The English Language Needs of Health Sciences Students in Turkey

Yıl 2024, , 1948 - 1968, 28.08.2024

Erguvan Uras Eren , Derin Atay , Leyla Ataş Balcı , Yonca Sevim , Fatma Eti Aslan

https://doi.org/10.51460/baebd.1436231

Öz

With English established as the lingua franca for science and technology, and considering the growing number of international patients in Turkey, the English education of health science students is now recognized as a significant factor in health education. To our knowledge, no study has investigated the English language education needs of health sciences students in the Turkish context. In an effort to address this gap, this study explored (1) the opinions of Turkish health sciences students about English language education, (2) their needs regarding reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills, (3) their perceived problems in learning English, and (4) their opinions and suggestions about the English language education they receive.
Six hundred and thirty-one students enrolled in the Faculty of Health Sciences at a foundation university participated in this study. Data were collected through a questionnaire comprising fifty-nine five-point Likert scale items and two open-ended questions. Findings revealed that health sciences students consider both general and academic English significant. They prefer course materials in English lessons to be related to health education fields and express a desire for more interactive lessons with a special emphasis on speaking. According to the study results, students always need all four language skills for their profession; however, speaking and reading were identified as the most essential skills. Concerning perceived challenges in learning English, students face more difficulties in using English for academic purposes than for general purposes, highlighting the necessity for an effective language program tailored to their specific needs.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Health science, ESP, needs analysis, language skills, medical English

Türkiye'deki Sağlık Bilimleri Öğrencilerinin İngilizce Dil Gereksinimleri

Öz

Günümüzde İngilizce'nin bilim ve teknoloji dili olarak yaygın kullanımı ile birlikte, İngiliz dilinin yetkinliği bilimsel alanlardaki gelişmeleri takip edebilmek ve mesleki bilgileri güncel tutabilmek açısından son derece önemlidir. Bununla birlikte, Türkiye'deki uluslararası hasta sayısının sürekli artması da dikkate alındığında, sağlık bilimleri öğrencilerinin İngilizce eğitimi önemli bir faktör olarak karşımıza çıkmaktadır. Bu bağlamda, çalışma, Türkiye'deki bir vakıf üniversitesindeki sağlık bilimleri öğrencilerinin (1) İngilizce dil eğitimi hakkındaki görüşlerini, (2) okuma, yazma, konuşma ve dinleme becerilerine ilişkin ihtiyaçlarını, (3) İngilizce öğrenmede algıladıkları sorunları ve (4) aldıkları İngilizce dil eğitimi hakkındaki görüş ve önerilerini araştırmaktadır.

Çeşitli bölümlerden 631 öğrencinin katılımıyla gerçekleştirilen bu çalışmada, veriler, 59 maddelik 5’li Likert-tipi bir ölçekten ve iki açık uçlu sorudan oluşan bir anket aracılığıyla toplandı. Bulgular, sağlık bilimleri öğrencilerinin hem genel hem de akademik İngilizce'yi önemli bulduğunu gösterirken, İngilizce derslerindeki materyallerin sağlık eğitimi alanlarıyla ilişkili olmasını tercih ettiklerini ve daha etkileşimli, özellikle konuşma becerilerinin desteklendiği derslere ağırlık verilmesine ihtiyaç duyduklarını göstermiştir. İngilizce öğrenmede algılanan zorluklar konusunda, öğrencilerin akademik amaçlar için İngilizce kullanmada genel amaçlar için İngilizce kullanmaktan daha fazla zorluk yaşadıkları ve bu nedenle özel ihtiyaçlarına uygun etkili bir dil programının gerekliliği ortaya çıkmıştır. Bu çalışma, sağlık bilimleri öğrencilerinin dil yetkinliklerine ışık tutarak zor ve rekabetçi sağlık endüstrisinin uluslararası alanda geliştirilmesine katkı sağlamayı hedeflemektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Sağlık bilimi, İngilizce öğretimi, ihtiyaç analizi, dil becerileri, tıbbi İngilizce

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