PRESERVICE ENGLISH TEACHERS’ ATTITUDES AND BELIEFS ABOUT LEARNING AND TEACHING PRONUNCIATION

Abstract

Language teachers’ beliefs and attitudes about various aspects of teaching are shaped during teacher education. Investigating preservice English teachers’ (PrETs) perspectives on certain areas can be useful in better understanding the dynamics of teacher education and taking further actions on teachers’ developmental processes. This study examines PrETs’ beliefs and attitudes towards learning and teaching pronunciation in Turkey. With a descriptive methodology, a 40-item questionnaire based on Sardegna and Kusey (2014) and Seyedabadi et al., (2014) was presented to PrETs (N=150) enrolled in the English Language Teaching (ELT) programs of three state universities in Turkey. The results of the study indicate that PrETs consider pronunciation an essential part of language learning; yet they need further training on how to teach pronunciation in class. PrETs commonly considered native-like pronunciation an ideal goal for themselves, which implies a tendency to associate an English teacher’s pronunciation with perfection. The results also suggest a reconsideration of the content of pronunciation classes in ELT programs.

Keywords

• Preservice English teachers
• Pronunciation
• teacher cognition
• Attitude
• Belief

ADAY İNGİLİZCE ÖĞRETMENLERİNİN SESLETİM ÖĞRENME VE ÖĞRETMEYE YÖNELİK TUTUM VE İNANIŞLARI

Öz

Dil öğretmenlerinin, öğretimin çeşitli yönleriyle ilgili birçok tutum ve inanışı öğretmen eğitimi sırasında şekillenmektedir. Bu nedenle, İngilizce öğretmen adaylarının belirli alanlardaki bakış açılarının incelendiği araştırmalar, öğretmen yetiştirme süreçlerine ait dinamiklerin daha iyi anlaşılması ve öğretmenlerin gelişimleri bakımından yararlıdır. Bu çalışma, İngilizce öğretmeni adaylarının sesletim öğrenme ve öğretmeye yönelik inanış ve tutumlarını incelemektedir. Bu kapsamda betimsel araştırma yöntemi benimsenerek, Türkiye’deki üç devlet üniversitesinin İngilizce Öğretmenliği programlarında öğrenimlerini sürdüren öğretmen adaylarına (N=150), Sardegna ve Kusey (2014) ile Seyedabadi vd. (2014) esas alınarak hazırlanmış 40 maddelik bir anket sunulmuştur. Çalışmanın sonuçları, öğretmen adaylarının sesletimi dil öğrenmenin önemli bir parçası olarak gördüklerini ancak sınıf ortamında nasıl öğretecekleri konusunda daha fazla eğitime gereksinim duyduklarını göstermektedir. İngilizce öğretmeni adaylarının yaygın olarak, anadili düzeyindeki bir sesletimi kendileri için ideal bir hedef olarak gördükleri anlaşılmaktadır. Bu sonuç katılımcıların, İngilizce öğretmenlerinin sesletimlerini mükemmellikle özdeşleştirme eğilimlerini ortaya koymaktadır. Sonuçlar ayrıca, İngilizce Öğretmenliği programlarındaki sesletim ders içeriklerinin yeniden gözden geçirilmesi gerekliliğine işaret etmektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Öğretmen adayları
• Sesletim
• Öğretmen bilişi
• Tutum
• İnanış

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