jlere Dil Eğitimi ve Araştırmaları Dergisi 2149-5602 2149-5602 Hakan ÜLPER 10.31464/jlere.1105651 Other Fields of Education Alan Eğitimleri Direct Access to English-Medium Higher Education in Turkey: Variations in Entry Language Scores https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8217-5642 Özdemir-yılmazer Meryem Eötvös Lorand University 10 27 2022 8 2 325 345 04 19 2022 08 27 2022 Copyright © 2015, Dil Eğitimi ve Araştırmaları Dergisi 2015 Dil Eğitimi ve Araştırmaları Dergisi

The internalization of higher education has led to exponential growth in the number of English-medium (EMI) programs worldwide. The minimum level of English proficiency for prospective EMI students to manage the linguistics demands in these programs has recently been investigated. This study aims to explore the EMI higher education context in Turkey in terms of the language requirements for direct access to EMI undergraduate programs. In this study, 57 Turkish public universities offering EMI undergraduate programs were examined in terms of the language requirements, and the rationale behind setting those standards. The data were collected from the official policy documents and websites of the universities. The results indicated that required language scores are varied and the decisions of setting those scores are not empirically founded. This study implies the need for a common policy for language requirements based on the empirical studies and the international frameworks in Turkish higher education.

 English medium instruction (EMI) entry language score CEFR English proficiency Turkey Aizawa, I., Rose, H., Thompson, G., & Curle, S. (2020). Beyond the threshold: Exploring English language proficiency, linguistic challenges, and academic language skills of Japanese students in an English medium instruction programme. Language Teaching Research, 1–25. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362168820965510 Ayers, J. B., & Quattlebaum, R. F. (1992). TOEFL performance and success in a master’s program in engineering. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 52, 973–975. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013164492052004021 Aydın, B., Akay, E., Polat M, & Geridönmez, S. (2016). Türkiye’deki hazırlık okullarının yeterlik sınavı uygulamaları ve bilgisayarlı dil ölçme fikrine yaklaşımları [The proficiency exam practices of the preparatory schools in Turkey and their approaches to the idea of computerized language assessment]. Anadolu Üniversitesi sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, 16(2),1–20. https://doi.org/10.18037/ausbd.388926 Başıbek, N., Dolmacı, M. Cengiz, B.C. , Bür, B. , Dilek, Y., Kara, B. (2014). Lecturers’ perceptions of English medium instruction at engineering departments of higher education: A study on partial English medium instruction at some state universities in Turkey. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 116, 1819–1825. https://doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.01.477 Bowen, G. A. (2009). Document analysis as a qualitative research method. Qualitative Research Journal, 9(2), 27–40. https://doi.org/10.3316/QRJ0902027 British Council & TEPAV (2015, November). The state of English in higher education in Turkey: A baseline study. https://www.britishcouncil.org.tr/sites/default/files/he_baseline_study_book_web_-_son.pdf Carlsen, C. H. (2018) The adequacy of the B2 level as university entrance requirement. Language Assessment Quarterly, 15(1), 75–89. https://doi.org/10.1080/15434303.2017.1405962 Cicillini, S. (2021). English language entry requirements in EMI degree programmes at bachelor level in Italy. 44, 53–66. https://doi.org/10.1285/i22390359v44p53 Council of Europe. (2001). Common European framework of reference for languages: Learning, teaching, assessment. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. Dearden, J., & Macaro, E. (2016). Higher education teachers’ attitudes towards English medium instruction: A three-country comparison. Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching, 6(3), 455–486. https://doi:10.14746/ssllt.2016.6.3.5 Deygers, B., Zeidler, B., Vilcu, D., & Carlsen, C. H. (2018). One framework to unite them all: Use of the CEFR in European university entrance policies. Language Assessment Quarterly, 15(1), 3–15. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15434303.2016.1261350 Green, A. (2018). Linking tests of English for academic purposes to the CEFR: The score user’s perspective. Language Assessment Quarterly, 15(1), 59–74 https://doi.org/10.1080/15434303.2017.1350685 Harrington, M., & Roche, T. (2014). Identifying academically at-risk students in an English-as-a-Lingua-Franca university setting. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 15, 37–47. