INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LANGUAGES' EDUCATION AND TEACHING

1-9

Authors: Abdullah Yördem

This study aims to investigate the student satisfaction with the Online English Language courses piloted for the first time at a Vocational College in a remote town located in the north-west of Turkey in 2014-2015 educational year. These courses were designed with a format of face-to-face testing and online delivery of course materials. Data were collected from students both quantitatively and qualitatively using a survey which included seven likert scale attitude questions and two open-ended questions where they had to express their opinions about either face-to-face or online courses of which they thought was more advantageous and relevant for them. Twenty three female and a hundred and eighty four male students attending ten different departments, aged mostly eighteen and nineteen years participated in our study. Quantitative data from the students indicate that while 52% of the whole participants thought that online teaching of English as a foreign language was not useful for them at all, just 6% of the students declared that the online teaching system was very useful. To the question whether they preferred online or face-to-face learning, quite surprisingly, 82% of the participants declared that they preferred face-to-face learning. As to why they preferred the particular kind of teaching; the online course proponents cited mostly “comfortness” and “no-attendance obligation”; on the other hand, the face-to-face advocates mostly cited “effectiveness of learning from a live instructor” and “possibility of asking questions when something is not clear” and “lacking of technical equipment “or “internet access”.

23-42

Authors: Gülten Genç

This article examines the impact of some personal factors on the autonomous learning capacity of student teachers in a foreign language department. The sample group of the study consisted of 146 prospective English teachers in the Educational Faculty of a state university. The participants were asked to anonymously fill out a questionnaire involving two parts which respectively investigated their background and autonomous learning capacity. The first part of the questionnaire is a combination of open-ended and multiple-choice items concerning the participant’s age, gender, foreign language achievement, type of their high school and their degree. The second part of the questionnaire was originally developed to evaluate autonomous learning capacity of the students. The data were used to provide a descriptive and correlational analysis to address the research questions. The results indicate that there is a significant relationship between autonomous learning capacity of student teachers and some variables of the study. Finally, some practical recommendations were noted

95-118

Authors: İ.Seçkin Aydın - N. Sena Kaya - Uğur Bayraktar

The attitudes composing one part of psyhologic factors in Turkish teaching light the way of language teaching. Attitude means a mental, emotional and behavioral response pre-disposition which the person orginizes based on himself or any object around him or any experience towards social issues or events, information, emotion and motivation. (İnceoğlu, 2010: 13). Attitudes aren't congenital; they are acquired in time. A person acquires the attitude culturally while becoming socialized. In other words; attitudes are learnt by living. (Tavşancıl, 2002: 71). Our attitude towards events and our perception lies in solving of many problems realted to behoviour. The difficulties with which the students encounter while learning Turkish has been the subject of many studies about education. While some issues are because of school conditions and teacher qualifications, others are due to the child's environment, family and sometimes factors related to child's himself. Students' previous education experiences cause them to gain positive or negative attitudes towards scholl and lessons. The purpose of this study is to make an examination on the articles written about the attitudes of students in Turkish teaching. Meta-analysis was used in that research. In meta analysis studies, statistical findings of different researches trying to serve the same purpose are commented and reviewed. (Büyüköztürk, 2012:223). In this context, A meta-analysis of studies involving student attitudes towards learning in all areas of the Turkish education will help to overcome the deficiencies in this area. The results of the research will contribute to the reorganization of certain contents which are seen as incomplete or problem

126-132

Authors: M. Pınar Babanoğlu - Reyhan Ağçam

Corrective feedback (CF) has become a significant notion in EFL learning as it is seen as a facilitator to enhance L2 learning. CF is basically refer to any feedback provided to learner containing evidence of learner error of language form (Russel & Spada, 2006), or an immediate response by teacher to learner utterances containing error explained which is also theoretically a complex phenomenon with several functions (Lyster, et.al., 2012). A distinction can be drawn whether CF types are being implicit or explicit that there is not a clear indication of error in implicit CF whereas there is in explicit CF types. This study investigates the explicit and implicit CF types used by teachers in EFL classrooms in primary levels aiming at to see whether there are quantitative differences in the preference of CF types being explicit/implicit. Data of the study gathered from EFL classroom teachers’ course session observations at various levels of primary school. Methodology depends on frequency analysis of CF types employed by teachers during EFL course sessions. Results favored explicit CF types by teachers during EFL sessions

