English Language Teacher Education in Turkey: Why Do We Fail and What Policy Reforms Are Needed?

Öz

With the changing paradigms in mainstream educational sciences identifying teacher education as a relatively independent area, approaches and policies in second language teacher education have undergone significant reforms throughout the world in the last two decades. Turkey, as a country in the midst of both social and cultural changes due to stream of events around it, has also attempted for such reforms in its English Language Teacher Education (ELTE) policies since the foundation of Higher Education Council leading to a unified model of pre-service teacher education. Teacher education, however, has always been one of the highly debated and criticized issues in the country by all the stakeholders. This paper scrutinizes the current ELTE policies in both pre-service and in-service levels in Turkey. The pre-service ELTE programs and how teachers are trained after graduation are presented focusing on the weaknesses and the drawbacks of the programs addressing to the relevant literature. Finally, the necessary policy reforms at all levels of teacher education are suggested by referring to the implementations of countries with high-quality teacher education systems.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• English language teacher education,pre-service education,in-service education,policy reforms

Kaynakça

1. Akcan, S., Aydın, B., Karaman, A. C., Seferoğlu, G., Korkmazgil, S., Özbilgin, A. & Selvi, A. F. (2016). Qualities and Qualifications of EFL Professionals: What Do Intensive English Program Administrators Think? TESOL Journal, 8 (3), 675-699.
2. Altan, M. Z. & Sağlamel, H. (2015). : Student teaching from the perspectives of cooperating teachers and pupils. Cogent Education, 2, 1-16. Doi: 10.1080/2331186X.2015.1086291
3. Araştıran Okul Akreditasyon ve Değerlendirme Merkezi Raporu (2018). Türk Eğitim Sistemi Sorunlar ve Çözüm Önerileri. http://arastiranokul.org/rapor.pdf
4. Aydın, B., Bayram, F., Canıdar, B., Çetin, G., Ergünay, O., Özdem, Z., Tunç, B. (2009).Views of English Language Teachers on the Affective Domain of Language Teaching in Turkey. Anadolu Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, 9 (1), 263-281.
5. Aydın, S. (2016). Türkiye’de yabancı dil öğretmeni yetiştirme: Bir öneri. The 4th National Conference on Foreign Language Education, May 10-11. Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart Üniversitesi, Çanakkale, Turkey.
6. Aydın, B., Sağlam, S. & Alan, B. (2016). Can CELTA qualification be the new bridge between pre-service and inservice education?: Perceptions of in-service teachers. ELT Research Journal, 5 (2), 155-176.
7. Conklin, H. G. (2015). Preparing Novice Teacher Educators in the Pedagogy of Teacher Education. Action in Teacher Education, 37 (4), 317-333.
8. Coskun, A., & Daloglu, A. (2010). Evaluating an English language teacher education program through Peacock’s model. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 35(6). http://dx.doi.org/10.14221/ajte.2010v35n6.2

