Exploring the influence of the Socrates Seminar Technique on anxiety, motivation, and reading comprehension in foreign learners of Turkish

Abstract

This research aims to study the effects of the Socrates Seminar Technique on foreigners' Turkish learning anxiety, motivation, and reading comprehension skills. For this purpose, a pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design with a control group, which is one of the quantitative research methods, was used in this research. The study group of the research consists of 40 B2 level students learning Turkish at Bandırma Onyedi Eylül University, Turkish and Foreign Language Teaching Application and Research Center (BANÜ-TÖMER). To collect the research data, the Reading-Comprehension Achievement Test prepared by the researchers, the "Foreigners' Turkish Learning Anxiety Scale" designed by Sevim (2019a), and the "Motivation Scale for Learning Turkish as a Foreign Language" developed by Sevim (2019b) were used. Simple and predictive statistical methods were used to analyze data obtained via evaluation tools. After evaluating the findings obtained from the research, it was concluded that implementing the Socrates Seminar Technique in course activities led to increased reading comprehension achievement and enhanced motivation among students learning Turkish, while also reducing their anxiety levels associated with learning the language. Additionally, the study aims to provide concrete examples of course activities developed using the Socrates Seminar Technique in the realm of foreign language teaching. This study is intended to benefit both teachers and students, offering practical insights to enhance the teaching process in what is commonly perceived as a challenging domain.

Keywords

• Teaching Turkish as a foreign language
• motivation
• anxiety
• reading comprehension
• Socrates Seminar Technique

References

1. Abdullah, E. R. (2005). Yabanci Dil Öğretiminde Okuma. Atatürk Üniversitesi Kazım Karabekir Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, (12), 208-218.
2. Acim, R. (2018). The Socratic method of instruction: An experience with a reading comprehension course. Journal of Educational Research and Practice, 8(1), 41-53. https://doi.org/10.5590/JERAP.2018.08.1.04
3. Anderson, L. W., & Krathwohl, D. R. (2001). A taxonomy for learning, teaching, and assessing: A revision of Bloom's taxonomy of educational objectives. Longman.
4. Aydin, M. Z. (2001). Aktif öğretim yöntemlerinden buldurma (Sokrat) yöntemi. Cumhuriyet Üniversitesi İlahiyat Fakültesi Dergisi, 5(1), 55-80.
5. Barnett, M. A. (1988). Teaching reading in a foreign language. ERIC, Clearinghouse on Languages and Linguistics Washington DC.
6. Boylu, E., & Işık, Ö. F. (2017). Türkçeyi yabancı dil olarak öğrenenlerin Türkçeye yönelik algılarının metaforlar aracılığı ile belirlenmesi. Ana Dili Eğitimi Dergisi, 5(3), 450-471.
7. Büyüköztürk, Ş., Çokluk, Ö. ve Köklü, N. (2018). Sosyal bilimler için istatistik. Ankara: Pegem Akademi.
8. Coffey, H. (2010). Socratic method. Northern Nevada science teachers present: Climate change activities for the classroom, 165.