165-182

Authors: Mehmet KARA - Mete Yusuf USTABULUT

The main aim of this study is to identify reading aloud errors of the bilingual Turkish children while teaching standard Turkish to them and to show the methods and techniques that can be used to correct these reading aloud errors. Due to the contribution of reading aloud to multiple language skills, detecting of errors made during reading aloud and their eliminations will contribute greatly to the development of reading, listening, speaking and writing skills. In this study, 16 different reading aloud errors were detected. These errors were 16 different reading aloud errors under two main headings as pronunciation and posture. They were repeating words, repeating syllables, eliding syllables, eliding sounds, elision, pronunciation, crosstalk, spelling mistakes, uttering failure, adding sounds, adding syllables, adding words, uncontrolled breathing, arrest, tracking with fingers, leaning while reading. In this study, the text “Olive Cube” with 812 words was designated as an application text on the basis of students’ proficiency levels. The students were made to read aloud the text and the data was collected by video recording while the students were reading. This study is an observational, descriptive model of qualitative research built upon video recording, video decoding and observation. The data was obtained according to proficiency levels, genders and marriage types. As a result of the study, totally 4689 errors were recorded in all of the proficiency classes. In all of the classes most errors were made in repeating words. It was shown that as the students’ levels increased, their error numbers decreased. When we measured all the reading aloud errors in all the proficiency classes according to students’ genders, it was emerged that the average errors that the female students made was lower than those of male students. Female students did all errors less than male students. When we evaluated the students’ reading aloud errors regarding their parents’ marriage types, the error making means of students with both Turkish mothers and fathers was less than those who were born within mixed marriages. The students born in a mixed marriage did all the types of errors more than the students with Turkish parents. As to suggestions, reading aloud techniques have been mentioned.

235-246

Authors: Necmi Aytan - Hayrettin Tunçel

The aim of the research is to determine how the use of cartoons in a functional direction impacts on students’ achievement in teaching Turkish as a foreign language. One group post-test model is designed to be used in qualitative research. The sample group of the research consists of 15 participants who study Turkish at A1- elementary level as a foreign language at TOMER in Antalya International University. In the study for the purpose of collecting data question paper which contains the questions about the cartoon named ‘Oscar in the Desserts’ was used. Participants have watched short animated film called ‘Oscar in the Desserts’ twice. From watched visual to the screen photos which are belong to place questions asked were transferred to Power Point. Participants saw photos related to each sentence with a reminder function in the Power Point screen. In the result of this study ıt has been shown that the Turkish language teaching to the foreigners right visual materials such as cartoons are found useful when used functional in accordance with the age and level. In teaching Turkish as a foreign language courses; cartoons and other visuals have been found to provide a better understanding of the class they help to have an enjoyable lesson.

261-274

Authors: Sevgül Türkmenoğlu

The religious perception in Turkish novel begins with novel writing movement which starts with Tanzimat period, administrative reforms. Very intensive religious perception isn’t experienced in the first novel patterns in Tanzimat period and Servet-i Fünun period. In that period pieces, some concepts about religion are talked about in shortly and mental way. Being situated religious perception in novel intensely begins in National literature and republic periods. Religious perception is negative mostly in that period pieces. Religious men are generally dishonest, unreliable, self-seeker, uneducated and rude people. The profile of that religious man is presented to readers by a repulsive figure becomes subject in Turkish novel during long period. We don’t meet a novel which is written in respect of the viewpoint of the victorian people. Because, the victorian people don’t show interest to novel genre. One of the first islamic novel examples is “Minyeli Abdullah” novel which is written by Hekimoğlu İsmail in 1967. After that, too many islamic novels are published. Later, especially in 1980s and 1990s, religious novels gain importance. There is a cliche fiction in novel which is named “The right way novel” and generally taken shape with love theme. A religious young man and a young girl in search are protagonists of the novel. The fiction of the novel continues with love between them. Generally, the young girl finds the right way by being impressed with the religious young man. She puts on headscarf and assimilates islamic lifestyle. In thet work, three “the right way novel” examples will be discussed about fiction similarities.

