği üzere eğitimde yaş grubu, eğitim kademesi, öğrenme alanı ve buna benzer birçok etmen öğrenme hızını ve alınan verimi etkilemektedir. Bu sebeple de kullanılan öğretim tekniği, materyal ve yaklaşımlar farklılıklar göstermektedir. Bu araştırma kapsamında gerçekleştirilen alan yazını taraması sonucunda birçok bilim insanının ülkemizde yabancı dil öğrenme probleminin çözümünde mevcut yöntemlerle çok aşama kaydedilememiş olduğu düşüncesinde olduklarının görülmesi üzerine bu konuya çoklu zekâ kuramı da göz önünde bulundurularak farklı bir yöntemle yaklaşmanın gerekli olduğu kanısına varılmış, bireylerin yabancı dil eğitimlerinde konular ne kadar somutlaştırılır ve basitçe ifade edilirse başarı da o oranda artacaktır görüşünden hareket edilmiştir. Bu tezin amacı Almancanın yetişkinlere yabancı dile olarak öğretiminde geleneksel dil öğretim metotlarının yanı sıra ve onlardan farklı olarak yaratıcı drama yöntemiyle Almancanın öğretimi konusunu ele almak ve Almanca öğretmen adaylarının yaratıcı dramanın yabancı dil becerilerini geliştirme etkisine yönelik görüşlerini incelemektir. Araştırma, Trakya Üniversitesi Almanca Öğretmenliği 2023/2024 eğitim-öğretim yılı güz döneminde 1.sınıf öğrencileri (n=37) ile sınırlıdır. Bu araştırmada öğrencilerin yaratıcı dramaya dair tutum ve görüşlerini elde etmek amacıyla 30 adet sorudan oluşan likert modelde anket hazırlanmıştır. Likert modeldeki anketin ön test-son test uygulamasından sonra yaratıcı drama yönteminin dezavantaj ve avantajlarına dair katılımcılardan nitel ve nicel veriler toplanmıştır. Ön test ve son test arasında katılımcılara dil becerilerinin geliştirilmeye çalışıldığı derslerde yaratıcı drama yöntemi uygulanmıştır. Veriler yetişkinlerin çocuklara oranla daha yavaş ve zorlu öğrendikleri göz önünde bulundurulacak olursa bu yöntemin yetişkinler için süreci daha kolaylaştırıp keyifli hale getirdiği gözlenmiştir. yaratıcı drama yönteminin dil öğretimindeki etkisini şu Çin atasözü en iyi şekilde açıklanmaktadır: "Duyarsam unuturum. Görürsem hatırlarım. Yaparsam anlarım." Tez beş bölümden oluşmaktadır. Birinci bölüm giriş bölümüdür. Bu araştırmanın amacı, önemi, sayıltıları, sınırlılıkları, tanımları ile ilgili çalışmalar gibi alt başlıklara yer verilmiştir. Tezin ikinci bölümünde alan yazın taraması sonucu elde edilen bilgiler ışığında eğitimin tanımı, eğitim türleri, kültür ve iletişim, yabancı dil eğitimi, yabancı dil öğretim yöntemleri, yaratıcı drama tanımı ve türleri başlıklar altında bir derleme yapılmıştır. Üçüncü bölümde araştırmanın yöntemi anlatılmıştır. 3. Bölümde araştırma modeli, çalışma grubu, verilerin toplanması, verilerin analizi, geçerlilik ve güvenirlik alt başlıkları yer almıştır. Dördüncü bölüm ön test-son test sonuçlarını ve önceden tasarlanmış oturum örnekleri eşliğinde gerçekleşen uygulama örnekleri ve uygulamanın sonuçlarını içermektedir. Beşinci bölüm sonuç ve öneriler bölümüdür. Tezin sonunda kaynakçası yanı sıra "Etik Kurul Kararı", "Likert Tipi Ön Test Örneği", "Likert Tipi Son Test Örneği" ve 10 adet oturum örneklerine yer verilmiştir. Anahtar Kelimeler: Almancanın yabancı dil olarak öğretimi, yetişkinlere yabancı dil eğitimi, yaratıcı drama yöntemi
Geçmişten günümüze ulusal ve uluslararası Almanca ders kitaplarında teknolojiye yönelik neolojizimlerin morfolojisi
Neolojizmler yaratıcı ve dikkat çekici özelliklere sahip olmaları sebebiyle günlük hayatta sıklıkla karşımıza çıkmaktadır. Yabancı dil eğitiminde kelime eğitimi önemli bir yere sahiptir. Bu nedenle günlük hayatta benimsenen yeni kelimelerin yabancı dil eğitiminde gerek ulusal gerekse uluslararası kitaplarda yer verilmesiyle yabancı dil öğrenen kişilerin günceli takip etmesi sağlanabilir. Neolojizm ile ilgili Almanca dilinde yapılmış birçok çalışma mevcut iken özellikle teknoloji kaynaklı ortaya çıkan neolojizmlere ilişkin daha az araştırma verisi bulunmaktadır. Çalışmanın amacı geçmişten günümüze ulusal ve uluslararası Almanca ders kitaplarında teknolojiye yönelik neolojizmlerin morfolojisini saptamaktır. Bunun için 1950-2020 yılları arasında yayınlanan ve özellikle teknoloji alanındaki dünyada önemli gelişmelerin yer aldığı Alman ve Türk gazete manşetleri ve haber metinleri seçilerek ele alınmıştır. Alman ve Türk gazetelerinin onar yıllık periyodlarla taranması günün sosyolojik koşullarının dile yansımasını ve neolojizmin oluşum evrelerinin izlenebilir olmasına olanak sağlamıştır. Çalışmada 1950-2020 yılları arasında teknoloji bağlamında neolojizmlerin oluşum evrelerinin nasıl gerçekleştiği sorusuna ve çeşitli yöntemler kullanılarak yazılmış Almanca eğitiminde kullanılan ulusal ve uluslararası ders kitaplarında yer alan teknoloji bağlamında neolojizmlerin ne olduğu araştırma sorusuna cevap aranmıştır. Bulgulanan neolojizmler yüzdelik dilimler ile ifade edilmiştir. Tespit edilen teknoloji kökenli neolojizmler oluşum şekillerine göre incelendiğinde ulusal basımlı Almanca ders kitaplarında en fazla yüzdeliğe sahip %76 oranında Basit Sözcük, uluslararası basımlı Almanca ders kitapları incelendiğinde ise en fazla yüzdeliğe sahip %84 ile Birleşik Sözcük oluştuğu belirlenmiştir. Sonuç olarak Almanca eğitiminde kullanılan ulusal ve uluslararası basımlı ders kitaplarının 1950-2020 aralığını kapsayan zaman diliminde teknoloji alanındaki güncel gelişmeleri yansıttığı tespit edilmiştir.
An evaluation of the EFL coursebook ''Tech It Easy 2'' from the perspectives of students and teachers
This research aims to investigate the perceptions of students and teachers regarding the Tech It Easy 2 coursebook, which is widely used in private foreign language centers in Greece. This study was designed as a mixed methods research using both qualitative and quantitative data collection techniques. In the quantitative part, the opinions of 100 students on various aspects of the Tech it Easy 2 English coursebook were obtained through the survey developed by Öz (2019), which also contained open-ended questions about the coursebook. 20 teachers completed the teachers' version of the same instrument, which had some additional sections. The teachers' survey also had same open-ended questions which were used to collect qualitative data. To identify the strengths and weaknesses of the coursebook, qualitative data was gathered from participants. The discussion section of the study discusses the findings of the independent evaluation of the qualitative and quantitative data. In the quantitative part of the research, descriptive statistics of SPSS software were used to analyze the data collected through surveys. Qualitative data was analysed using descriptive content analysis. The results of this study indicated that while learners appreciated the layout and organization of the coursebook, there were notable areas of dissatisfaction, particularly with grammar, vocabulary, and the facilitation of study skills. Teachers specifically criticized the teacher's manual. Overall, participants expressed moderate satisfaction with the coursebook, suggesting that improvements are necessary to enhance its effectiveness.
Prüfen, Testen und Evaluieren im kommunikativen Grammatikunterricht der türkischen Deutschlehrerausbildung. Problemfelder, neue Ansätze und Implementierungsmöglichkeiten
Various methods and approaches that have been continuously developed over time are used in foreign language teaching. The communicative approach emerged as a response to criticisms of previous teaching methods. This approach aims to teach foreign languages effectively, sustainably, and practically. As part of this approach, methodological and didactic principles have been developed. Foreign language teaching principles not only influence learning and teaching methods but also affect the assessment and evaluation of language competencies. The aim of this study is to analyze the effects of different formative assessment methods in communicative grammar instruction on the learning process and on the perceptions of pre-service German language teachers. Specifically, the study investigates to what extent formative assessment methods influence grammar performance, learning motivation, and attitudes toward grammar, as well as their perceived relevance for future teaching practices. The study follows a mixed-methods research design, combining both qualitative and quantitative approaches. The experimental design includes a study group (n=11) that worked with formative assessment techniques in grammar lessons. The research was conducted in three phases (before, during, and after implementation), using pre-tests and post-tests to measure change. Quantitative data were collected using a grammar performance test, a scale measuring attitudes toward learning German grammar, and a learning motivation scale, and were analyzed using the JASP software. Qualitative data were collected through semi-structured focus group interviews and interpreted using content analysis. The results show that formative assessment methods significantly improve grammar performance and have a positive impact on students' motivation and attitudes toward grammar.
