Strengths and Weaknesses of Primary School English Language Teaching Programs in Turkey: Issues Regarding Program Components

Year 2018, Volume: 4 Issue: 2, 325 - 347, 26.09.2018

Ali Erarslan

https://doi.org/10.32601/ejal.464194

Cited By: 6

Abstract

Today, the ability to communicate
in English is a need brought about by the globalization process encompassing
developments in many fields such as science and technology. To address this
need, English language teaching programs in Turkey (henceforth ELTP) underwent
substantial changes within the larger curriculum reform movements taking place
in 1997, 2006 and 2013, the last of which is also called the 4+4+4 education
system. In these ELTPs, major differences were based on primary school English
language teaching and learning.  However,
there is a growing claim that these ELTPs did not achieve the intensions in
equipping primary school students with the necessary communicative skills in
English. Thus, this integrative literature review study aims to explore the
results of the evaluation studies so as to understand the strengths and
weaknesses of each ELTP regarding such program components as aims and outcomes,
content, materials, and testing and assessment. In line with this, studies
conducted to evaluate the 1997, 2006 and 2013 ELTPs were examined thoroughly,
and their findings were identified for the analysis. The analysis of the
studies showed that problems with the ELTPs under evaluation included not
carefully written aims and outcomes failing to include all domains. It also
reveals problems with the selection and design of the content and materials
which failed to be adequate and effective. Lastly, reliance on paper-based
assessment even failing to include productive skills is seen to be another
problem. All these issues seem to be persistent over all the ELTPs, thus they
call for careful consideration and action for the improvement of further
program changes.

Keywords

English language teaching program, evaluation, language teaching, primary school, program components

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