Needs Assessment for Business Turkish for Syrians under Temporary Protection in Türkiye

Abstract

This study investigates the language learning needs of Syrians under Temporary Protection (SuTPs) in Türkiye, aiming to develop a specialized Business Turkish Course to enhance their social and economic integration. Following the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011, Türkiye has seen a significant influx of over 3 million Syrians, creating urgent demands for effective language acquisition to navigate business environments successfully. To assess the specific Turkish language skills required, a qualitative research design employing embedded single case study methodology was utilized. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with stakeholders from governmental organizations and non-governmental entities, alongside quantitative surveys targeting 309 Syrian participants. The analysis revealed critical barriers, including insufficient Turkish proficiency and language-based challenges in business communications. Findings underscored the necessity of fostering skills in speaking, reading, listening, and writing to support effective participation in business activities. The results indicate a robust demand for a Business Turkish course tailored to real-world contexts, which integrates legal procedural guidance and practical task execution. The study advocates for the development of curricula that align with global language frameworks, addressing the unique challenges faced by Syrian refugees in the Turkish labor market and contributing to their economic integration.

Keywords

• Language Needs Assessment
• Teaching Turkish as a Second Language
• Language for Specific Purposes
• Business Turkish
• Syrian Refugees

References

1. Arslan, Ü. (2020). Türkçenin yetişkin mültecilere öğretilmesinde karşılaşılan sorunlar ve çözüm önerileri [Problems encountered in teaching adult refugees Turkish and suggested solutions] [Master's thesis, Ankara University]. Turkish Council of Higher Education Thesis Center.
2. Avrupa Konseyi. (2021). Diller için Avrupa ortak başvuru metni: Öğrenme, öğretme ve değerlendirme, tamamlayıcı cilt [The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)] (MEB Commission, Trans.). Pozitif.
3. Baştürkmen, H. (2010). Developing courses in English for specific purposes. Palgrave Macmillan.
4. Biçer, N., & Alan, Y. (2017). Yabancı dil olarak Türkçe öğrenen Suriyelilerin ihtiyaçlarına yönelik bir eylem araştırması [An action research investigating the needs of Syrian students learning Turkish as a foreign language]. International Online Journal of Educational Sciences, 9(3), 862-878. https://doi.org/10.15345/iojes.2017.03.019
5. Bogdan, R., & Biklen, S. K. (2007). Qualitative research for education: An introduction to theories and methods. Pearson.
6. Bölükbaş, F. (2016). Suriyeli mültecilerin dil ihtiyaçlarının analizi: İstanbul örneği [The language needs analysis of Syrian refugees: Istanbul sample]. The Journal of International Social Research, 9(46), 21-31. https://www.sosyalarastirmalar.com/articles/the-language-needs-analysis-of-syrian-refugees-istanbul-sample.pdf
7. Brown, J. D. (1995). The elements of language curriculum. Heinle & Heinle.
8. Büyüköztürk, Ş., Kılıç Çakmak, E., Akgün, Ö. E., Karadeniz, Ş., & Demirel, F. (2019). Bilimsel araştırma yöntemleri (26th ed). Pegem.

9. Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2018). Eğitimde araştırma yöntemleri (E. Dinç & K. Kıroğlu, Trans. Eds.). Pegem.
10. Demirkasımoğlu, N. (2021). Nitel araştırma geleneğinde nicel göstergelerin kullanımı ve genellenebilirlik üzerine bir değerlendirme [An evaluation on the use of quantitative indicators and generalizability in qualitative research tradition]. The Journal of Pamukkale University Social Sciences Institute (PAUSBED), (42), 231-242. https://doi.org/10.30794/pausbed.801464
11. Denzin, N. K., & Lincoln, Y. S. (2011). The Sage handbook of qualitative research. Sage.
12. Dursun, H. (2017). Geçici koruma altındaki Suriyelilerin dil ihtiyaçlarının belirlenmesi: Şanlıurfa örneği [Determination of language needs of the Syrians under temporary protection: Example of Sanliurfa] [Master's thesis, Adiyaman University]. Turkish Council of Higher Education Thesis Center.
13. Graves, K. (2000). Designing language courses: A guide for teachers. Heinle & Heinle.
14. GSE. (2019). Global scale of English learning objectives for academic English. Pearson.
15. Günsel, G. (2020). Geçici koruma altındaki Suriyelilerin mesleki ve Türkçe eğitiminde dil becerilerine yönelik bir ihtiyaç analizi (Mersin Örneği) [A needs analysis for language skills of the Syrians under protection in their vocational and Turkish language training (Mersi̇n example)] [Master's thesis, Hacettepe University]. Turkish Council of Higher Education Thesis Center.
16. Hutchinson, T., & Waters, A. (1991). English for specific purposes. Cambridge University Press.
17. INGEV. (2019). Needs assessment for Syrian SMEs report (Research on knowledge and barriers among Syrian entrepreneurs in Turkey). Foundation for Human Development. https://ingev.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Needs-Assessment-for-Syrian-SMEs.pdf
18. Johns, A. (1991). English for specific purposes: Its history and contribution. In M. Celce-Murcia (Ed.), Teaching English as a second or foreign language (pp. 67-77). Heinle & Heinle.
19. Long, M. H. (2005). Second language needs analysis. Cambridge University Press.
20. Long, M. (2015). Second language acquisition and task-based language teaching. Wiley Blackwell.
21. Nimer, M. (2019). Türkiye'deki Suriyeli mültecilerin Türkçe dil deneyimleri ve kurumsal ilişkiler [Turkish language experiences of Syrian refugees in Turkey and institutional relations]. Sabancı Üniversitesi İstanbul Politikalar Merkezi (İPM). https://ipc.sabanciuniv.edu/Content/Images/CKeditorImages/20201229-21121071.pdf
22. ORSAM. (2015). Turkish red crescent community center project needs assessment report (Report No. 200). Center For Middle Eastern Strategic Studies. https://adore.ifrc.org/Download.aspx?FileId=92490&.pdf
23. Paker, T. (2021). Durum çalışması [Case Study]. In F. N. Seggie & Y. Bayyurt (Eds.), Nitel araştırma yöntem, teknik, analiz, ve yaklaşımları [Qualitative research methods, techniques, analysis, and approaches] (pp. 124-139). Anı.
24. Patton, M. Q. (2014). Qualitative research & evaluation methods: Integrating theory and practice. Sage Publications.
25. SENED. (2021). Survey on business support (Needs assessment) [Unpublished report]. SENED Organization.
26. Şen, E. (2022). Suriyeli mültecilere yönelik meslek edindirme kurslarının değerlendirilmesi (Gaziantep-Şahinbey örneği) [Assessment of vocational courses for Syrian refugees (Gaziantep-Şahinbey example)] [Master's thesis, Kilis 7 Aralık University]. Turkish Council of Higher Education Thesis Center.
27. TEPAV. (2021). Syrians in the Turkish labor market. The Economic Policy Research Foundation of Turkey. https://tepav.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/upload/mce/2021/haberler/executive_summary.pdf
28. Uğurlu, C. T. (2018). Durum (örnek olay) çalışması [Case study]. In K. Beycioğlu, N. Özer, & Y. Kondakçı (Eds.), Eğitim yönetiminde araştırma [Research in educational management] (pp. 329-351). Pegem.
29. Yin, R. K. (2018). Case study research and applications: Design and methods. Sage Publications.