İngilizceyi Yabancı Dil olarak Öğrenen Hazırlık Sınıfı Öğrencilerinin Eleştirel Düşünme Eğilimleri ve İngilizce Dil Yeterliğindeki Rolü: Karma Yöntemli Bir Çalışma

Öz

Yabancı dil (L2) gelişimi, bir dizi bilişsel, duyuşsal ve sosyal faktörün etkilediği çok yönlü bir süreçtir. Bunlar arasında eleştirel düşünme, yabancı dil öğrenme sonuçlarına potansiyel katkı sağlayan bir faktör olarak literatürde yaygın olarak tartışılmıştır. Bu varsayımdan yola çıkarak bu çalışma, hazırlık sınıfındaki İngilizceyi yabancı dil olarak öğrenen Türk öğrencilerinin eleştirel düşünme eğilimleri ile İngilizce dil yeterliliği arasındaki ilişkiyi incelemeyi amaçlamıştır. Çalışmaya, bir devlet üniversitesinin hazırlık programına kayıtlı olan ve daha sonra İngilizce Öğretmenliği (n = 40) ile İngiliz Dili ve Edebiyatı (n = 47) programlarında öğrenim görecek 87 öğrenci katılmıştır. Katılımcıların 38'i erkek, 49'u kadındır. Veriler, Ricketts ve Rudd (2005) tarafından geliştirilen ve Demircioğlu (2012) tarafından Türkçeye uyarlanan Eleştirel Düşünme Eğilimi Envanteri kullanılarak toplanmıştır. Bu araç, üç alt boyuttan oluşan beş puanlık likert tipi bir ölçektir ve katılım, bilişsel olgunluk ve yenilikçilik alt boyutlarına sahiptir. Katılımcıların ara sınav puanları, İngilizce dil yeterliliklerinin göstergesi olarak kullanılmıştır. İstatistiksel analizler, Mann-Whitney U testi ve Spearman korelasyon analizi kullanılarak SPSS (sürüm 21) ile yapılmıştır. Nicel sonuçlar, katılımcıların orta düzeyde eleştirel düşünme eğilimi gösterdiğini ortaya koymuştur. Ancak bu eğilimleri ile genel İngilizce dil yeterliliği veya bireysel dil becerileri (İngilizce dil kullanımı, yazma, dinleme, konuşma) arasında anlamlı bir ilişki bulunmamıştır. Diğer yandan, nitel bulgular, katılımcıların eleştirel düşünmeyi İngilizce dil yeterliliklerini geliştiren önemli bir yapı olarak algıladıklarını ortaya koymuştur. Çelişkili bulgular doğrultusunda, bu tutarsızlıkların sonuçları eleştirel bir biçimde tartışılmaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• eleştirel düşünme
• eğilim
• İngilizce
• Dil yeterliği

Critical Thinking Dispositions of Preparatory EFL Students and Their Role in English Language Competence: A Mixed-Methods Study

Öz

Foreign/additional language (L2) development is a multifaceted process influenced by a range of cognitive, affective, and social factors. Among these, critical thinking (CT) has been widely discussed in the literature as a potential contributor to L2 competence and learning. Building on this assumption, the present study aimed to examine the relationship between CT dispositions and English language competence among preparatory Turkish EFL students. The study involved 87 students enrolled in a preparatory program at a state university, who would subsequently study in the English Language Teaching (n = 40) and English Language and Literature (n = 47) programs. Of the participants, 38 were male, and 49 were female. Data were collected using the Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory developed by Ricketts and Rudd (2005) and adapted into Turkish by Demircioğlu (2012). The instrument is a five-point Likert-type scale comprising three sub-dimensions: engagement, cognitive maturity, and innovativeness. Participants' self-reported mid-term examination scores served as the indicators of their English language competence. Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS (version 21) and employing the Mann–Whitney U test and Spearman correlation analysis. The quantitative results indicated that the participants demonstrated moderate levels of CT disposition. However, no significant relationship was found between CT dispositions and overall English language competence, or competence across individual language skills (use of English, writing, listening, and speaking). On the other hand, the qualitative findings revealed that participants perceive CT as a crucial construct that enhances their English language competence. In line with the contradictory findings, the implications of these inconsistencies are critically discussed.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• critical thinking
• disposition
• English
• language competence

Kaynakça

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