Öz
This study aimed to investigate pre-service classroom teachers’ beliefs about teaching English to young learners and a recently initiated course in 2021 named “Foreign Language Teaching in Primary Schools” in the initial classroom teacher education programmes in Turkey. More specifically, it explored to what extent this course was efficient to prepare them to teach English for their future careers. Adopting a mixed-method research design, the data were collected through a questionnaire (N=128) and follow-up semi-structured interviews (N=8). The findings revealed that professional English teachers were best placed to teach English to children for several reasons, including subject teachers’ high level of expertise in teaching English and participants’ low self-reported English proficiency level (A1-A2). However, participants mostly reported both in the quantitative and qualitative parts that this course had a considerable impact on their confidence to teach English at the primary level since they were familiar with various teaching techniques and activities to use for each language point in the curriculum. A number of implications are provided in the light of findings for a better implementation of English education in primary schools.
Anahtar Kelimeler
Teaching English to young learners Pre-service classroom teachers Teacher education Teacher language proficiency
Kaynakça
- Andrews, S. (2003). Teacher language awareness and the professional knowledge base of the L2 teacher. Language Awareness, 12(2), 81–95. https://doi.org/10.1080/09658410308667068
- Brown, J. (2014). Mixed methods research for TESOL. Edinburgh University.
- Butler, Y. G. (2004). What level of English proficiency do elementary school teachers need to attain to teach EFL? Case studies from Korea, Taiwan, and Japan. TESOL Quarterly, 38(2), 245-278. https://doi.org/10.2307/3588380
- Cameron, L. (2001). Teaching languages to young learners. Cambridge University.
- Chodiah, I. (2008, January 3-6). English in primary school: Gem in the mud. Paper presented at the Bangalore conference [Conference presentation]. The way forward: Learning from international experience of TEYL, Bangalore, India.
- Choi, J., Kushner, K. E., Mill, J., & Lai, D. W. (2012). Understanding the language, the culture, and the experience: translation in cross-cultural research, International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 11(5), 652-665.
- Council of Higher Education [CHE] (2021). Classroom teaching undergraduate syllabus. Retrieved May 10, 2023, from https://www.yok.gov.tr/Documents/Kurumsal/egitim_ogretim_dairesi/Yeni-Ogretmen-Yetistirme-Lisans-Programlari/Sinif_Ogretmenligi_Lisans_Programi09042019.pdf
- Creswell, J. W., Klassen, A. C., Plano Clark, V. L., & Smith, K. C. (2011). Best practices for mixed methods research in the health sciences. National Institutes of Health, 541-545.
- Dörnyei, Z. (2007). Research methods in Applied Linguistics. Oxford University.
- Emery, H. (2012). A global study of primary English teachers’ qualifications, training and career development. ELT Research Papers, 1-32.
- Enever, J., Moon, J., & Raman, U. (2009). Young learner English language policy and implementation: International perspectives. Garnet Education.
- Freeman, D. (2016). Educating second language teachers. Oxford University.
- Garton, S., & Tekin, S. (2022). Teaching English to young learners. In E. Hinkel (Ed.) Handbook of practical second language teaching and learning (pp. 83-96). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003106609-7
- Garton, S., Copland, F., & Burns, A. (2011). Investigating global practices in teaching English to young learners. British Council ELT Research Papers, 11(1), 1-24.
- Kirkgoz, Y., Celik, S., & Arikan, A. (2016). Laying the theoretical and practical foundations for a new elementary English curriculum in Turkey: A procedural analysis. Kastamonu Education Journal, 24(3), 1199–1212.
- Moon, J. (2005). Children learning English. MacMillan.
- Murdoch G. (1994). Language development in teacher training curricula. ELT Journal, 48(3), 253–259. https://doi.org/10.1093/elt/48.3.253
- Nunan, D. (2003). The impact of English as a global language on educational policies and practices in the Asia-Pacific region. TESOL Quarterly, 37(4), 589–613. https://doi.org/10.2307/3588214
- Papp, S. (2011). Impact of assessment on the teaching and learning of young learners of English: Results of a large scale survey on YL assessment. University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations.
- Pinter, A. (2017). Teaching young language learners. Oxford University.
