Old Wine in a New Bottle: Implementation of Intensive Language Program in the 5th Grade in Turkey

Year 2018, Volume: 4 Issue: 2, 301 - 324, 26.09.2018

Erdem Aksoy , Derya Bozdoğan , Ufuk Akbaş , Gölge Seferoğlu

https://doi.org/10.32601/ejal.464187

Cited By: 7

Abstract

In search of
ways to better the foreign language proficiency levels of their citizens,
governments frequently announce macro foreign language policies. In Turkey, the
latest education reform in 2013 lowered the onset of foreign language learning
to the second grade. The piloting of the latest foreign language policy is in
progress to transform the fifth grade to an English Language Preparation
Program (ELPP). In line with the current changes, this study collects the
secondary school English language teachers’ opinions at the initial stage of
the implementation. This qualitative case study questions the advantages,
disadvantages, success and possible challenges of the implementation, and the necessary
support mechanisms. The secondary school English language teachers reflect on
their past experiences of intensive language programs and hold an overall
positive approach to the new ELLP implementation. All in all, to achieve
success, the findings highlight the need for teacher training on teaching
English to young learners, for a sound integration of communicative language
teaching with authentic materials.

Keywords

English language policy, intensive language program, English language teachers’ opinions, teaching English to young learners

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