Inner worlds, classroom realities: Personality and teaching attitudes of Balkan heritage Turkish EFL pre-service teachers
The current study aims to investigate the relationship between personality traits and teaching attitudes of the pre-service English teachers who are Balkan Heritage Turkish Speakers. The explanatory sequential research design is utilized since the study includes both quantitative and qualitative methods. Participants were selected using purposive sampling. The population consists of 30 pre-service English teachers from the Balkan regions, who receive English Language Teaching (ELT) education in the Foreign Languages Department at Trakya University. The participants are categorized into two groups according to their personality traits. Groups include 18 extrovert and 12 introvert pre-service EFL teachers. The quantitative data is collected via Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and Attitude towards Teaching Profession Scale, while the qualitative data is collected through semi-structured interviews. The analysis of quantitative data is conducted via Mann-Whitney U test on JASP software, and the qualitative data is analyzed through content analysis. The findings indicate that there is no significant difference between extrovert and introvert groups in terms of their teaching attitude (p > .05). However, they have positive expectations towards the ELT profession. In light of the findings, the study will be discussed in detail and necessary suggestions will be made for further research.
Multimodales interaktives digitales Buch zurLesekompetenzförderung der angehenden DaF-Lehrer*innen: Design, Entwicklung und Implementierung
Das Ziel dieser Studie ist es, ein multimodales interaktives digitales Buchmaterial zu entwerfen, zu entwickeln und zu implementieren, um die Entwicklung der Lesekompetenz von angehenden DaF-Lehrkräften zu unterstützen. Die Studie wurde als designbasierte Forschung konzipiert. Bei dem Prozess des Designs, der Entwicklung und Implementierung des multimodalen interaktiven digitalen Buches wurde das ADDIE-Modell für die Unterrichtsgestaltung zusammen mit der Rapid-Prototyping-Methode eingesetzt. Die Studie, die sich über insgesamt drei Semester erstreckte, wurde in drei Phasen und einer abschließenden Implementierung durchgeführt. Die erste Phase umfasst das Herbst- und Frühjahrssemester 2023/2024 und das Herbstsemester 2024/2025. Die zweite Phase und die dritte Phase umfassen das Frühjahrssemester 2024/2025. Die endgültige Implementierung umfasst den Zeitraum von März bis Mai im Frühjahrssemester 2024/2025. Im Rahmen der Studie wurden sowohl qualitative als auch quantitative Daten erhoben. Qualitative Daten wurden durch halbstrukturierte Interviewformulare, Beobachtungsformulare, Anekdotenformulare für die Studierende, Tagebuch für Forscherin und Videoaufzeichnungen des Implementierungsprozesses erhoben. Quantitative Daten wurden durch den von der Forscherin entwickelten Test zum Leseverstehen und den von Kutu und Sözbilir (2011) ins Türkische adaptierten Fragebogen zur Motivation von Lehrmaterialien (ÖMMA) erhoben. Die qualitativen Daten der Studie wurden mittels einer deskriptiven Analyse und mit dem t-Test für abhängige Stichproben statistisch ausgewertet. Auf der Grundlage der gewonnenen qualitativen und quantitativen Daten wird festgestellt, dass das multimodale interaktive digitale Buch das Leseverständnis der Studierenden im ersten Studienjahr des Lehramtsprogramms Deutsch verbessert und ihre Lernmotivation positiv beeinflusst. Die Meinungen der angehenden DaF-Lehrkräfte zeigen, dass das Material bemerkenswert und lernförderlich ist. Ferner wurden der Beitrag des Inhalts zur Wortschatzentwicklung und sein Beitrag zur Lesekompetenz sowie zu anderen Sprachfertigkeiten positiv bewertet. Schlüsselwörter: Deutsch als Fremdsprache, angehende DaF-Lehrer*innen, Lesekompetenz, Multimodales interaktives digitales Buch, Designbasierte Forschung ABSTRACT This study aims to design, develop, and implement multimodal interactive digital book materials to enhance reading competence among future German as a Foreign Language educators. The study was structured as design-based research. In the process of designing, developing and implementing the multimodal interactive digital book, the ADDIE model for instructional design was used together with the rapid prototyping method. The study, encompassing three semesters, was executed in three phases and a principal implementation. The initial phase encompasses the autumn and spring semesters of 2023/2024, as well as the fall semester of 2024/2025. The second and third phases include the spring semester of 2024/2025. The conclusive implementation encompasses the duration from March to May during the spring semester of 2024/2025. Both qualitative and quantitative data were gathered for the study. Qualitative data were gathered using semi-structured interview forms, interview forms, student anecdotal records, a researcher's notebook, and video recordings of the implementation process. Quantitative data were collected using two instruments: the reading comprehension test developed by the researcher and the Motivation of Teaching Materials Questionnaire (ÖMMA) adapted into Turkish by Kutu and Sözbilir (2011). The study's qualitative data were subjected to statistical analysis by descriptive analysis and the t-test for dependent samples. An interactive digital book was created for the study, featuring texts aligned with the target language level and incorporating multimodal elements. The qualitative and quantitative statistics indicate that the multimodal interactive digital book enhances reading comprehension among first-year students in the German teaching program and positively affects their learning motivation. The perspectives of the prospective GFL-teachers suggest that the material is exceptional and facilitates learning. Moreover, the content's role in vocabulary enhancement, reading proficiency, and other language skills was assessed favorably. Keywords: German as a foreign language, pre-service GFL teachers, reading skills, multimodal interactive digital book, design-based research
Vermittlung der Deutschen phonetik an lernende mit Türkisch als muttersprache
Pronunciation teaching is one of the most important components of German as a Foreign Language (GFL) instruction. However, it has been observed that pronunciation teaching is often not given sufficient importance in the process of teaching German as a foreign language. This doctoral thesis, titled "Teaching German Phonetics to Learners with L1 Turkish", is written to contribute to the elimination of this deficiency in Türkiye. After the introduction part of the study, the reasons for choosing the research topic are addressed, the term phonetic used in the study is explained, and current studies examining pronunciation teaching in GFL instruction are presented. Subsequently, the place and importance of pronunciation teaching in various foreign language teaching methods are discussed; moreover, how pronunciation teaching is handled in different teaching materials is presented with examples. In the next step, the sound systems of German and Turkish are examined comparatively. Following this comparison, the empirical part of the study is presented. In this part, the effectiveness of the pronunciation teaching units developed within the scope of the study is tested through an experiment with the participation of students whose mother tongue is Turkish. In this context, the preliminary study, which serves as preparation for the experiment, is also discussed. The content of the pronunciation teaching units consists of pronunciation features of German that may cause problems for students whose mother tongue is Turkish, and pronunciation learning strategies. Following the analysis of the experiment results, suggestions are submitted on how the study could be continued in the future. In addition, a digital pronunciation training program designed to improve the study further and tested by subjects is introduced. The study is completed with a results section containing a general summary and conclusions for future research activities.
Investigating factors influencing pre-service English teachers' decisions to become teachers
The study was designed with a mixed-method approach in order to examine the reasons and motivations of pre-service English language teachers for choosing a profession. Thus, it is aimed to provide more detailed information about the subject by using quantitative and qualitative data together. Quantitative data were collected through a questionnaire administered to pre-service English language teachers. Qualitative data were collected face-to-face through semi-structured interviews. Quantitative data were obtained by using the "(FIT-Choice)" scale. The data collection procedure was carried out with a total of 198 volunteer pre-service teachers studying in the English Language Teaching program at Trakya University. In addition to the scale, a demographic information form, which includes data on the socio-economic background, family education status, gender, and grade level of the pre-service teachers, was also applied to examine the differentiation in the motivation of the pre-service teachers. Detailed data were obtained from the participants regarding their personal information and their motivation for choosing the teaching profession. In addition, qualitative data were collected through face-to-face semi-structured interviews with a total of 12 volunteer pre-service teachers, 3 from each grade level, and more detailed information was collected beyond the questionnaire. The quantitative data collected were analyzed using the SPSS 26 program, while the qualitative data were analyzed by content analysis. The findings were used to determine and categorize the data on pre-service teachers' professional motivation and to reveal which profiles predominantly prefer the teaching profession together with demographic characteristics. The relationship between demographic variables and motivation levels was tested with t-test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The findings revealed that pre-service teachers generally have high motivation for the profession and the main factors affecting this motivation. In addition, no significant differences were found in motivation levels according to demographic variables except gender. Semi-structured interviews provided us with more detailed data on the factors we obtained through the questionnaire.
