PERCEPTIONS OF TURKISH EFL TEACHERS ABOUT THE INSTRUCTION OF VOCABULARY LEARNING STRATEGIES

Abstract

Given that it is the basis of any language, vocabulary is a fundamental component in learning a foreign language. This study aims at exploring the perceptions of Turkish EFL teachers regarding how they value vocabulary learning strategies (VLS) and the extent of using them in their classroom practices. Another purpose is to unveil the most and the least commonly applied VLS by EFL teachers in the Turkish state secondary schools context. 26 EFL teachers from 15 different schools participated in this mixed-methods sequential explanatory designed study. The quantitative data were gathered through a questionnaire based on Schmitt's taxonomy of VLS and analysed via Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine teachers and the data were interpreted via thematic analysis. The findings revealed that EFL teachers place special emphasis on vocabulary learning and teaching. Besides, a significant relationship was found between the importance level and application level of VLS, revealing that EFL teachers mostly employed the strategies that they considered important. However, the most frequently applied strategy turned out to be the determination strategy group although the most important strategy group was perceived as memory strategies. Teachers seemed to have difficulty instructing the strategies they regard as significant. Such factors as intensive curriculum, insufficient course books, exam-oriented instruction, limited course hours, inadequate equipment, and indifferent learners were determined to restrain teachers from instructing different kinds of VLS.

Keywords

• Vocabulary Teaching
• Vocabulary Learning Strategies
• Strategy Instruction
• Teachers’ Perceptions.

KELİME ÖĞRENME STRATEJİLERİNİN ÖĞRETİMİ KONUSUNDA TÜRKİYE’DEKİ İNGİLİZCE ÖĞRETMENLERİNİN ALGILARI

Abstract

Herhangi bir dilin temeli olduğu göz önüne alındığında, kelime bilgisi yabancı dil öğrenmenin temel bir bileşenidir. Bu çalışma, Türkiye’deki İngilizce öğretmenlerinin kelime öğrenme stratejilerine (VLS) nasıl değer verdiklerine ve bunları sınıf uygulamalarında ne ölçüde kullandıklarına ilişkin algılarını araştırmayı amaçlamaktadır. Diğer bir amaç, Türk devlet ortaokulları bağlamında İngilizce öğretmenleri tarafından en çok ve en az uygulanan kelime öğrenme stratejilerini ortaya çıkarmaktır. Bu açımlayıcı sıralı karma yöntemli çalışmaya 15 farklı okuldan 26 İngilizce öğretmeni katılmıştır. Nicel veriler, Schmitt'in Kelime Öğrenme Yöntemleri taksonomisine dayalı bir anket aracılığıyla toplanmış ve Sosyal Bilimler için İstatistiksel Paket (SPSS) aracılığıyla analiz edilmiştir. 9 öğretmen ile yarı yapılandırılmış görüşmeler yapılmış ve veriler tematik analiz yoluyla yorumlanmıştır. Bulgular, İngilizce öğretmenlerinin kelime öğrenimi ve öğretimine özel önem verdiğini ortaya koydu. Ayrıca, kelime öğrenme stratejilerinin önem düzeyi ile uygulama düzeyi arasında anlamlı bir ilişki bulunmuştur ve bu da İngilizce öğretmenlerinin en çok önemli gördükleri stratejileri kullandıklarını ortaya koymaktadır. Ancak en önemli strateji grubu hafıza stratejileri olarak algılansa da en sık uygulanan strateji belirleme strateji grubu olmuştur. Öğretmenlerin önemli gördükleri stratejileri öğretirken zorlandıkları görülmektedir. Yoğun müfredat, yetersiz ders kitapları, sınav odaklı öğretim, sınırlı ders saatleri, yetersiz donanım ve ilgisiz öğrenciler gibi faktörlerin öğretmenleri farklı VLS türlerini öğretmekten alıkoyduğu belirlenmiştir.

Keywords

• Kelime Öğretimi
• Kelime Öğretme Stratejileri
• Strateji Eğitimi
• Öğretmen Algıları.

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