Turkey’s foreign language policy at primary level: Challenges in practice

Abstract

The present study aims to investigate the challenges that English language teachers in state schools have faced during the implementation of the new policy prepared by the Ministry of National Education in 1997 (T.C. Resmi Gazete;1997, p. 2). Ten Turkish teachers of English as a foreign language participated in the study. Data for this qualitative study came from the semi-structured interviews. The views of teachers on new English language teaching policy at primary level; the challenges they have faced within practice and the extend of support they have received in the process of implementation were the main issues of the interview. After the interview was transcribed, it was coded by the pattern coding strategy. The results of pattern coding revealed these codes; reasons, advantages and disadvantages of the policy, achievability, challenges caused by the crowded classroom and lack of necessary equipments, support from policy makers, administration and colleagues.

Keywords

• EFL
• primary education
• language policy