Die entwicklung des hörverstehens und erweiterung des wortschatzes mithilfe der 100 sekunden Tagesschau im daf-unterricht
This dissertation examines the enhancement of listening comprehension and the expansion of vocabulary in German as a Foreign Language (GFL) instruction through the use of the news format "Tagesschau in 100 Sekunden" ("News in 100 Seconds"). In the context of a six-week study conducted with students at the Turkish-German University in Istanbul, a mixed-methods design was employed, which included pre- and post-questionnaires, observation notes, and a group discussion. The results show that regular work with short, authentic video texts significantly improves listening comprehension, while digital vocabulary practice with Quizlet effectively supports the consolidation and active use of new words. Moreover, a clear increase in the participants' learning motivation was observed. The study provides empirical evidence for the didactic added value of digital media in GFL instruction and formulates practice-oriented recommendations for their targeted use in university preparatory classes. Keywords: German as a Foreign Language, listening comprehension, vocabulary, digital media, Tagesschau in 100 Sekunden, Quizlet
Früher fremdsprachenunterricht: Forschendes lernen mit angehenden DaF-lehrer*innen. Eine aktionsforschung
This dissertation examines how inquiry-based learning in an action research-based, ten-week online seminar series strengthens the professionalization of prospective German as a Foreign Language (GFL) teachers for the primary level. The focus is on the development of attitudes, knowledge bases, and perceived competence gains, as well as the transfer of learning into practice within the Turkish educational context. The approach combines theoretical orientation with guided experimentation and reflective evaluation to build practice-proximal routines. Methodologically, a mixed-methods design was implemented within cyclical action research. Data were collected at three points in time: a pretest (T1), a formative interim survey after session 5 (T2), and a delayed posttest approximately one year after completion (T3). The initial sample comprised 23 participants, with responses of n = 11 at T2 and n = 10 at T3. Through the triangulation of questionnaires, group discussions, and process observations the study identified convergences, complementary findings, and possible divergences. Comparisons between measurement points were conducted on a construct basis and interpreted descriptively. The follow-up results (T3) show that all respondents report increased interest in early foreign language teaching. 70% feel well prepared for the primary level and can envisage working in this field. Almost all participants are familiar with the Nürnberger Empfehlungen and the DLL series (the Goethe-Institut's Deutsch Lehren Lernen professional development program) and state that they can use these for lesson design. 60% implement the seminar content in their school practicum and the same proportion in professional practice. Observation and reflection have become established routines. Perceived competence gains concern the planning of action-oriented sequences, methodological-didactic confidence, and the teacher role. Action research-based cycles of planning, trying out, observing, and reflecting sustainably foster practice-oriented professionalism, stabilize reflective routines, and support the use of key reference documents. The findings are to be generalized analytically. Implications concern the curricular embedding of research-oriented elements, systematic work with reference documents, and a stronger integration of theory, trial, and reflection in GFL teacher education in Turkey. A pronounced orientation toward continuing education is also evident, which supports the transition from reflection to sustained professionalization.
A descriptive study on the attitudes of EFL instructors working in Schools of Foreign Languages towards alternative assessment
Alternative assessment (AA) encompasses a variety of methods that move beyond traditional standardized testing, emphasizing a more holistic and authentic measurement of student learning. These methods, such as portfolios, performance tasks, self-assessments, and peer assessments, are designed to reflect students' abilities and understanding in practical, real-world situations, providing a more detailed and nuanced picture of their skills and knowledge. The current study aims to investigate the attitudes of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) instructors who work at schools of foreign languages toward alternative assessment (AA). A diverse sample comprising (N=192) EFL instructors from both state and private universities representing different academic titles and varying levels of in-service training on AA have participated. A mixed-method approach has been employed that includes both quantitative data and qualitative data. The quantitative data have been collected through a scale and qualitative data have been obtained through semi-structured interviews. Both instruments have been developed by the researcher. The scale, Alternative Assessment Attitude Scale (AAAS), has been rigorously validated through exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Following the validation of the scale, the quantitative data has been analyzed using descriptive statistics, and qualitative data has been analyzed thematically. The findings indicate that even though there are challenges regarding student, instructor, and institutional factors, as a result of the research, it has been determined that instructors overall exhibit positive attitudes toward AA. Gender and age variables have no significant effect on instructors' attitudes toward AA. However, academic title, university type, in-service training, professional experience, and being a testing office member significantly influenced attitudes, in the favor of those who are senior academics, work at state universities, have in-service training on AA, and being a testing office member holding more positive attitudes toward AA. The study emphasizes the importance of continual professional development in improving instructors' inclination to implement AA methods effectively. In-service training programs and institutional support are suggested as ways to develop an educational innovation culture in EFL teaching.
A study on resilience among novice and experienced English language teachers in an EFL context
Resilience plays a vital role in education. It enables both students and teachers to get over the difficulties they come across in their personal, academic and professional lives. The small size of the studies that have been published in the literature highlights the difference in resilience between novice and experienced teachers. Many studies conducted in this field have generally dealt with student resilience. The main reason for choosing this topic is that teacher resilience is finally just as significant as student resilience. It is impossible to bring up resilient students without resilient teachers. The purpose of the present research is to investigate resilience levels, including Personal Competence and Persistence, Spiritual Influence, Family Cohesion, and Social Skills and Peer Support of novice and experienced English language teachers in an EFL context in Bitlis, Türkiye. 122 EFL teachers were divided into two groups: novices and experienced ones, based on their experience year in teaching English. In this thesis, a mixed-methods research design was utilized, and convenience sampling techniques and the voluntary response sampling method were used to reach out to participants. All the participants work in Bitlis, Türkiye. Google Forms and the Zoom platform were used to collect data. For the quantitative data, the Teacher Resilience Scale, which includes four subscales and 26 items, was utilized to address the questions regarding the differences in resilience levels of English language teachers. For the qualitative data, 8 semi- structured interview questions were used. The participants' answers on the whole demonstrated that there is no significant difference in total resilience level or the sublevels of novice and experienced English language teachers working in Bitlis. A broad theme emerged from the analysis that teachers may need ongoing support and resources to enhance their resilience level.
The effect of mindfulness-based practices on fostering the academic resilience of efl learners in high- and low- academic achievement contexts
Previous literature recognizes the importance of mindfulness practices in education; however, few studies investigate the effect of mindfulness on academic resilience. Therefore, this study aims to explore the impact of mindfulness-based interventions on the academic resilience and mindfulness levels of high school EFL learners. The study adopted a mixed-method explanatory and a quasi-experimental research design. 60 students participated in the study, with 30 in the experimental groups and 30 in the control groups in high-academic achievement school (HAAS) and low-academic achievement school (LAAS). The experimental groups underwent mindfulness-based practices for 8 weeks with the Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR) framework (Kabatt-Zin, 1990). The mindfulness level was evaluated using MAAS-A scale (Brown et al., 2011). Academic resilience was evaluated using ARS-30 scale (Cassidy, 2016). Students' perceptions of academic resilience and mindfulness practices were obtained through focus group interviews. The pre-test scores of both schools revealed no significant difference. The post-tests of the experimental group at LAAS indicated a noteworthy improvement in the persistence of academic resilience. Interestingly, the findings of the control group at HAAS showed a significant increase in the adaptive help-seeking while the experimental group had no change in academic resilience. The experimental group at HAAS experienced a significant increase in mindfulness, whereas no significant change was observed in the experimental group at LAAS. Moreover, qualitative data highlighted enhancement in the experimental groups, including optimism, and emotional well-being in both schools. Likewise, students mentioned the positive impacts of mindfulness practices in both schools, including stress reduction, enhanced concentration, and improved anger management. These findings suggest mindfulness-based practices can improve students' academic resilience and mindfulness levels, especially when customized to meet their individual preferences. However, the increase in academic resilience of experimental LAAS students suggests students might learn to become resilient, while the increase in control HAAS students might suggest the students in this context have already these skills and could improve academic resilience without training. Higher mindfulness levels of experimental HAAS students' may indicate they were capable of acquiring these qualities. In this instance, a longer planning period may be necessary to get the desired results for the LAAS students.
