ABD Üniversitelerinde Öğrenim Gören Türk Lisansüstü Öğrencilerin Karşılaştıkları Dil Zorlukları Üzerine Retrospektif Fenomenolojik Bir Çalışma

Öz

Türkiye, 1950’lerden itibaren ABD’ye en fazla öğrenci gönderen Avrupa ülkeleri arasında yer almıştır. Bu çalışmanın amacı, ABD üniversitelerinde burslu statüde öğrenim gören Türk lisansüstü öğrencilerin dil bariyeri kapsamında karşılaştıkları zorlukları araştırmaktır. Öğrencilerin dil kaynaklı yaşadıkları zorlukları keşfetmek amacıyla derinlemesine bilgiye ihtiyaç duyulmuştur. Bu nedenle bu çalışmada fenomenolojik araştırma metodu kullanılmıştır. Araştırmanın örneklemi için 13 katılımcı seçilmiş, görüşmeler yapılmış, elde edilen bulgular kodlanmış ve temalar şeklinde sınıflandırılmıştır. Bulgular, öğrencilerin bölümlerinde konuşma ve anlama sorunları yaşadıklarını, farklı aksanları anlamakta güçlük çektiklerini ve alan İngilizcesine hâkim olmadıklarını göstermektedir. Öğrencilerin yaşadıkları bu zorlukların temelinde; Türkiye’deki dil merkezlerinin ağırlıklı olarak sınav bazlı İngilizce öğretim programı uygulamaları, öğrencilerin İngilizceye sınırlı düzeyde maruz kalmaları ve İngilizce öğrenimine dair gerçekçi olmayan beklentileri olduğu düşünülmektedir. Yurt dışı dil eğitim süresinin kısa olması da öğrencilerin dil yetkinliklerini olgunlaştırmalarına yeterli gelmemektedir. Amerikan eğitim pedagojisinin farklı olması ve kültürel engeller de dil zorluğu ile kesişen diğer temalar olarak ortaya çıkmıştır. Türkiye genelinde rekabetçi sınavlar sonucunda seçilen öğrencilerin, öz güvenlerinin yüksek olması beklenir. Ancak dil yetersizliği, pedagojik farklılıklar ve kültürel engeller, öğrencilerin, özellikle eğitimlerinin ilk iki dönemlerinde, öz güven kaybı yaşamalarına neden olmaktadır. Son olarak bu çalışmanın bulguları, İngilizce eğitim merkezlerine, burs programı yetkililerine, öğrencilere, rehberlik servislerine ve danışmanlara öğrencilerin dil sorunları ile ilgili bilgi vermektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Uluslararası öğrenciler
• Dil yetersizliği
• Fenomenolojik yaklaşım
• Türk Uluslararası Lisansüstü Öğrenciler
• Aksanlar

A Retrospective Phenomenological Study on the Language Challenges Faced by Turkish Graduate Students at U.S. Universities

Öz

Turkey has always been among the top European countries that have sent the highest number of students to the U.S. This study aims to investigate the language incompetency and language-related challenges faced by Turkish graduate students studying at US universities with scholarship status. For this purpose, the phenomenological research method was used, and 13 participants were selected for the sample. After the interviews, the findings were coded, classified as themes, and evaluated. The study findings show that the students have speaking and listening problems, have difficulty understanding different accents, and have problems understanding concepts related to their studies' field in their departments. Learning English through exam-oriented strategy, unrealistic expectations of the students about learning English in the U.S., and the lack of social environment where the students can be exposed to English in Turkey have been identified as the main themes leading the students to experience language incompetency in their departments. The findings also show that it is not sufficient to overcome the language deficiency of the students due to the time restriction of language education abroad. Also, the pedagogy of the U.S. educational system and cultural barriers have emerged as other areas of challenge that intersect with language inadequacy. The students selected through competitive exams throughout Turkey are expected to have high self-confidence. However, it has been determined that the students experience a loss of self-confidence, especially in their first two semesters, due to language inadequacy and pedagogical and cultural differences. The findings of this study provide information to English education centers, Turkish Scholarship Program, students, counselors, and advisors in Turkey and the US.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• International students
• Language inadequacy
• Turkish international graduate
• Accents
• Phenomenological approach

Kaynakça

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