9. Copeland, M. (2005). Socratic circles: Fostering critical and creative thinking in middle and high school. Stenhouse Publishers.
10. Crookes, G., & Schmidt, R. W. (1991). Motivation: Reopening the research agenda. Language learning, 41(4), 469-512.
11. Demirel, Ö. (1999). İlköğretim okullarında yabancı dil öğretimi. İstanbul: MEB.
12. Dinklage, K. (1971). Inability to learn a foreign language. In G. Blaine & C. McArthur (Eds.), Emotional problems of the student (pp. 185-206). New York: Appleton Century Crofts.
13. Epçaçan, C. (2013). Sokrat Semineri Tekniğine Dayali Öğretimin Öğrencilerin Okuduğunu Anlama Becerisine ve Okumaya İlişkin Tutuma Etkisi. Journal of Academic Studies, 15(58).
14. Gardner, R. C., & Lambert, W. E. (1959). Motivational variables in second-language acquisition. Canadian Journal of Psychology/Revue canadienne de psychologie, 13(4), 266.
15. Gardner, R. C. (1985). The Attitude/Motivation Test Battery: Technical Report.
16. Gardner, R. C., Lalonde, R.N. Moorcroft, R., ve Evers, F.T. (1987b). Second language attrition: the role of motivation and use. Journal of Language and Social Psychology, 6, 29 – 47.
17. Gardner, R. C., Moorcroft, R. ve MacIntyre, P.D. (1987a). The role of anxiety in second language performance of language dropouts (Research Bulletin No. 657) London: University of Western Ontario.
18. Güzel, A. (2010). İki Dilli Türk Çocuklarına Türkçe Öğretimi. Öncü Basımevi, Ankara.
19. Horwitz, E. K. (1986). Preliminary evidence for the reliability and validity of a foreign language anxiety scale. Tesol Quarterly, 20(3), 559-562.
20. Horwitz, E. K. ve Young, D.J. (1991). Language Anxiety: From Theory and Research to Classroom Implications. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
21. Ivančević-Otanjac, M. (2016). Students with language learning disabilities and difficulties in a foreign language classroom. Specijalna edukacija i rehabilitacija, 15(4), 461-474.
22. Kırbaş, A (2022). Türkçe Öğretimine Kullanılan Yöntem ve Teknikler. Kırkkılıç, H. A., Epçaçan, C., Ulaş, A. H., & Sevim, O. (2022). Türkçe Öğretimi: Kuram/Metodoloji/ Uygulama (135-150). Anı Yayıncılık, Ankara.
23. Kilmen, S. (2015). Eğitim araştırmacıları için SPSS: Uygulamalı istatistik. Ankara: Edge Akademi Yayıncılık.
24. Kocaöz, H. T. (2019). Sokrat Semineri Tekniği İle Öğrencilerin Okuduğunu Anlama Seviyelerinin Belirlenmesi. In BOOK OF PROCEEDINGS.
25. Krashen, S. (1982). Principles and practice in second language acquisition. Oxford: Pergamon.
26. MacIntyre, P. D., & Gardner, R. C. (1989). Anxiety and second‐language learning: Toward a theoretical clarification. Language learning, 39(2), 251-275.
27. MacIntyre, P.D. ve Gardner, R.C. (1989). Anxiety and second language learning: Toward a theoretical clarification. Language Learning, 39, 251 – 275.
28. Mikulecky, B. S. (2008). Teaching reading in a second language. Recuperado de http://longmanhomeusa. com.
29. Miles, J. ve Shevlin, M. (2001). Applying regression and correlation: A guide for students and researchers. California: Sage.
30. Nunan, D. (2002). Listening in language learning. Methodology in language teaching: An anthology of current practice, 238-241.
31. Pimsleur, P., Sundland, D.M., & Mclntyre, R. (1964). Under achievement in foreign language learning. International Review of Applied Linguistics, 2, 113-150
32. Power, K. M. & Kasap, S. (2019). Anxiety in the EFL Speaking Classrooms. The Journal of Language Teaching and Learning, 9(2), 23-36.
33. Reeve, J. (2018). Understanding motivation and emotion. John Wiley & Sons.
34. Richards, J. C. (2003). Current trends in teaching listening and speaking. The language teacher, 27(7), 17-19.
35. Scovel, T. (1991). ‘The Effect of affect on Foreign language learning: A review of the anxiety research’, in Horwitz, E.K., & Young, D. J. (eds.) Language Anxiety: From Theory and Research to Classroom Implications. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, pp. 15-24.
36. Sevim, O. (2019a). Yabancıların Türkçe öğrenme kaygıları ölçeği: Güvenirlik ve geçerlik çalışması. Bayburt Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 14(28), 253-274.
37. Sevim, O. (2019b). Yabancı dil olarak Türkçe öğrenmeye yönelik motivasyon: Bir ölçek geliştirme çalışması. Atatürk Üniversitesi Türkiyat Araştırmaları Enstitüsü Dergisi, (65), 567-586.
38. Sparks, R.L. ve Ganschow, L. (1993a). The impact of native language learning problems on foreign language learning: case study illustrations of the linguistic coding deficit hypothesis. Modern Language Journal, 77, 58 – 74.
39. Sparks, R.L. ve Ganschow, L. (1993b). Searching for the cognitive locus of foreign language learning difficulties: linking first and second language learning. Modern Language Journal, 77, 289 – 302.
40. Tabachnick, B. G. And Fidell, L. S. (2013). Using multivariate statistics. Boston, Pearson.
41. Tan Hatun, E. (2023). Sokrat semineri tekniğinin sekizinci sınıf öğrencilerinin okuduğunu anlama ve eleştirel okuma becerilerine, okumaya yönelik tutum ve motivasyonlarına etkisi. (Doktora Tezi). Atatürk Üniversitesi, Eğitim Bilimleri Enstitüsü, Erzurum.
42. Waddell, A. C. (2021). The ımplementation of culturally relevant pedagogy and socratic seminar: the effect on African American students’ reading and their critical thinking (Publication No. 28541431) [Doctoral dissertation, University of South Carolina]. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global.
43. Watkins, T. B. (2017). Integrating socratic seminar with twitter in teacher preparation courses. Journal of Modern Education Review, 7(12) 841-847 https://doi.org/10.15341/jmer(2155-7993)/12.07.2017/002
44. Worley, C. A. (2019). Reading motivation and engagement in high school English classes [Doctoral dissertation, Carson-Newman University]. Stephens-Burnett Memorial Library. https://classic.cn.edu/libraries/tiny_mce/tiny_mce/plugins/filemanager/files/Dissertatio ns/Dissertations2019/Cassie_Worley.pdf