The effect of self-assessment on high school students' English writing achievement and motivation
Assessment has always been a crucial component of education; however, the methods and perspectives towards education have changed throughout the years in regard with different educational philosophies. In recent years, alternative assessment methods to assess the whole learning process have gained popularity among educators and teachers. Nonetheless, one of these formative assessment alternatives, self-assessment, is relatively new introduced to the classrooms in practice. Hence, the purpose of the present study to investigate the effects of self-assessment implementation on ninth grade students' writing competence and motivation. The study was conducted in a private high school with 11 ninth grade students at A2 level according to the placement test applied at the beginning of 2022-2023 academic year. The study lasted eight weeks in which the students were introduced to self-assessment method and trained on how to implement it. After the introduction and training phase, the students completed an English writing motivation questionnaire and a pre-test writing task, and then they graded their pre-writing task by utilizing the rubric that was explained in detail. During the study process, the students completed 14 writing tasks, including pre and post-test writing tasks, and assessed their own writing works with the simplified rubric. Meanwhile, the researcher also graded the students' writing tasks with the same rubric as the students. Before the completion of the study, the students took the same motivation questionnaire and writing task that they completed at the beginning of the study. The study was designed as quasi experimental study and obtained quantitative data from questionnaire and writing scores, qualitative data from semi-structured interviews conducted with volunteer participants. In line with the research questions, the quantitative data obtained from pre and post writing tasks' scores revealed that self-assessment increased the participants' self-awareness and writing scores. On the other hand, in the light of motivation questionnaire results, the self-assessment implementation has not led to a significant difference in the students' English writing motivation although the participants stated in the semi-structured interview that they found self-assessment useful and effective to improve their writing skill. Keywords: self-assessment, writing achievement, English writing motivation
The role of peer relatedness in university students' foreign language learning process: Its relation to student motivation, and academic engagement
Foreign language learning is a natural social process requiring constant communication, peer collaboration and cooperation and social interaction. In this process, peer relatedness among students stands out as a significant factor that impact attitudes towards learning, motivation, interaction in the learning environment, and academic engagement both directly and indirectly. Supportive relationships among students significantly shape both the quality of their motivation (autonomous or controlled) and their level of participation in learning activities. This study aims to investigate the impact of peer relatedness on student motivation and academic engagement in foreign language learning. The study was conducted with 393 undergraduate students taking foreign language courses in the classroom environment in various faculties and departments of a state university in Türkiye. In the study designed with a mixed method approach, both quantitative and qualitative data were collected and analysed. Students' level of peer relatedness was measured through Peer Relatedness Scale, and their motivation quality and perceptions on the role of peer relatedness in the foreign language learning process were assessed through their responses to the open-ended questions. Additionally, students' agentic and behavioural engagements were measured by student engagement observation checklist filled by the instructors of relevant foreign language course (10 English, 1 French, and 1 German). The validity of Peer Relatedness Scale was confirmed through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The reliability of the student engagement observation checklist was ensured by test-retest method. Descriptive analysis revealed that participants have high level of peer relatedness. It was also found that the majority of the students were motivated to learn a foreign language for autonomous reasons. Although the correlations between the variables were generally weak and statistically insignificant, students' responses to open-ended questions underlined the significant role of peer relatedness in shaping their overall foreign language learning experiences. Participants emphasized that supportive peer relationships promote collaboration and cooperation, boost intrinsic motivation, contribute to emotional well-being, and enhance academic engagement.
Rasch analysis of teacher, artificial intelligence and hybrid feedback on EFL students' writing
Recently there has been a remarkable rise in interest regarding artificial intelligence (AI) tools in educational settings, particularly within language teaching and learning environments. As these technologies evolve, their potential to enhance traditional feedback mechanisms, particularly in writing instruction, is being explored extensively. This study investigates the effectiveness of types of writing feedback—teacher, AI and hybrid feedback—on tertiary-level English as a foreign language (EFL) students' writing. Specifically, the research focuses on the feedback categories including higher- and lower-order concerns in EFL instruction. The study employed an explanatory mixed-methods approach, integrating quantitative analysis of feedback types and qualitative insights from semi-structured interviews with EFL instructors. 80 essays written by tertiary-level EFL students were analyzed, with feedback from four experienced EFL teachers and an AI-based tool. A rubric adapted from existing literature categorized and assessed the feedback units. The results were statistically analyzed, incorporating Rasch analysis, to identify the interaction among feedback types and feedback categories. The results suggest that AI effectively provides feedback on lower-order concerns (LOCs) while less effective when addressing higher-order concerns (HOCs). On the other hand, the teachers effectively provide feedback on HOCs at the discourse level and they are less effective when addressing LOCs due to the workload of grammar, vocabulary and mechanics. Therefore, the hybrid feedback type, which involves EFL teachers supplementing AI's feedback, demonstrated potential for improving the HOCs of students' writing, as well. The qualitative phase of the study was conducted by semi-structured interviews with EFL instructors to discover their perspectives on using AI-generated feedback following the completion of the quantitative analysis. This study demonstrated AI's capability to help reduce the workload of EFL teachers when giving feedback on students' written work at the sentence level. Thus, EFL teachers can concentrate more on the HOCs of EFL students' writing. This study concluded that AI-driven feedback integration with traditional teacher feedback could result in more effective writing instruction in EFL contexts. Contributing to the growing interest in AI in education, the research provides valuable insights for EFL teachers on how to incorporate AI technologies into their writing lessons.
Passivation en Français langue ètrangère
The action-oriented approach, introduced with the publication of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages in 2001, emphasizes the teaching and learning of foreign languages through the accomplishment of tasks. In other words, this approach focuses on practical and functional activities that allow learners to use the language in real and meaningful contexts. Within the principles of the action-oriented approach, the use of passive verbs, considered as a form of reworking through passivation, is studied in the 8th unit of the textbook « Saison 2 Méthode de français (A2-B1) ». The objective of this study is to observe and examine the use of the passive voice in French. The aim of this memorisation is to analyze in detail the passive structures in the 8th unit of the textbook « Saison 2 Méthode de Français (A2-B1) », as well as the different functions, positions, and roles of passivation in this unit.
Investigating English teachers' attitudes toward teaching ESP and identifying their needs
Growing as a subfield of English Language Teaching, ESP refers to teaching English in a particular domain. Considering that new disciplines are new worlds for English teachers, and thus, teaching ESP can be more demanding for them, a detailed analysis to identify their needs becomes inevitable. The focus of the previous studies in ESP has often been on the educational needs of learners for enhancing materials and curriculum for them. However, very little work has been done and the field has not adequately addressed ESP teachers and their needs. In line with this gap, the present study is framed within ESP to provide a deep insight into the English teacher's attitudes towards teaching ESP and the needs that appear throughout the process. A qualitative research method is adopted with a sample of 15 English teachers and two administrative executives working at a military academy. The study has revealed that although a minority of teachers have developed positive attitudes towards teaching ESP as it fosters self-improvement, the sense of satisfaction for the teachers, is not monotonous and allows them to design more interactive courses, the majority has developed negative attitudes towards ESP courses as the teachers feel incompetent and insufficient with the content and terminology because of lack of professional guidance. To tackle the situation, it is crucial to provide the teachers with professional assistance, guidance, and training programs tailored to their needs in ESP to encourage and promote their professional and pedagogical development. Keywords: ESP, attitudes, needs, needs analysis, teacher training,
L'effet du paraphrasage sur le développement des compétences langagières dans l'enseignement du FLE
The main purpose of this study titled ''What is the place of paraphrasing in teaching French as a Foreign Language ?'' is to analyze the field of paraphrasing. Among the theoretical principles of paraphrasing, we focused on its operational side where it is primarily about communication objectives. We have attempted to reveal, through our research, that this essentially educational tool promotes the development of learners' language skills during classroom interactions. It has been shown that in different textbooks for teaching French as a Foreign Language (FLE), we found numerous paraphrases at different levels. In the light of researchs carried out on the formalisms and theoretical principles of the Meaning-Text Theory, we tried to carry out a study of paraphrasing by taking into account semantic, lexico-syntactic and syntactic processes. The paraphrases have been categorized according to the characteristic features of the French language and their communicative function was evaluated to highlight the effectiveness of paraphrasing as a tool in the teaching and learning of French as a Foreign Language. Key words : paraphrasing, educational tool, teaching French as a foreign language, language skills, communication objectives
The effect of digital gamification on young EFL learners' vocabulary learning
In recent years, the integration of digital gamification into English as a Foreign Language (EFL) settings has become a major area of research due to the developments in educational technology. Although a number of studies have been carried out on digital gamification, its use in young EFL learner contexts is still a growing area of research that needs further contribution. Therefore, this study aims to contribute to this area by investigating the effect of digital gamification on young EFL learners' vocabulary learning with 142 participants who were assigned to an experimental group and a control group in a primary school in Türkiye. Employing a mixed methods research design, this study collected quantitative data through a vocabulary test to assess learning and retention and qualitative data through a semi structured interview to explore young learners' opinions and attitudes towards digitally gamified vocabulary learning, both of which were developed by the researcher and piloted in another primary school. In this six-month study, the experimental group used digitally gamified activities to learn vocabulary while the control group used their printed and non gamified versions. The post- and delayed post-test results revealed that the experimental group significantly outperformed the control group, making higher gains in terms of learning and retention. Furthermore, the interview results indicated that learners had positive attitudes towards digitally gamified vocabulary learning and had enhanced levels of motivation and engagement. The results have important implications for teachers, learners, researchers, and material developers regarding how gamification can be implemented in vocabulary learning. Keywords: digital gamification, teaching English to young learners, vocabulary learning, vocabulary retention, motivation
Exploring representation of gender identities in an English textbook used in Türkiye
This research investigates the representation of gender identities in the 9th-grade textbook Uplift Grade 9, an English textbook used in Turkish high schools. Given the significant role that educational materials play in shaping students' perceptions, this study examines how gender identities are portrayed, the cultural elements embedded in the content, and the underlying messages conveyed to students. Employing Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) as the primary methodology, research investigates the complex interplay between language, power, and ideology within the textbook. CDA, recognized for its effectiveness in examining how discourse reinforces or challenges social norms, provides a critical lens to explore the ways in which textbooks function as cultural artifacts that shape students' understanding of gender roles and identities (Weiss & Wodak, 2003; Sunderland & Litosseliti, 2023). The study aims to investigate (1) patterns in gender representation, (2) the inclusivity and accuracy of these representations, and (3) whether the textbook perpetuates traditional gender stereotypes or promotes a progressive view of gender roles. The analysis reveals that male and female gender roles in the textbook include stereotypes in most of the activities. There are some differences between the attribution of roles and actions for these genders. However, the result is not as unequal as foreseen. The result is hopeful. Most of the roles and actions are almost equal for both genders. The study offers recommendations to policymakers, educators, and textbook authors to improve the inclusivity and cultural sensitivity of resources, fostering equity, diversity, and a more inclusive understanding of gender in Turkish education.