289-302

Authors: Ünal Zal

Tales which have been narrated orally mean lexially as touching and meaningful statements, stories good in terms of manners and morality; a literary genre depicting extraordinary events happened to human beings and gods, which are generally generated by public, narrated orally, and handed down from generation to generation (Turkish Dictionary 2005). The main aim of works written in this genre is to give advice to individuals and society, to help them comrehend certain facts and events, to educate, and entertain them. Works in this genre, though small in size, which were produced orally first, and then turned into written form carry great significance in terms of the message they convey. In other words, tales are like hidden seeds within the stone of fruit. Like big stones which have been eroded for centuries, and appeared so beautifully, tales are a collection of ideas which have been distilled for centuries. Therefore, tales are the best way to express human values succintly. The works in this genre can be regarded as distilled wisdom, and it is difficult to state them in another form. Tale and its elements which contain the accumulation of centuries can easily adapt to daily life, and remain lively in every period as they have a flexible structure. In this study, the tales, and their topics written by Ak Welsapar, one of the significant representatives of the current Turkman literature abroad, and his thoughts about this genre will be dwelt upon; also, on the basis of the works in this genre, some assessments will be made regarding the place, and significance of tales on Turkman literature, culture, and social life

312-323

Authors: Zeliha Zühal Güven

The rapidly developing information and computer technology has enabled people to use new methods and tools in learning a foreign language. Owing to the widespread use of Internet, particularly, anyone today can achieve any resource anywhere and anytime. The aim of this study was to develop a scale that can be used in determining the attitudes of university students in using media and information technology tools while learning English. The study population comprised the students at Ahmet Kelesoglu Faculty of Education and the Faculty of Social Siences and Humanity, in Konya Necmettin Erbakan University. The randomly selected participants from different departments, 128 female and 85 male students, 213 in total, took part in the study voluntarily. The ages of the participants were between 18 and 21. The exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to determine the construct validity of “The Attitude Scale for the Use of Media and Information Technology Tools in Learning English”, the distinctiveness of items was examined and following the item analysis, the Cronbach Alpha coefficient was found to be .91. As a result of the varimax rotation factor analysis, the scale was found to have four factors, the correlation of which revealed a positive and linear relationship between the factors (p< .01). The reliability coefficients of the four factors ranged from .69 to .90. The statistical analysis revealed that the scale is of validity, reliability and four factors

343-352

Authors: Amir KHALIZADEH

Vowel harmony (VH) is a phonological rule which is mainly related with the vowels, though some degrees of harmony exist between vowels and consonants and also between some consonants in the dialects of Azerbaijan Turkish in Iran. The purpose of this paper is to study the treatment of vowel harmony in the dialects of Azerbaijan Turkish in Iran. In fact, the researcher has made an attempt to find a reliable answer to the question "Is vowel harmony realized in the speech of the Azerbaijan Turks in Iran?" Using the necessary linguistic data collected from the inforants of the dialects and within the framework of generative phonology, the author of the paper has attempted to evaluate the present-day situation of vowel harmony in the above-mentioned dialects of Azerbaijan Turkish (a synchronic study). The results of the study showed that, except some violations mostly observed in the loanwords, there is an innate harmony in the roots of the words and a stronger and more stable harmony between the roots and the suffixes of these dialects, so vowel harmony is realized in these dialects to a relatively high degree. The study demonstrates that vowel harmony is a major and distinctive phonological rule in these dialects.