Challenges of English Language Teaching in High Schools in Turkey and Possible Suggestions to Overcome Them

Year 2019, Volume: 5 Issue: 1, 41 - 55, 24.03.2019

Aycan Demir Ayaz Sinem Ozkardas Tuba Ozturan

https://doi.org/10.32601/ejal.543778

Cited By: 13

Abstract

The
English language curriculum prepared by the Ministry of National Education for
high schools in Turkey seems to be satisfactory in theory, but the related
studies about the attitudes of actual practitioners towards English classes in
high schools are not detailed and comprehensive enough. This study aims to fill
this gap. To do so, qualitative research
was conducted with 13 English language teachers and 55 high school students
from different parts of Turkey. They were asked for their opinions,
applications, observations, and challenges of the English language teaching
system in their high schools and some suggestions for the problematic issues
were requested from them via open-ended questions. The data were analyzed descriptively;
the results showed that most teachers are not satisfied with the coursebooks,
crowded classes, quite limited class hours, and unmotivated students. Their
main suggestions cover the privatization of education, having language
libraries, labs, speaking clubs, and more lesson hours for English and
decreasing the number of students in each classroom. Additionally, teachers want to attend international seminars
to become aware of the latest methods/sources. Students have some valuable
suggestions for the improvements as well. Nearly all of the students are
unhappy about the coursebooks; thus, they suggest them to be revised. They also
want to join international projects and improve their language skills. As a
result of the study, suggestions covering many issues like coursebooks,
assessment, teacher training, and European projects were proposed with an aim
to diminish the gap between theories and applications in real classes. 

Keywords

High school English classes, challenges, suggestions, attitudes of teachers and students

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