Deutsch als tertiärsprache nach Englisch–eine Untersuchung zu sprachlehr-und-lernerfahrungen
Teritary language didactics has been the subject of extensive research worldwide, involving various language combinations. The motivation for this research is the increasing prevalence of multilingualism, wich has become a political goal for many countries, including Türkiye. Teritary language didactics aims to facilitate cross-linguistic transfer between existing languages skills and to enhance language awareness, thereby contributing to more effective language learning. The growing polularity of multilingualism and its recogination as a key competency in our globalized world can be attributed to several factors. Firstly, an inreasing number of people seek employment and study opportunities in diffrent countries, necessitating the acqusition of multiple languages. Secondly, migration has led to greater cultural diversity. Technological advancements, particularly the proliferation of online learning platforms, have also made it easier to learn new languages. As a result of languages policy developments, foreign language instruction has been introduces in Turkish primary schools starting from the second grade. English is typically the first foreign language (L2), followed by German as the second foreign language (L3). This study focuses on the German as a foreging language after Englisch concept within the framework of teritary language didactics. The research involved a survey of 28 German teachers and 252 German learners to gather information about their teaching and learning experiences, preceptions and attitudes regarding the transfer of knowledge and strategies from English (L2) to German (L3). The qualitative and quantitative data were analyzed using MAXQDA and SPSS. The results of this study indicate that German teachers and learners perceive a positive influence of English on German language learning, suggesting successful knowledge and strategy transfer.
Analyse und bewertung der digitalen zusatzmedien des DAF-lehrwerks "Menschen A2"
Digitization is a highly topical issue. The digital transformation has changed people's everyday lives immensely, and the term "digital media" emerged, which plays a significant role in education. Resultantly, the use of digital media has been increasingly promoted in schools and become an important part of GFL Lessons. Mobile applications, learning games, learning videos and much more can be used successfully in the classroom. In this respect, digital media have been integrated into the GFL textbooks, some of them are even available digitally. However, the media literacy of teachers plays an important role to integrate them effectively in lessons. The aim of this master's thesis is to examine the effect and benefits of additional digital media in the GFL lessons based on the GFL textbook "Menschen A2". For this purpose, quantitative and qualitative data have been gathered. This study is based on the mixed method and consists of two parts. The first part is based on the qualitative research method, which involves the analysis of the lessons of the GFL textbook "Menschen A2" with its additional digital media. The second part is based on the quantitative research method, for which 24 teachers from Hacettepe and Bilkent Universities were surveyed. Based on the results was found that the additional digital media of the GFL textbook "Menschen A2" are frequently used in lessons and their use leads to efficient learning of the German language. Keywords: Digitization, media literacy, additional digital media, German as a foreign language, GFL textbook "Menschen A2 Digitalisierung ist heutzutage ein hochaktuelles Thema. Der digitale Wandel hat den Alltag der Menschen stark verändert und demzufolge kam der Begriff „Digitale Medien" zum Vorschein, der auch in der Bildung eine bedeutende Rolle spielt. Aufgrund dessen wurde die Verwendung digitaler Medien in den Schulen immer mehr gefördert und sie sind derzeit ein wichtiger Bestandteil des DaF-Unterrichts geworden. Mobile Applikationen, Lernspiele, Lernvideos und vieles mehr lassen sich im Unterricht erfolgreich einsetzen. In dieser Hinsicht wurden digitale Medien auch in den DaF-Lehrwerken integriert, einige davon stehen sogar digital zur Verfügung. Jedoch spielt hier die Medienkompetenz der Lehrkräfte eine wichtige Rolle, um diese im Unterricht effektiv einsetzen zu können. Ziel dieser Masterarbeit ist, das Wirken und den Nutzen digitaler Zusatzmedien im DaF-Unterricht ausgehend von dem DaF-Lehrwerk „Menschen A2" zu bestimmen. Dazu wurden sowohl qualitative als auch quantitative Daten erhoben. Dementsprechend stützt sich die vorliegende Arbeit auf die Mixed-Methode und besteht aus zwei Teilen. Der erste Teil lehnt sich an die qualitative Forschungsmethode an, die die Analyse der Lektionen des DaFLehrwerks „Menschen A2" mit deren digitalen Zusatzmedien beinhaltet. Der zweite Teil stützt sich auf die quantitative Forschungsmethode und hierfür wurde mit 24 Lehrkräften, die an der Hacettepe- und Bilkent Universität tätig sind, eine Befragung durchgeführt. In Anlehnung der Ergebnisse hat es sich festgestellt, dass die digitalen Zusatzmedien des DaF-Lehrwerks „Menschen A2" im Unterricht häufig eingesetzt werden und der Einsatz zum effizienten Lernen der deutschen Sprache führt. Schlüsselwörter: Digitalisierung, Medienkompetenz, digitale Zusatzmedien, Deutsch als Fremdsprache, DaF-Lehrwerk „Menschen A2"
Pre-service teachers' use of designedly incomplete utterances as an interactional resource in pre-school EFL classrooms
The interactional practice of Designedly Incomplete Utterances has been studied in the literature of L2 classroom interaction under many labels. Designedly incomplete utterances are teachers' unfinished structures designed to achieve various pedagogical goals in classroom interaction. Many studies investigated the interactional unfolding of DIUs at alternating grade levels with different pedagogical purposes such as elicitation of a response. However, the use of DIUs at pre-school level received relatively little attention in the literature. Besides, there has been no studies to specifically investigate pre-service teachers' (PSTs) use of DIU at pre-school level to elicit responses from the students. Using Multimodal Conversation Analytic, this study uncovers the interactional and pedagogical features of DIUs, their organization in the PSTs' elicitation sequences. Data was collected from the video-recordings of 50 PSTs' practice teaching experiences in a state pre-school in Ankara, Turkey. The findings of the study have demonstrated that DIUs are made relevant in elicitation turns by their prosodic markings as well as their embodied conducts. Another finding uncovered that the interactional outcomes of the DIU use is threefold in the local context of the research; (1) preferred student completion of the DIUs; (2) dispreferred student completion of the DIUs; and (3) no student completion of the DIUs. The results of this study provide theoretical, interactional and practical insights into L2 classroom interaction research, teaching English to young learners and training language teachers. Keywords: designedly incomplete utterances, DIU, EFL, pre-school classrooms, elicitation, conversation analysis, classroom interaction.
Negotiated meaning moves in online problem-based tasks in EFL classes
An inevitable problem of interaction has been misunderstandings. Language classrooms are one of those contexts in which these communicational breakdowns occur. This study is conducted to investigate Turkish EFL students' negotiation of meaning (NoM) moves which they utilized while they were doing an online problem-based task. 20 Turkish students enrolled in an intermediate-level EFL course at a state university are paired (n=10) and their conversations are recorded. The recordings are transcribed and instances of meaning negotiation are identified and coded. The study employed basic descriptive statistics to show the distribution of each meaning negotiation type among all data and pairs. Analyzing the discourses from transcription, some preferences are revealed. The study found that Turkish EFL students negotiated meaning during online problem-based tasks and employed a variety of NoM types, the most common type being clarification requests. The students showed a preference for correcting and repeating themselves rather than their partners. Instances of checking for self-confirmation were identified and it was suggested that they constituted promising research on understanding communicational strategies. The importance of the study was to draw attention to NoM practices in Turkish contexts and the importance of including strategy training in NoM by explaining the purposes for NoM utilized in immediate online interaction. The study contributes to the literature by highlighting the importance of meaning-making processes and their inclusion in curriculums to foster successful language exchange and co-construction of language, which contribute to facilitating second language acquisition. Keywords: negotiation of meaning, problem-based task, online interaction, strategy training.