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap.2014.05.003 Hill, K., Storch, N., & Lynch, B. (1999). A comparison of IELTS and TOEFL as predictors of academic success. English Language Testing System Research Reports, 2, 52–63. https://search.informit.org/doi/10.3316/informit.905454735271041 Jeffrey S. J. M., Melchor M. D. R. and Walsh A. S. (2019). Linguistic requirements for students and staff on EMI undergraduate degrees at universities in the Community of Madrid. European Journal of Language Policy, 11(1), 95–107. Kamasak, R., & Ozbilgin, M. (2021). English medium instruction as a vehicle for language teaching or a product for marketing? The case of Turkey. In J.D. Branch & B. Christiansen (Eds.), The marketisation of higher education (pp. 321–341). Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-67441-0_14 Karakaş, A. (2018). Visible language-covert policy: An investigation of language policy documents at EMI universities in Turkey. International Online Journal of Education andTeaching (IOJET), 5(4), 788–807. http://iojet.org/index.php/IOJET/article/view/436/294 Kırkgöz, Y. (2019). Globalization and English language policy in Turkey. Educational Policy, 23(5), 663–684. https://doi.org/10.1177/0895904808316319 Light, R. L., Xu, M., & Mossop, J. (1987). English proficiency and academic performance of international students. TESOL Quarterly, 21(2), 251–261. https://doi.org/10.2307/3586734 Macaro, E. (2018). English medium instruction. Oxford University Press. Macaro, E., Curle, S., Pun, J., An, J., & Dearden, J. (2018). A systematic review of English medium instruction in higher education. Language Teaching, 51(1), 36–76. Papageorgiou, S. (2010). Linking international examinations to the CEFR: The Trinity College London experience. In W. Martyniuk (Ed.), Aligning Tests with the CEFR. Reflections on using the Council of Europe’s draft Manual (pp. 145–158). Cambridge University Press. Richards, J. C. & Pun, J. (2021). A typology of English-medium instruction. RELC Journal. https://doi.org/10.1177/0033688220968584 Rose, H., Curle, S., Aizawa I., & Thompson, G. (2020). What drives success in English medium taught courses? The interplay between language proficiency, academic skills, and motivation, Studies in Higher Education, 45(11), 2149–2161. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2019.1590690 Rose, H., & McKinley, J. (2018). Japan’s English-medium instruction initiatives and the globalisation of higher education. Higher Education, 75(1), 111–129. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-017-0125-1 Selvi, A. F. (2014). The medium-of-instruction debate in Turkey: Oscillating between national ideas and bilingual ideals. Current Issues in Language Planning, 15(2), 133–152. https://doi.org/10.1080/14664208.2014.898357 Soruç, A., Altay, M., Curle, S., & Yuksel, D. (2021). Students’ academic language-related challenges in English Medium Instruction: The role of English proficiency and language gain. System, 103, 102651. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2021.102651 ÖSYM. (2013). Equivalences of foreign language exams. https://www.osym.gov.tr/Eklenti/ 101,yabanci-dil-esdegerlikleri-250713pdf.pdf?0 ÖSYM. (2018). Numerical information on 2018-YDS Spring Term Results. https://dokuman.osym. gov.tr/pdfdokuman/2018/YDSILKBAHAR/SayisalBilgiler26042018.pdf ÖSYM. (2021). International foreign language exams equivalences document. https://dokuman. osym.gov.tr/pdfdokuman/2021/GENEL/esdegerlikdokuman06042021.pdf Sultana, S. (2014). English as a medium of instruction in Bangladesh’s higher education: Empowering or disadvantaging students? Asian EFL Journal, 16, 11–52. http://hdl.handle.net/10453/119231 Tannenbaum, R. J., & Wylie, E. C. (2008). Linking English language test scores onto the common European framework of reference: An application of standard setting methodology. ETS Research Report Series, 2008(1), 1–75. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2333-8504.2008.tb02120.x Yen, D. A., & Kuzma, J. (2009). Higher IELTS score, higher academic performance? The validity of IELTS in predicting the academic performance of Chinese students. Worcester Journal of Learning and Teaching, 3, 1–7. https://eprints.worc.ac.uk/id/eprint/811 Yuksel, D., Altay, M., & Curle, S. (2022). English Medium Instruction programmes in Turkey: Evidence of exponential growth. In S. Curle, H. Ali, A. Alhassan & S. S. Scatolini (Eds.) English-Medium Instruction in Higher Education in the Middle East and North Africa: Policy, Research and Pedagogy. Bloomsbury Publishing. Wächter, B., & Maiworm, F. (2014). English-taught programmes in European higher education: The state of play in 2014. Lemmens Medien. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0261444817000350 Xi, X., Bridgeman, B., & Wendler, C. (2014). Tests of English for academic purposes in university admissions. In A. J. Kunnan (Ed.), The companion to language assessment (pp. 318–333). John Wiley & Sons, Inc.