Global Issues in EFL Teaching: EFL Lecturers’ Voices at a State University

Abstract

Though the inclusion of global issues (GIs) -such as war, health problems, and environmental pollution- in foreign language teaching materials and contents dates back to few decades ago, its reflections in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teaching contexts in Turkey have not been investigated sufficiently. Drawn from this local gap the authors decided to conduct this qualitative research at a state university to unfold the views of EFL lecturers on integrating GIs into teaching English. The authors obtained the data through a short survey of open-ended questions and follow-up semi-structured interviews. The analysis of the data was conducted through inductive content analysis method. The findings indicate that EFL lecturers have a clear understanding of GIs and they prefer coursebook dependent and independent methods to incorporate GIs in language teaching. Also, they address young adults at tertiary level with at least B1 level of English proficiency to be the best target learner groups for embedding GIs in language teaching. In addition, they prefer mostly speaking and writing skills to incorporate GIs in their teaching with students whose majors could invoke interest. The study ends with several methodological and pedagogical implications for researchers and teachers to incorporate GIs in EFL teaching.

Keywords

• EFL Lecturers’ Views
• English as a Foreign Language
• English Language Teaching
• Global Education
• Global Issues in Language Teaching

Yabancı Dil Olarak İngilizcenin Öğretiminde Küresel Konular: Bir Devlet Üniversitesindeki İngilizce Öğretim Görevlilerinin Görüşleri

Abstract

Savaş, sağlık sorunları ve çevre kirliliği gibi küresel sorunların yabancı dil öğretim materyallerine ve içeriğine dahil edilmesi birkaç on yıl öncesine dayanmasına rağmen, Türkiye'deki yabancı dil olarak İngilizcenin öğretimi bağlamındaki yansımaları yeterince araştırılmamıştır. Bu yerel boşluktan yola çıkarak, yazarlar öğretim görevlilerinin İngilizce öğretiminde küresel sorunların dahil edilmesine ilişkin görüşlerini toplayarak bu nitel araştırmayı bir devlet üniversitesinde yapmaya karar vermişlerdir. Yazarlar veriyi açık uçlu sorulardan oluşan kısa bir anket ve yarı yapılandırılmış mülakat aracılığı ile toplamıştır. Elde edilen verinin analizi tümevarımsal içerik analizi yöntemi ile yapılmıştır. Çalışmanın bulguları İngilizce öğretim görevlilerinin küresel sorunlar hakkında net bir fikre sahip olduklarını ve küresel sorunları dil öğretimine entegre etmek için ders kitabına bağlı ve bağımsız yöntemleri tercih ettiklerini göstermektedir. Ayrıca, İngilizce öğretim görevlileri, küresel sorunları dil öğretiminin içerisinde kullanabilmek için en iyi hedef öğrenci grupları olarak en az B1 İngilizce yeterlilik seviyesine sahip üniversite düzeyindeki genç yetişkinlere değinmektedirler. Buna ek olarak, öğretim görevlileri öğrencilerin öğrenim gördükleri kendi bölümlerinin küresel konulara ilişkin ilgilerini oluşturabileceğini dikkate alarak küresel konuları çoğunlukla konuşma ve yazma becerileri öğretiminde kullanmayı tercih etmektedirler. Çalışma, araştırmacıların ve öğretmenlerin küresel konuları İngilizceyi yabancı dil olarak öğretimine dahil etmeleri için çeşitli metodolojik ve pedagojik sonuçlar ile sona ermektedir.

Keywords

• Dil Eğitiminde Küresel Sorunlar
• İngiliz Dili Eğitimi
• İngilizce Öğretim Görevlilerinin Görüşleri
• Küresel Eğitim

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