Eine gesprächsanalytische untersuchung zur L2-klasseninteraktion von DAF-lernern im sekundarbereich
The present work examines the naturally occurring classroom interaction in German as a foreign language lesson in a private Turkish secondary school using conversation analysis. Our data is based on video recordings, the length of which is 8 hours and 19 minutes, as well as their transcripts. The first unmotivated look at the data revealed a pronounced use of multimodal teacher actions. After narrowing the literature search in this direction, it was found that there are only a few works in this regard. However, various studies in English-speaking countries have identified the use of gestures and nonverbal behaviors as important communication strategies in the language learning process. Based on extensive analyzes as part of this work, various multimodality phenomena were identified that are associated with the teacher's pedagogical orientations. Multimodal resources (pointing index fingers, opening hands to the side, and tilting the head to the side) are used by the teacher to support explanations and clarify gaps in knowledge, as well as to encourage students to self-repair by drawing their attention to their erroneous utterances. Based on the findings, it is shown how the teacher uses various gestures with certain interactional orientations to accompany speech or stand alone, and how these embodied resources become important to the learners when dealing with linguistic errors within classroom interaction. Furthermore, it was found that multimodal actions have a visual trigger function and significantly influence educational classroom interactions. Overall, the results of this study provide insights into the practical implementation of multimodal activities in the classroom and provide recommendations for promoting interaction in the classroom. Die vorliegende Arbeit untersucht die natürlich auftretende Klasseninteraktion im DaFUnterricht in einer privaten türkischen Sekundarschule anhand der Konversationsanalyse. Unsere Daten beruhen auf Videoaufnahmen, deren Länge 8 Stunden und 19 Minuten beträgt, sowie deren Transkripten. Bei der ersten unmotivierten Betrachtung der Daten hat sich eine ausgeprägte Nutzung multimodaler Lehrerhandlungen herausgestellt. Nach der Verengung der Literaturrecherche in dieser Richtung konnte festgestellt werden, dass diesbezüglich nur wenige Arbeiten vorhanden sind. Verschiedene Studien im englischsprachigen Raum hingegen haben die Verwendung von Gesten und nonverbalen Verhaltensweisen als wichtige Kommunikationsstrategien im Sprachlernprozess identifiziert. Anhand von umfangreichen Analysen im Rahmen der vorliegenden Arbeit wurden verschiedene Phänomene zur Multimodalität identifiziert, die mit pädagogischen Orientierungen der Lehrkraft einhergehen. Multimodale Ressourcen (Zeigefinger Aufzeigen, Hände zur Seite Öffnen und Kopf zur Seite Neigen) werden von der Lehrkraft genutzt, um Erklärungen zu unterstützen und Wissenslücken zu verdeutlichen sowie die Lernenden zur Selbstreparatur anzuregen, indem er sie auf ihre fehlerhaften Äußerungen aufmerksam macht. Anhand der Befunde wird dargestellt, wie die Lehrkraft verschiedene Gesten mit bestimmten interaktionalen Orientierungen sprachbegleitend oder alleinstehend einsetzt, und wie diese verkörperten Ressourcen den Lernern bei der Bewältigung von sprachlichen Fehlern innerhalb der Klasseninteraktion bedeutsam werden. Des Weiteren wurde festgestellt, dass multimodale Handlungen eine visuelle Triggerfunktion haben und pädagogische Klasseninteraktionen maßgeblich beeinflussen. Insgesamt bieten die Ergebnisse dieser Untersuchung Einblicke in die praktische Umsetzung von multimodalen Handlungen im Unterricht und liefern Empfehlungen zur Förderung der Interaktion in der Klasse. Schlüsselwörter: Konversationsanalyse, Unterrichtsinteraktion, Fehlerkorrektur, Rückmeldungen, Multimodalität, multimodale Handlung
Eine studie zum e-learning für Deutsch als fremdsprache
The adaptation of education to the constantly evolving technology is inevitable, and significant advancements are particularly observed in the field of foreign language teaching. Technological developments are spreading across all aspects of our lives at an unprecedented speed and scope. Therefore, the changes and advancements in technology also lead to the emergence of new techniques in education. E-learning, which stands for electronic learning, has been developed over the years to support foreign language learning and promote autonomous learning. E-learning platforms supporting the learning of German as a foreign language play a significant role. Among these e-learning platforms, MintiCity e-learning platform is the most widely used platform in our country. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of the MintiCity e-learning platform on students learning German as a second foreign language. To achieve this aim, scientific data were collected through a survey from 160 students using the MintiCity e-learning platform among students studying German as a second foreign language in private Maya middle schools in Ankara. In the survey, the motivation scale was used to determine students thoughts on the MintiCity e-learning platform, and the quantitative data obtained were analysed using the SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) statistical package program. Quantitative content analysis was used as the research design in the thesis. Keywords: MintiCity, e-larning platform, german as a foreign language, quantitative data collection, questionnaire study In der heutigen Zeit, mit der sich ständig weiterentwickelnden Technologie, gewinnen die digitalen Medien im Bereich der Bildung eine große Bedeutung. Die Entwicklungen im Bereich der Technologie führen zur Entstehung neuer Werkzeuge und Techniken in der Aus- und Weiterbildung. E-Learning bedeutet elektronisches Lernen. Im Laufe der Jahre wurden ELearning Plattformen entwickelt, die das Fremdsprachenlernen unterstützen und autonomes Lernen in den Vordergrund bringen. E-Learning-Plattformen, die Deutsch als Fremdsprache unterstützen, sind von großer Bedeutung. Das Ziel dieser Arbeit liegt darin, die E-LearningPlattform MintiCity wissenschaftlich zu untersuchen und zu prüfen ob und inwieweit der Einsatz von MintiCity im Bereich Deutsch als Fremdsprache, den Schülern sinnvoll, effektiv und motivierend ist. In der Studie wird die quantitative Datenerhebung verwendet. Die quantitative Datenerhebung erfolgt in Form einer 14. Befragten Fragebogenstudie. Die Hauptstudie wird mit 160 Schülern in zwei Maya Privaten Mittelschulen in Ankara durchgeführt. Für die Untersuchung nehmen Schüler aus der 5., 6. und 7. Klassen teil, die mit MintiCity anvertraut sind. Die quantitativen Daten werden für SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) aufbereitet und mithilfe deskriptiver Statistik ausgewertet. Schlüsselwörter: MintiCity, E-Learning Plattform, Deutsch als Fremdsprache, Quantitive Datenerhebung, Fragebogenstudie
An investigation into formative assessment literacy of pre-service and in-service EFL teachers
Recently, there has been a growing interest in the study of Formative assessment (FA) in teaching English as a foreign language (EFL). Several attempts have been made to examine the FA strategies used by language teachers from various backgrounds as well as their effect on the language teaching process. However, previous studies have overlooked the Turkish EFL teachers' Formative assessment literacy (FAL) levels owing to the difficulty in finding a reliable scale for the measurement and the predominant state of summative assessment (SA). With this respect, this study aims to achieve a broader understanding of FAL levels of both pre-service and in-service teachers touching upon variables such as gender, age, teaching experience, department of graduation, and postgraduate education for in-service teachers, and year of study for pre-service teachers. A mixed methods research methodology with an explanatory sequential design was adopted in this study. For the quantitative phase, 75 EFL instructors and 154 EFL 3rd and 4th grade students from different universities were contacted to fill in the validated FAL scale from the work of Yan and Pastore (2022). For the qualitative part, 5 instructors and 6 pre-service teachers were invited for semi-structured interviews. The findings indicate that in-service teachers demonstrate higher FAL levels compared to pre-service teachers. Furthermore, in comparison to their counterparts, in-service teachers aged 51 and above and teachers with a work experience over 31 years showed a slightly reduced level of FAL. The findings also underscore the necessity for enhanced pre-service training to improve FA implementation. Keywords: language assessment, formative assessment, assessment literacy, assessment for learning, efl teachers
Reading comprehension in EFL education: Multimodal semiotic approach, attitudes and metacognitive awareness
Reading comprehension is one of the ultimate aims of English language teaching. To achieve this aim, traditional text-bound reading instruction practices such as translation and making detailed grammatical explanations are still being used today. However, thanks to the technological advancements, today's reading tasks have gained a new semiotic environment conveying meaning to readers through various modes such as visuals and sounds alongside words. Therefore, it can be concluded that traditional reading instruction practices do not reflect authentic reading tasks. Also, previous studies conducted in various EFL contexts showed that the application of multimodal teaching approach and employing semiotic signs were effective in improving students' reading comprehension. By combining the multimodal and semiotic approaches, this study aimed to explore their combined effect on English reading comprehension through the multimodal semiotic approach (MSA), students' attitudes towards MSA, and the relationships of MSA's effect on reading comprehension levels with attitudes towards MSA and with metacognitive awareness levels of reading strategies (MARS) in Turkish EFL context, so far uninvestigated in the literature. Post-test only with nonequivalent comparison groups design was employed with two groups of students studying ELT at a state university in Turkey to explore the effect of MSA. Then, a Likert-type survey was administered to experimental group to discover their MARS and attitudes towards MSA. The findings indicated that MSA was helpful in increasing students' reading comprehension levels, attitudes towards MSA were positive, and there were positive relationships of reading comprehension levels by MSA with the attitudes and with the MARS levels. Keywords: multimodality, semiotics, reading comprehension, attitude, metacognitive awareness, english language teaching
An investigation of motivation levels of preparatory school repeat level students
This research aims to compare the motivation levels of the students at a preparatory school in a private university, in Turkey, during different semesters in which they study in C-Repeat (CR) and C-Proficiency (CP) levels. The students are called repeat-level students because they could not pass TOEFL ITP on their first attempt and continue studying at the preparatory level. In this study, a mixed method was applied. This study embraced Dörnyei's L2 Motivational Self System as its theoretical framework. Data were collected thorough a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews in two consecutive education semesters. The sample consisted of 90 participants from a private university in Ankara, Türkiye. Quantitative data analysis was completed via SPSS 25.0. Thematic Analysis method was used for qualitative data analysis. It was expected that there would be a significant difference between the statistical results of these two groups of repeat students. The results indicated that although there is no significant difference between the motivational levels of CR and CP levels, Ought to self, Instrumentality Prevention, Travelling, and Positive Change of Future Self-Image have been found significant variables that affect the students' language learning motivation. As a result of the interview, the students shared a common response regarding two different curricula, both of which have advantages and disadvantages. When asked whether the curriculum affected their motivation, they asserted the presence of both positive and negative aspects. Keywords: language learning motivation, curriculum, toefl ıtp, preparatory school, repeat-level students