9. Crandall, J-A. (2000). Language teacher education. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 20, 34–55.
10. Çelik, S. (2011). Characteristics and Competencies for Teacher Educators: Addressing the Need for Improved Professional Standards in Turkey. Australian Journal of Teacher Education. 36 (4), 73-87.
11. Davies, L. M. (2015). Teaching as a clinical profession: translational practices in initial teacher education – an international perspective. Journal of Education for Teaching, 41 (5), 514-528.
12. Eğitim-Sen (2017, 24 Nisan). Eğitim yöneticilerinin ‘sözlü sınav’la belirlenmesi, torpil ve siyasal kadrolaşma demektir! Temmuz 2017, http://egitimsen.org.tr/egitimyoneticilerinin-sozlu-sinavla-belirlenmesi-torpil-ve-siyasal-kadrolasma-demektir/
13. Farrell, T. S. C. (2009). The novice teacher experience. In A. Burns & J. C. Richards (Eds.), A Cambridge guide to second language teacher education (pp. 182-189). New York: Cambridge University Press.
14. Freeman, D. & Johnson, K. E. (1998). Reconceptualising the knowledge-base of language teacher education. TESOL Quarterly, 32 (3), 397–417.
15. Gebhard, J. G. (2009). The practicum. In A. Burns & J. C. Richards (Eds.), A Cambridge guide to second language teacher education (pp. 250-258). New York: Cambridge University Press.
16. Goodwin, A.L., Smith, L. Souto-Manning, M., Cheruvu, R., Tan, M. Y., Reed, R. & Taveras, L. (2014). What should teacher educators know and be able to do? Perspectives from practicing teacher educators. Journal of Teacher Education, 65(4) 284–302.
17. Greenberg, J., McKee, A., Walsh, K. (2013). Teacher prep review: A review of the nation’s teacher preparation programs. Washington, DC: National Council on Teacher Quality. Retrieved from http://www.nctq.org/teacherPrep Google Scholar
18. Gürsoy, E. & Damar, E. A. (2011). Cooperating teachers’ awareness about their role during the teaching practice course: The Turkish context. E-Journal of New World Sciences Academy, 6 (1), 54-65.
19. Gürsoy, E., Korkmaz, S.Ç., & Damar, A. E. (2013). Foreign language teaching within 4+4+4 education system in Turkey: Language teachers’ voice. Egitim Arastirmalari-Eurasian Journal of Educational Research, 53, 59-74.
20. İpek, Ö. F. & Daloğlu, A. (2017). The effectiveness of special teaching methods I course in preparing students to special teaching methods II course: A case study. Abant İzzet Baysal Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 17 (1), 231-249.
21. Johnson, K. E. (2009). Trends in second language teacher education. In A. Burns & J. C. Richards (Eds.), A Cambridge guide to second language teacher education (pp. 20-30). New York: Cambridge University Press.
22. Kang, Y. & Cheng, X. (2014). Teacher learning in the workplace: A study of the relationship between a novice EFL teacher’s classroom practices and cognition development. Language Teaching Research, 18 (2), 169-186.
23. Karabuğa, F. (2016). The perspectives of both pre-service teachers and their educators on EFL teacher education programs in Turkey. International Journal of Language Academy, 4 (1), 331-347.
24. Kelly, M. & Grenfell, M. (2004). European Profile for Language Teacher Education – A Frame of Reference. Retrieved from http://www.lang.soton.ac .uk/profile/report/index.htm.
25. Kırkgöz, Y. (2017). English Education Policy in Turkey. In R. Kirkpatrcik (Ed.), English Language Education Policy in Middle East and North Africa (pp. 235-256). Springer International Publishing.
26. Kumaravadivelu, B. (2001). Toward a Postmethod Pedagogy. TESOL Quarterly, 35(4), 537–557.
27. Küçüksüleymanoğlu, R. (2006). In-service training of ELT teachers in Turkey between 1998-2005. Uludağ Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 19 (2), 359–369.
28. Mahalingappa, L. J. & Polat, N. (2013). English language teacher education in Turkey: policy vs academic standards. European Journal of Higher Education, 3 (4), 371-383.
29. Matsko, K. K., Ronfeldt, M., Nolan, H. G., Klugman, J., Reininger, M., & Brockman, S., L., (2018). Cooperating Teacher as Model and Coach: What Leads to Student Teachers’ Perceptions of Preparedness? Journal of Teacher Education, 1-22. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022487118791992
30. MEB (2018). Güçlü Yarınlar İçin 2023 Eğitim Vizyonu, MEB, Ankara.
31. Menter, I., Hulme, M., Elliot, D. & Lewin, J. (2010). Literature review on teacher education in the 21st century: Scottish Government Social Research. Retrieved from https://www.gov.scot/resource/doc/325663/0105011.pdf
32. MoNE – Turkish Ministry of National Education [Milli Eğitim Bakanlığı] (2006). Generic teacher competencies [Genel öğretmen yeterlikleri] Retrieved from http://otmg.meb.gov.tr/belgeler/otmg/Generic_Teacher_ Competencies.pdf.
33. MoNE – Turkish Ministry of National Education [Milli Eğitim Bakanlığı] (2008). İngilizce öğretmeni özel alan yeterlikleri [Subject-area teacher competencies of English language teachers]. Retrieved from http://otmg.meb.gov.tr/alaningilizce.html.