- Richards, J. C. (2017). Teaching English through English: Proficiency, pedagogy and performance. RELC Journal, 48(1), 7-30. https://doi.org/10.1177/0033688217690059
- Ritchie, J., Spencer, L., & O’Connor, W. (2003). Carrying out qualitative analysis. In J. Ritchie, & J. Lewis (Eds.), Qualitative research practice: A guide for social science students and researchers (pp. 219-262). Sage. Silverman, D. (2013). Doing qualitative research. Sage.
- Songbatumis, A. M. (2017). Challenges in teaching English faced by English teachers at MTsN Taliwang, Indonesia. Journal of Foreign Language Teaching and Learning, 2(2), 54-67.
- Talmy, S., & Richards, K. (2011). Theorizing qualitative research interviews in applied linguistics. Applied linguistics, 32(1), 1-5. https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/amq045
- Tekin, S., & Garton, S. (2020). L1 in the primary English classroom: How much, when, how and why? Iranian Journal of Language Teaching Research, 8(3), 77-97. https://doi.org/10.30466/IJLTR.2020.120935
- Wang, Q. (2009). Primary English in China: Policy, curriculum and implementation. In M. Nikolov (Ed.) Contextualizing the age factor: Issues in early foreign language learning (pp. 277-310). Mouton de Gruyter.
- Young, J. W., Freeman, D., Hauck, M. C., Garcia Gomez, P., & Papageorgiou, S. (2014). A Design framework for the ELTeach program assessments. ETS Research Report Series, 2, 1-29. https://doi.org/10.1002/ets2.12036
Öz
Bu çalışma, sınıf öğretmeni adaylarının ilkokul öğrencilerine İngilizce öğretilmesine ve Türkiye'deki üniversitelerdeki temel eğitim programlarında 2021 yılında başlatılan “İlkokullarda Yabancı Dil Öğretimi” adlı derse yönelik görüşlerini araştırmayı amaçlamıştır. Daha spesifik olarak, bu dersin onların gelecekteki kariyerlerinde İngilizce öğretmeye hazırlanmaları açısından ne ölçüde etkili olduğu araştırılmıştır. Karma yöntemli bir araştırma tasarımı benimsenen veriler, bir anket (N=128) ve takip eden yarı yapılandırılmış görüşmeler (N=8) aracılığıyla toplanmıştır. Bulgular, İngilizce branş öğretmenlerinin İngilizce öğretmedeki uzmanlık düzeyi ve katılımcıların ankette kendilerinin bildirdiği düşük İngilizce yeterlilik düzeyi (A1-A2) gibi çeşitli nedenlerden dolayı profesyonel İngilizce öğretmenlerinin çocuklara İngilizce öğretmek için en iyi konumda olduklarını ortaya çıkarmaktadır. Bununla birlikte, katılımcılar çoğunlukla hem niceliksel hem de niteliksel bölümlerde, müfredattaki her bir konuda kullanılabilecek çeşitli öğretim teknikleri ve etkinliklere aşina oldukları için bu dersin ilkokul düzeyinde İngilizce öğretme konusunda kendilerine olan güvenleri üzerinde önemli bir etkiye sahip olduğunu belirtmişlerdir. Elde edilen bulgular ışığında ilkokullarda İngilizce eğitiminin daha iyi ve etkili uygulanmasına yönelik birtakım tavsiyeler sunulmuştur.
Anahtar Kelimeler
Çocuklara İngilizce öğretimi Sınıf öğretmeni adayları Öğretmen eğitimi Öğretmen dil yeterliliği
Kaynakça
- Andrews, S. (2003). Teacher language awareness and the professional knowledge base of the L2 teacher. Language Awareness, 12(2), 81–95. https://doi.org/10.1080/09658410308667068
- Brown, J. (2014). Mixed methods research for TESOL. Edinburgh University.
- Butler, Y. G. (2004). What level of English proficiency do elementary school teachers need to attain to teach EFL? Case studies from Korea, Taiwan, and Japan. TESOL Quarterly, 38(2), 245-278. https://doi.org/10.2307/3588380
- Cameron, L. (2001). Teaching languages to young learners. Cambridge University.
- Chodiah, I. (2008, January 3-6). English in primary school: Gem in the mud. Paper presented at the Bangalore conference [Conference presentation]. The way forward: Learning from international experience of TEYL, Bangalore, India.
