An Investigation into the Perspectives of EFL Teacher Candidates compared to Vocational High School Students on L1 Use in English Classrooms

Year 2019, Volume: 8 Issue: 1, 42 - 63, 31.03.2019

Mehmet Emrah Kuru , Mustafa Tekin

Abstract

The
purpose of this paper is to reveal the perspectives of EFL teacher candidates
in comparison to those of a group of vocational high school students on the use
of Turkish as mother tongue in English language classrooms. The study also
investigates the English language skills for which both of those groups find
the use of Turkish relatively more useful, their justifications behind the use
of Turkish in English courses, and the extent to which it is used in English
classes. By means of t-tests, ANOVA, and a post-hoc test, the study analyzed similarities
and differences through a comparison of EFL teacher candidates’ perspectives to
those of vocational high school students according to several factors, including
class levels. A total of 182 EFL teacher candidates and 136 vocational high
school students participated in the study. The findings indicated that the
majority of the participants support the use of Turkish in English courses, and
that there is a significant difference between the perspectives of EFL teacher
candidates and vocational high school students on the use of Turkish in English
language classrooms.

 

Keywords

Turkish as mother tongue, EFL teacher candidates, L1 use, vocational high school students

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