34. NCATE (2010). Transforming Teacher Education through Clinical Practice: A National Strategy to Prepare Effective Teachers. Report of the Blue Ribbon Panel on Clinical Preparation and Partnerships for Improved Student Learning. Retrieved from https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED512807.
35. OECD (2005). Attracting, Developing and Retaining Effective Teachers - Final Report: Teachers Matter. OECD Publishing. Retrieved from http://www.oecd.org/education/school/attractingdevelopingandretainingeffectiveteachers-finalreportteachersmatter.htm#EO.
36. Ölmezer-Öztürk, E., & Aydın, B. (2018). Investigating language assessment knowledge of EFL teachers. Hacettepe University Journal of Education. Advance online publication. doi: 10.16986/HUJE.2018043465
37. Özşevik, Z. (2010). The use of communicative language teaching (CLT): Turkish EFL teachers’ perceived difficulties in implementing CLT in Turkey (Published MA thesis). University of Illinois, The USA.
38. Popham, W. J. (2006). All about accountability / Needed: A dose of assessment literacy. Educational Leadership, 63(6), 84-85.
39. Popham, J. W. (2009). Assessment literacy for teachers: Faddish or fundamental? Theory Into Practice, 48, 4-11.
40. Reinders, H. (2009). Technology and Second Language Teacher Education. In Burns, A. & Richards, J.C. (Eds.). The Cambridge guide to second language teacher education (pp. 230-237). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
41. Richards, J. C. (2008). Second language teacher education today. RELC Journal, 39 (2), 158–177.
42. Şallı-Çopur, D. S. (2008). Teacher effectiveness in initial years of service: A case study on the graduates of METU language education program (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey.
43. Schleicher, A (2018), World Class: How to build a 21st-century school system, Strong Performers and Successful Reformers in Education, OECD Publishing, Paris. http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/4789264300002
44. Seferoğlu, G. (2006). Teacher candidates' reflections on some components of a pre-service English teacher education programme in Turkey. Journal of Education for Teaching: International Research and Pedagogy, 32 (4), 369-378.
45. Shagrir, L. (2015). Professional development of novice teacher educators: professional self, interpersonal relations and teaching skills. Professional Development in Education, 36 (1-2), 45-60.
46. Solvie, P. & Sungur, E. (2012). Teaching for Success: Technology and Learning Styles in Preservice Teacher Education. Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education, 12(1), 6-40.
47. Stiggins, R. J. (2007). Conquering the formative assessment frontier. In J. H. McMillan (Ed.). Formative classroom assessment: Theory into Practice (pp. 8-28). New York, NY: Teachers College Press.
48. Şendağ, S. & Gedik, N. (2015). Teacher Training Problems of Turkey on the Threshold of Higher Education Transformation and a Support Model. Eğitim Teknolojisi Kuram ve Uygulama, 5 (1), 72- 91.
49. TEDMEM. (2014-2018). 2017 Eğitim Değerlendirme Raporu (TEDMEM Değerlendirme Dizisi 4). Ankara: Türk Eğitim Derneği Yayınları.
50. Tezgiden-Cakcak, S. Y. (2015). Preparing teacher candidates as passive technicians, reflective practitioners or transformative intellectuals (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey.
51. The American Federation of Teachers, the National Council on Measurement in Education, and the National Education Association (1990). The standards for teacher competence in the educational assessment of students. Retrieved from http://buros.org/standards-teacher-competence-educational-assessment-students
52. UNESCO (2017). Accountability in education: Meeting our commitments. Retrieved from https://en.unesco.org/gem-report/report/2017/accountability-education
53. Uysal, H. H. (2012). Evaluation of an in-service training program for primary-school language teachers in Turkey. Australian Journal of Teacher Education 37(7), 14–29.
54. Uzun, L. (2016). The educational and technical courses in the ELT program in Turkey: Do they contribute to ICT skills? 3, 1-12. Doi: 10.1080/2331186X.2016.1141454.
55. Uztosun, M. S. (2018). In-service teacher education in Turkey: English language teachers’ perspectives. Professional Development in Education, 44 (4), 557-569.
56. Williamson, P. & George, M. A. (2017). Toward clinically rich English and literacy teacher preparation: A tale of two programs. Innovations in English Language Arts Teacher Education, 27, 185-202.
57. Valencia, S. W., Martin, S. D., Place, N. A., & Grossman, P. (2009). Complex interactions in student teaching: Lost opportunities for learning. Journal of Teacher Education, 60(3), 304-322. doi: 10.1177/0022487109336543
58. Volante, L., and Fazio, X. (2007). Exploring teacher candidates’ assessment literacy: Implications for teacher education reform and Professional development. Canadian Journal of Education, 30 (3), 749-770.
59. Yuan, R. & Hu, Y. (2018). Teachers’ views on the qualities of effective EFL teacher educators. ELT Journal, 72 (2), 141-150.