ERIC Number: EJ1401340
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2023
Pages: 19
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
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EISSN: EISSN-2688-7061
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Should English Language Teaching Undergraduate Programs in Turkey Be Restructured? Views of Pre-Service English Language Teachers
International Journal on Social and Education Sciences, v5 n3 p518-535 2023
English language teachers in Turkey are officially entitled to teach at any level (from kindergarten to university) and any age group; however, it has been repeatedly argued that teaching English to young learners is different from teaching English to teenagers and/or adults as they require diverse skills, competences, qualifications and expertise (Bland, 2019; Enever, 2014; Gungor, 2020; Linse, 2005; Öztürk & Aydin, 2019; Rich, 2019). Moving from this line of reasoning, this study, first of all, aims to investigate whether ELT undergraduate programs in Turkey need to be restructured from the perspectives of pre-service English language teachers. Closely related to this aim, this study also intends to identify the degree to which their undergraduate training prepares pre-service English language teachers (PSTs) for the different school levels they are to work at. With these two complementary aims in mind, this study has employed a qualitative research paradigm. 192 senior pre-service English language teachers who take practicum courses and study at the English Language Teaching (ELT) programs of 14 different state and private universities in Turkey have participated in this study. The data for the study has been collected via an online survey form and a focus group interview. The findings show that ELT undergraduate programs prepare PSTs satisfactorily to work at primary and secondary level schools from the perspectives of PSTs. However, PSTs believe that their undergraduate program cannot prepare them as satisfactorily to work at pre-primary school, high school and university levels. Furthermore, almost half of the PSTs agree that ELT undergraduate programs within Education Faculties should be restructured as 'ELT for young learners' and 'ELT for teenagers/adults'.
Descriptors: Preservice Teachers, Language Teachers, Teacher Education Programs, English (Second Language), Second Language Learning, Second Language Instruction, Foreign Countries, Undergraduate Students, Practicums, State Universities, Private Colleges, Elementary Secondary Education, Preschool Education, Higher Education, Instructional Program Divisions
International Society for Technology, Education, and Science. ISTES Organization, Monument, CO 80132. e-mail: istesorganization@gmail.com; e-mail: ijonsesoffice@gmail.com; Web site: https://www.ijonses.net/index.php/ijonses
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education; Elementary Secondary Education; Early Childhood Education; Preschool Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
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Identifiers - Location: Turkey
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