An investigation of the factors affecting students' low oral participation in EFL classrooms
Oral participation and reasons that affect low oral participation in a classroom have been of interest in the language education field. Factors might be changing from context to context, and despite the well-known importance of oral participation in EFL classrooms, there is minimal information on the Turkish classroom setting especially at high school levels. This case study brings a new perspective on reasons for low oral participation by adopting qualitative research design; contributing to the field with researchers mostly adopting quantitative research design in addition to considering external reasons, with the help of speaking activities in a course book. Based on interviews and video-based observation of 8 students, and 38 students in numbers of task choice, this study aims to investigate what factors are causing the low oral participation of students in the Turkish EFL classroom setting and the effect of task types on oral participation with the help of content analysis. The insights gained from this study will assist other students in increasing their oral participation in EFL classrooms and gain a new perspective for educators about creating their context to have fully active and orally participating classes. Keywords: low oral participation, EFL classrooms, importance of oral participation, students' perceptions
Investigating the relationship between burnout levels and self-efficacy beliefs of ELT teachers
Professions involving extensive interaction often cause burnout, with teaching being particularly susceptible to this syndrome. The severe consequences of teacher burnout extend beyond personal well-being, affecting both colleagues and students. The challenges are intensified for ELT teachers in private schools, which are renowned for their quality language education, due to the demanding working conditions. However, higher self-efficacy beliefs act as a protective factor against burnout, assisting teachers in handling stressors effectively. Previous studies have examined the relationship between burnout and teachers' sense of efficacy at a tertiary level. However, few studies have focused on burnout levels and self-efficacy beliefs of ELT teachers working at private schools. This study addresses this gap by investigating the burnout level and self-efficacy beliefs of ELT teachers in private schools depending on certain variables. Moreover, the study scrutinizes the relation of teachers' sense of efficacy in classroom management, instructional strategies and student engagement on the emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and reduced personal accomplishment dimensions of burnout. Using a sequential mixed-method design, data were collected from 359 ELT teachers through questionnaires and from 6 ELT teachers through semi-structured interviews. The findings reveal significant correlations between aspects of teacher self-efficacy and burnout dimensions. Furthermore, various factors are associated with teacher efficacy and burnout levels, as supported by both quantitative and qualitative data. Thus, the study provides valuable insights for enhancing teacher well-being, informing teacher training practices, and guiding private school administrators in creating healthy working environments.
Investigation of the relationship between pre-service EFL teachers' TPACK and teaching motivation
This study aimed to reveal the relationship between technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) and teaching motivation of fourth year students studying in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (EFL) programs in Türkiye in order to reveal whether and how the two phenomena are related to each other. The study also aimed to explore the perceptions of pre-service EFL teachers and academics regarding the TPACK and teaching motivation of pre-service EFL teachers. The participants in the study consisted of 4th year students in the EFL programs of sixteen state universities in seven geographical regions of Türkiye and academics working in these departments. Participants were determined through the stratified sampling method. 377 fourth-year EFL students and 9 academics took part in the study. The study followed a mixed-method research design. The findings of the study indicated that pre-service EFL teachers' TPACK and motivation to teach had a positive correlation. While they had minimal predictive power over each other, the impact of motivation to teach over TPACK was statistically higher than the impact of TPACK over motivation to teach. The perceptions of pre-service teachers and academics also indicated a relation between TPACK and motivation to teach. The study revealed the TPACK and teaching motivation levels of pre-service teachers as well as the perceptions of pre-service teachers and academics on these. The study also provided pedagogical implications on the development of EFL teacher education programs as well as the TPACK and teaching motivation of pre-service EFL teachers.
An exploration of pre-service EFL teachers' self-efficacy development using the EPOSTL as a self-assessment tool
Language teacher self-efficacy beliefs are of paramount importance in the field of foreign language teacher education (LTE) to sustain a productive foreign language education. Self-reflection plays a key role in the development of teacher self-efficacy beliefs. One way of promoting self-reflection is the adoption of the EPOSTL in foreign language teacher education programs. Such an adoption may increase pre-service EFL teachers' beliefs of self-efficacy. However, using the EPOSTL and the development of teacher self-efficacy beliefs were not handled together in the existing body of literature. In this vein, the purpose of this study is to explore the potential relationship between the use of the EPOSTL as a self-assessment tool and pre-service EFL teachers' development of self-efficacy beliefs. The study adopts an interventionist experimental design with a control group using mix-method based on quantitative and qualitative data. The participants are 58 senior pre-service EFL teachers studying at a state university in Turkey. In the scope of the study, experimental and control groups were subjected to a pretest and posttest measuring their self-efficacy. In addition to writing reflective reports and attending semi-structured interviews, the experimental group assessed themselves three times by using the EPOSTL. The findings revealed that using the EPOSTL as a self-assessment tool may have potential in promoting pre-service EFL teachers' self-efficacy beliefs. It is suggested that the quality of LTE programs can be ameliorated with the integration of the EPOSTL since student teachers can be immersed in more reflection-oriented programs through which they can improve their autonomy and professionalism.
A longitudinal conversation analytic study on learning a lexical item in an EFL classroom at a secondary school
Classroom interaction is vital in language teaching discourse where social interaction is constructed by not only the teacher but also students. Previous research has shown a reflexive relation between language classroom interaction and creating learning opportunities. Earlier studies on English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom interaction have not dealt with secondary school EFL classrooms in detail although they constitute a great deal of compulsory education in Türkiye. This study aims to portray the interaction unfolding in a secondary school English Language Teaching context by bringing empirical evidence to displays of socially distributed cognition. A longitudinal multimodal conversation analytic study is conducted to identify and detail a specific student's process of learning the lexical item 'soğukkanlı (cold-blooded)' by focusing on the interactional resources and practices deployed by the participants. The study traces how a lexical item is added into a learner's interactional repertoire progressively in terms of content-related (i.e., biology) and metaphorical meaning, how a learner shows orientation to her/his own learning process, how language teachers provide both the meaning and definition of a polysemous word and how a language teacher deals with content knowledge both in L1 and L2 in an emergent Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) environment. The findings contribute to a better understanding of secondary school EFL classroom interaction in general and of L2 learning process emerging in and through classroom interaction with an orientation to CLIL environment in particular offering implications holding the potential to improve the awareness of pre-and in-service teachers. Keywords: secondary school, EFL classroom, learning a lexical item, conversation analysis, classroom interaction
Nonnative English-speaking teachers in Turkey: Teacher perceptions and attitudes
Nonnative English-speaking teachers (NNESTs) are estimated to make up more than 80 percent of English language teachers worldwide. Therefore, there has been a growing surge of interest in topics regarding NNESTs to better understand these teachers' strengths and challenges in and appreciate their contributions to English language teaching. However, studies focusing on NNESTs' perceptions and attitudes about both themselves and native English-speaking teachers (NESTs) are rare, especially in the contexts of teaching English as a foreign language (EFL). With this in mind, this study aimed to investigate what perceptions and attitudes NNESTs in Turkey hold about themselves and NESTs regarding English language proficiency and teaching abilities. A mixed-method approach was used for data collection in which quantitative data were collected through an online likert scale questionnaire, while qualitative data were gathered through an online open-ended questionnaire on a voluntary basis. The findings showed that NNEST participants considered both themselves and NESTs as adequately proficient in the different areas of English. The participants were also found to perceive both NNESTs and NESTs comfortable in teaching different skills of English. And lastly, it was indicated that the participants held differing attitudes towards their own status as NNESTs and their colleagues' status as NESTs. The participants considered both NNESTs and NESTs as effective models for foreign language learning and teachers' professional qualifications and personal qualities more significant than English nativeness. The findings of the current study have several implications for the empowerment of language teachers and improvement of foreign language teaching and learning.
Turkish EFL instructors' attitudes towards translanguaging practices
Translanguaging, valuing students' whole linguistic resources in learning, plays a key role in bilingual/multilingual education. Studying pedagogical translanguaging, suggesting a systematic use of students' native languages (L1) and target language (L2) interchangeably, has also become common in Foreign Language (FL) education in recent years. However, monolingualism, separating languages as L1 and L2, regards FL learners as two monolinguals rather than emergent bilinguals with a single linguistic repertoire. The existing literature shows translanguaging has been investigated in mostly bilingual/multilingual education and emphasizes a need in more research in FL settings especially into teachers' beliefs. Since teachers' beliefs are important in implementing pedagogies and Turkish English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students are also emergent bilinguals, translanguaging is worth being studied in Türkiye. Thus, this mixed methods study drawing on quantitative and qualitative data from a Likert scale questionnaire and written interview with Turkish EFL instructors at three state universities in Türkiye aimed to investigate their attitudes and practices regarding translanguaging. The findings indicated the translanguaging framework, promoting dynamic bilingualism in FL classrooms, was not widely acknowledged as a pedagogy, and spontaneous translanguaging practices were reported with a monolingual bias to mediate the L2 learning for low proficiency students. However, what is promising is that following a definition and examples, most participants were willing to use translanguaging pedagogy emphasising the role of the teacher and in- service training. In light of the findings, this study offers implications for all stakeholders in FL education for the potential of translanguaging as a pedagogy to be recognized.
