Servet Çelik

Action Research as a Professional Development Strategy

In today’s increasingly interconnected and interdependent world, foreign language education has become a matter of great importance. English — with its prominent status as an international lingua franca — has become the most widely taught foreign language, and over 100 countries currently provide English instruction as part of the public education process (Crystal 2003). Turkey is no exception in this respect. In the years following the Second World War, English language instruction has been continually emphasized by the Turkish Ministry of National Education, and a series of educational reforms has established English as a compulsory subject from the early years of public schooling (Republic of Turkey, Ministry of National Education, Board of Education 2013).

INTERCULTURAL EXPERIENCES OF FOREIGN STUDENTS: ERASMUS STUDENTS’ PERSPECTIVES ON THEIR DEVELOPMENT OF CROSS-CULTURAL AWARENESS

In spite of the popularity of the Erasmus Mundus student mobility program, few formalized studies have been carried out to explore whether this program of international study is achieving its aims of promoting positive attitudes toward other cultures, developing competence in foreign languages, and increasing global awareness. Existing studies indicate that the majority of program participants report a positive experience. On the other hand, researchers have also noted numerous issues that may negatively affect individual students’ perceptions of their experience, including language barriers, cultural differences and problems related to the program of study. The researchers believe it is important to develop a more indepth understanding of participating students’ personal experiences, from a social as well as an academic perspective. Doing so may draw attention to the strengths and potential weaknesses in individual institutions’ implementations of the Erasmus program and guide program coordinators in designing a more enriching environment for visiting students. Accordingly, this study explored the attitudes of nine Erasmussponsored students concerning their social and academic experiences at a Turkish university, using open-ended questionnaires to elicit respondents’ views. The results revealed that while the participants generally held a positive attitude toward Turkish culture, few of them had developed sufficient skills in Turkish to communicate on more than a superficial level, and many of them still regarded Turkish culture as inaccessible in many ways. The fact that most of the participants reported spending more time socializing with other foreign students and communicating in either English or their native languages may largely account for this issue. While this study is small in its scope, it may draw attention to some considerations that should be addressed in terms of program planning, including provisions for increased instruction in Turkish, as well as enhanced opportunities to interact with Turkish students on a social level. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7220/2335-2027.3.10

Reflecting the experience of truth: issues of empathy in narrative inquiry

Purpose – The purpose of this article is to underscore the issues of empathy in narrative inquiry, particularly in cases where the researcher shares numerous characteristics in common with the research population. The author explores the use of narrative as a qualitative research tool, as well as a means for addressing the challenges of maintaining objectivity in circumstances where empathy and understanding may overpower the need for unbiased reporting.Design/methodology/approach – This narrative case study, which is based on the authors doctoral research, was designed according to a framework of critical theory, as the original intent of the project was to expose the challenges and injustices faced by Turkish study‐abroad scholarship recipients who are required to serve as university faculty members in the Turkish university system upon completion of their graduate degrees.Findings – The researcher found that, in opposition to his belief that government‐sponsored scholars were able to contribute signif...

Are We Really Teaching English for Specific Purposes, or Basic English Skills? The Cases of Turkey and Latvia

English for specific purposes (ESP) has evolved as an important sub-field of English language education to meet the career-related needs of non-native speakers of English in a wide variety of contexts. As such, ESP instruction in specialized subject areas ranging from vocational (e.g., tourism and hospitality) to professional (e.g., international law or banking) to academic (e.g., thesis and dissertation writing) is often integrated in the training and degree programs offered at higher education institutions. However, the ability of these institutions to provide adequate ESP instruction has often been called into question, with critics indicating that insufficient resources and planning, lack of teacher preparedness, and low motivation of students result in courses that cover little more than basic language skills. With these concerns in mind, the researchers carried out the present study to examine the circumstances at two state-run universities in Turkey and Latvia, calling on 12 ESP instructors to describe their views in terms of their institutional environment, their level of training and preparedness, and their individual efforts to overcome the challenges they faced in their practice. The results demonstrate that institutional problems (e.g., poor planning and management and overcrowded classrooms), students’ lack of basic English skills, limited access to specialized teacher training and difficulties with subject-area terminology created obstacles to carrying out more than basic English instruction. In light of the results, some recommendations are offered with respect to program design, teacher training and teacher motivation.

The Effects of Learning Journals on Reflective Ability and Metacognitive Learning: the Attitudes of Graduate Students in an English Language Teaching Methodology Course / Učinci portfolija na sposobnost refleksije i metakognitivno učenje: stavovi studenat

The efficacy of reflective writing in stimulating critical thinking and developing metacognitive awareness has been widely recognized; yet, in spite of the clear benefits provided by reflective tools such as learning journals, the ultimate success of such activities largely depends on whether or not learners are receptive to their use. In the Turkish educational system, where a student-centred, constructivist approach to learning is still a novel practice, it may be especially difficult to implement reflective writing successfully. Thus, in this action research project, the investigator decided to explore the attitudes of Turkish graduate students in an English Language Teaching Methodology course towards the use of learning journals as a reflective tool. The findings indicate that, after some initial resistance, most of the participants found reflective writing to be an effective learning strategy. In light of the participants’ views, some suggestions are offered concerning the implementation of reflective writing in contexts where students may not be familiar with the process of reflection.