- Choi, J., Kushner, K. E., Mill, J., & Lai, D. W. (2012). Understanding the language, the culture, and the experience: translation in cross-cultural research, International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 11(5), 652-665.
- Council of Higher Education [CHE] (2021). Classroom teaching undergraduate syllabus. Retrieved May 10, 2023, from https://www.yok.gov.tr/Documents/Kurumsal/egitim_ogretim_dairesi/Yeni-Ogretmen-Yetistirme-Lisans-Programlari/Sinif_Ogretmenligi_Lisans_Programi09042019.pdf
- Creswell, J. W., Klassen, A. C., Plano Clark, V. L., & Smith, K. C. (2011). Best practices for mixed methods research in the health sciences. National Institutes of Health, 541-545.
- Dörnyei, Z. (2007). Research methods in Applied Linguistics. Oxford University.
- Emery, H. (2012). A global study of primary English teachers’ qualifications, training and career development. ELT Research Papers, 1-32.
- Enever, J., Moon, J., & Raman, U. (2009). Young learner English language policy and implementation: International perspectives. Garnet Education.
- Freeman, D. (2016). Educating second language teachers. Oxford University.
- Garton, S., & Tekin, S. (2022). Teaching English to young learners. In E. Hinkel (Ed.) Handbook of practical second language teaching and learning (pp. 83-96). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003106609-7
- Garton, S., Copland, F., & Burns, A. (2011). Investigating global practices in teaching English to young learners. British Council ELT Research Papers, 11(1), 1-24.
- Kirkgoz, Y., Celik, S., & Arikan, A. (2016). Laying the theoretical and practical foundations for a new elementary English curriculum in Turkey: A procedural analysis. Kastamonu Education Journal, 24(3), 1199–1212.
- Moon, J. (2005). Children learning English. MacMillan.
- Murdoch G. (1994). Language development in teacher training curricula. ELT Journal, 48(3), 253–259. https://doi.org/10.1093/elt/48.3.253
- Nunan, D. (2003). The impact of English as a global language on educational policies and practices in the Asia-Pacific region. TESOL Quarterly, 37(4), 589–613. https://doi.org/10.2307/3588214
- Papp, S. (2011). Impact of assessment on the teaching and learning of young learners of English: Results of a large scale survey on YL assessment. University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations.
- Pinter, A. (2017). Teaching young language learners. Oxford University.
- Richards, J. C. (2017). Teaching English through English: Proficiency, pedagogy and performance. RELC Journal, 48(1), 7-30. https://doi.org/10.1177/0033688217690059
- Ritchie, J., Spencer, L., & O’Connor, W. (2003). Carrying out qualitative analysis. In J. Ritchie, & J. Lewis (Eds.), Qualitative research practice: A guide for social science students and researchers (pp. 219-262). Sage. Silverman, D. (2013). Doing qualitative research. Sage.
- Songbatumis, A. M. (2017). Challenges in teaching English faced by English teachers at MTsN Taliwang, Indonesia. Journal of Foreign Language Teaching and Learning, 2(2), 54-67.
- Talmy, S., & Richards, K. (2011). Theorizing qualitative research interviews in applied linguistics. Applied linguistics, 32(1), 1-5. https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/amq045
- Tekin, S., & Garton, S. (2020). L1 in the primary English classroom: How much, when, how and why? Iranian Journal of Language Teaching Research, 8(3), 77-97. https://doi.org/10.30466/IJLTR.2020.120935
- Wang, Q. (2009). Primary English in China: Policy, curriculum and implementation. In M. Nikolov (Ed.) Contextualizing the age factor: Issues in early foreign language learning (pp. 277-310). Mouton de Gruyter.
- Young, J. W., Freeman, D., Hauck, M. C., Garcia Gomez, P., & Papageorgiou, S. (2014). A Design framework for the ELTeach program assessments. ETS Research Report Series, 2, 1-29. https://doi.org/10.1002/ets2.12036
Ayrıntılar
| Birincil Dil | İngilizce |
|---|---|
| Konular | Sınıf Eğitimi |
| Bölüm | Makaleler |
| Yazarlar | |
| Yayımlanma Tarihi | 27 Aralık 2023 |
| Yayımlandığı Sayı | Yıl 2023 Sayı: 96 |
- Makale Dosyaları