Pre-service EFL teachers' interactional resources for resolving troubles: A micro analysis
Micro-teaching in teacher education has attracted attention for many years because of its convenience in terms of providing a controllable teaching environment and instant feedback for pre-service teachers. However, the gap between real teaching practice and micro teaching specifically for classroom interaction has not been widely questioned by the researchers. Therefore, this study aims to compare classroom interaction in two settings, regarding the use of interactional resources by pre-service teachers (PST) to resolve interactional troubles. The study adopts conversation analysis to investigate the sequential patterns of interactional resources and trouble indicators. Data consists of two sets of video recordings of 40 PSTs: (1) micro-teaching practices at a state university and (2) real teaching practices at a preschool in Türkiye. The data analysis reveals that the significant trouble indicators in real teaching practice are the lack of orientation in the teacher's instruction, silence, and student's repetition of teacher's utterance. However, the student's wrong answer is the most significant indicator in the context of micro-teaching practice. In terms of interactional resources, while certain interactional resources like embodied action and teacher repetition are present in both contexts, their frequency is notably lower in micro-teaching. Moreover, code-switching and simplified instruction occurs in only the real teaching context. This study underscores the significance of classroom interaction and Classroom Interactional Competence (CIC) by elucidating differences in trouble indicators and interactional resources between micro-teaching and real teaching, aiming to increase PSTs' awareness of CIC to create more learning opportunities for learners in TEYL context.
Complexity in spoken language: A corpus-based learning approach
The present study set out to explore the change in the complexity of L2 spoken language over time as a result of corpus-based learning activities in the EFL context. In that regard, the study adopted a mixed research design counting on both quantitative data, which was obtained through a pre-test/post-test experimental study, and qualitative data, which was gathered through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews to delve more into the process in which the learners gained a hands-on experience with concordance lines. The participants of the study were 56 EFL learners studying at an English preparatory school at the tertiary level in a fully online learning environment. The spoken data from the pre-test and the post-test was transcribed and analyzed for lexical, phraseological, and morphological complexity indices. The data from the questionnaires and the interviews enabled a closer examination of the participants' perceptions on corpus use. The findings revealed that employing a data-driven learning approach in speaking instruction aided the improvement of lexical and phraseological complexity of oral production. However, direct corpus use did not have an impact on morphological complexity regarding verbs and nouns. Furthermore, the study emphasized the analysis of multi-word units as well as single lexical units in characterizing L2 oral performance development. The study also concluded that while L2 learners benefited from direct corpus use, they found the corpus resources inefficient in practicing vocabulary for speaking due to the lack of audio content, which calls for redesigning the corpus tools to better serve L2 teaching / learning purposes. Keywords: data-driven learning, corpus-based learning, spoken language complexity, phraseological complexity, lexical complexity, morphological complexity
The impact of dynamic assessment on secondary school EFL learners' speaking skill
Dynamic assessment based on Vygotsky's sociocultural theory has recently begun to be used in the field of second language acquisition and learning. Thus, this study aims to investigate the effect of dynamic assessment on the speaking skills of secondary school EFL learners. Regarding the gap in the literature, secondary school students were included in the current study. Following a mixed method, this study includes both qualitative and quantitative data. The data consists of speaking tests, an open-ended questionnaire, and an unstructured interview. 10 secondary school EFL learners participated in the study and the participants were divided into two groups: experimental and control group. The study consists of three stages: Pretest- DA Speaking Tests- and Posttest. Participants' speaking skills were assessed based on their narration of short English stories. At the end of the whole process, the scores obtained as a result of the tests were compared statistically. Quantitative data results proved that the experimental group displayed better development in speaking skills than the control group. The researcher also gave an open-ended questionnaire to the experienced teacher and asked him to evaluate the progress of the participants. The teacher's answers were also in line with the quantitative data and indicated that the experimental group performed better. In the last stage, unstructured interviews were conducted with the experimental group participants to evaluate the process. At the end of these interviews, it was concluded that the participants were satisfied with the process and that the process positively affected their development.
Developing intercultural awareness through portfolio-based writing activities in Turkish secondary EFL classrooms
The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between direct teaching of culture in elementary writing lessons and development of intercultural awareness (ICA) among secondary school EFL learners at a Turkish state lower secondary school situated in the capital of Türkiye. The secondary purpose of the current study was to examine the attitudes from both student and teacher perspectives on developing ICA, focused on the writing skills sections of elementary EFL lessons. The sample consisted of fourteen secondary EFL teachers and 84 secondary EFL learners who were at sixth- (n=45) and eighth-graders (n=39) during the fall semester of 2021-2022 educational year. An adapted version of analytic writing rubric and semi-structured interview items as data collection tools were employed. The quantitative data were run via descriptive and inferential statistics while the qualitative data were analyzed through content analysis. The quantitative findings indicated that the experimental groups demonstrated a substantially superiority regarding ICA development over the control groups based on the achievement scores given to the written assignments in portfolios. Furthermore, between the experimental groups, it was revealed that the eighth-graders showed a slight superiority over the sixth-graders concerning ICA development in writing tasks. The qualitative findings illustrated that both in-service secondary EFL teachers and learners unearthed their general views and experiences about developing ICA and reflected a constructive attitude toward ICA-raising implementations in the pre-writing parts of EFL lessons. Bearing these results in mind, implications and suggestions were presented by addressing to teachers, students and other stakeholders.
The effects of using the EPOSTL on prospective EFL teachers' teaching autonomy
In pre-service teacher education, it is of importance to match the gap between theory and practice. In order to fill this gap, teacher autonomy has continuing concern within the scope of teacher education. Although extensive research has been carried out on this area, there is little published study suggesting techniques to foster teacher autonomy in the field of English Language pre-service teacher education. Hence, this study sets out to explore the potential use the EPOSTL (European Portfolio for Student Teachers of Languages) to promote prospective EFL teachers' autonomy. It is a comprehensive guide of teacher competencies for prospective teachers projected by the European Center for Modern Languages to harmonize language education across Europe. Adopting mixed method, this study used Teaching Autonomy Scale and semi-structured interviews to collect data from 19 prospective EFL teachers in the third year of their education at Hacettepe University. Before and after the use of the EPOSTL, Teacher Autonomy Scale was implemented to see the change. After the implementation, semi structured interviews were conducted with the participants to investigate their views on using the EPOSTL. The quantitative analyses were performed using IBM SPSS version 25.0 and the qualitative data were analyzed by content analysis. The study indicated that the EPOSTL is a very useful tool to increase awareness of the prospective EFL teachers on teaching autonomy. The EPOSTL was beneficial for the development of reflective skills. This study provided new perspectives for prospective EFL teachers, instructors, curriculum developers and institutions.
Exploring turkish EFL learners' perceptions about the use of European language portfolio and its motivational effects
This study focused on using the European Language Portfolio (ELP) in foreign language classes in terms of two different aspects: learners' opinions about making use of it as a self-assessment tool and its effect on their language learning motivation. It was also within the scope of this study to find out whether training in the use of the ELP had an impact on learners' views about using it. Participants were 160 tertiary level students from a state university on the Black Sea Coast of Turkey. This quasi-experimental study was based on a mixed-methods research design, making use of both quantitative and qualitative data. An 'ELP Opinionaire' developed by the researcher and two different questionnaires about motivation were administered twice, before and after the ELP instruction whose aim was to inform the participants about the ELP use and raise awareness of its use, function and benefits. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with randomly selected ten participants in order to validate the quantitative data. Analysis of the quantitative data is done using SPSS version 29, and the qualitative data is analyzed through thematic analysis. The results of the study revealed that learners had positive opinions about the use of the ELP and it has an influence on learner motivation. Another finding was that the way self-assessment is implemented and learners' proficiency level play a role in their perceptions of the ELP as well as its motivating effect. Keywords: the European Language Portfolio, self-assessment, attitudes, foreign language learning motivation
La place et l'importance des cliches et des stereotypes dans l'enseignement / apprentissage du Français langue etrangere
The main aim of our study is to investigate and analyse the concepts of cliché and stereotype in French language teaching. We began by examining the relationship between language and culture, and then analysed the foundations and types of stereotypes and clichés. We carried out an in-depth analysis of the teaching material, consisting of five textbooks at levels A1 to A2 and videos at levels B1 to B2 from TV5MONDE. Our aim was to determine the variations in frequency and type of use, to understand how these elements are employed in the different teaching materials and to see how their use varies according to the level of teaching and the age of the learners. In our study, we have highlighted the positive and negative effects of the use of clichés and stereotypes in teaching materials on learners in French as a foreign language (FLE) teaching. Keywords : cliché, stereotypes, French language teaching, culture, interculturalism