TEACHERS’ AND STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS OF FLOW IN SPEAKING ACTIVITIES

Year 2012, Volume: 8 Issue: 16, 283 - 306, 01.01.2012

Burcu Ak Şentürk

Abstract

Recently, there has been a growing interest in the study of flow experience in the language classroom. However, the existence of the flow experience while performing different tasks in speaking lessons remains unknown. Flow theory is described as an experiential state characterized by intense focus and involvement that leads to improved performance on a task Csikszentmihalyi, 1988, 1990 . This study was designed to investigate teachers’ and students’ perceptions about the existence of flow experience in speaking courses. The qualitative and quantitative analyses indicated that flow exists in speaking classes; however, there is a significant difference among each task in terms of the perception of flow. Results also showed that there is a significant relationship between the type of the activity and affective engagement in terms of students’ perception of task control, task appeal, focused attention and challenge. The findings also revealed that teachers could facilitate the flow experience for students by developing tasks that might lead to flow.

Keywords

Flow, Flow Experience, Affective Engagement / Affective Response, Task

İNGİLİZCE KONUŞMA DERSLERİNDE KULLANILAN AKTİVİTELER ÜZERİNDEKİ “FLOW” ETKİSİ

Abstract

Bu çalışma, İngilizce konuşma derslerinde sekiz farklı aktivitede öğrencilerin ne ölçüde “flow”” etkisi yaşadığını incelemiştir. Çalışmada kullanılan aktiviteler tartışma, drama, dil oyunları, mülakat, bilgi, sorun çözme, resim anlatımı ve hikaye anlatma. Nitel ve nicel analizler “flowun” dil sınıflarında mevcut olduğunu fakat aktiviteler arasında önemli farklılıklar olduğunu göstermektedir. Sonuçlar ayrıca gösterdi ki aktivitelerle öğrencilerin “flow” deneyimi arasındaki ilişkiyi öğrencilerin aktivite üzerindeki kontrolü, aktivitenin ilgi çekici olması, öğrencilerin konuya odaklanması ve güçlük seviyesi etkilemektedir. Analizler gösterdi ki eğer aktivite dört “flow” boyutunu içeriyorsa, öğrencilerin “flow” yaşama olasılığı artmaktadır. Sonuçlar ayrıca gösterdi ki öğretmenler “flow” yaşamayı sağlayıcı aktiviteler hazırlayarak öğrencilerin “flow” yaşama olasılığını artırabilirler.

Keywords

“Flow”, Duygusal Motivasyon, Aktivite, Flow Deneyimi

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