Comparison of Teaching English as a Foreign Language in Turkey with Denmark, Hungary, and Portugal

Abstract

In this study, systems of teaching English as a foreign language in different countries were compared. The focus country was Turkey, which has low achievement in English. Other countries compared were Denmark, Hungary, and Portugal, which had considerably higher achievements in teaching English. The selection of these countries was based on the mean scores for five years of Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and Education First Proficiency Index. The study was designed as a qualitative research. The data related to targeted countries were gathered from the web sites of the studied countries’ education ministries and governments, curriculums, Eurydice and OECD resources, and published articles. The data was analyzed using document analysis technique. The comparisons were made in terms of general educational systems, aims and goals, content, teaching and learning process, and evaluation. As a result of the study, Turkey’s more centralist structure was observed among countries. Moreover, Turkey’s primary objective in primary school is the positive attitude towards English. Finally, the system in Turkey views the language as a combination of four skills while other countries emphasize the communicative aspect of language. 

Keywords

• teaching English as a foreign language,comparison of countries,Turkey,TOEFL,Europe

Kaynakça

1. Corbin, J., & Strauss, A. (2008). Basics of qualitative research: Techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory. California: Sage.
2. Çiftçi, S., Sünbül, A. M., & Köksal, O. (2013). Sınıf öğretmenlerinin yapılandırmacı yaklaşıma göre düzenlenmiş mevcut programa ilişkin yaklaşımlarının ve uygulamalarının değerlendirilmesi. Mersin Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 9(1), 281-295.
3. Danish Ministry for Children, Education and Gender. (2016-a). Overview of the Danish Education System. Received from http://eng.uvm.dk/Education/General/Overview-of-the-Danish-Education-System
4. Danish Ministry for Children, Education and Gender. (2016-b). Upper Secondary Education. Received from http://eng.uvm.dk/Education/Upper-secondary-education
5. Dinç, E., & Doğan, Y. (2010). İlköğretim ikinci kademe sosyal bilgiler öğretim programı ve uygulanması hakkında öğretmen görüşleri. Journal of Social Studies Education Research, 1(1), 17-49.
6. Direção-Geral da Educação. (2012). Modalidades de Avaliação. Received from http://www.dge.mec.pt/modalidades-de-avaliacao
7. Direção-Geral da Educação. (2015). Avaliação. Received from http://www.dge.mec.pt/avaliacao-8 adresinden alındı
8. Education First. (2011). EF EPI English Proficiency Index.

9. Education First. (2012). EF English Proficiency Index.
10. Education First. (2013). EF English Proficiency Index.
11. Education First. (2014). EF English Proficiency Index.
12. Education First. (2015). EF English Proficiency Index.
13. European Union. (2016). Member countries of the EU. Received from http://europa.eu/about-eu/countries/index_en.htm#goto_2
14. Eurydice. (2012). Hungary; Teaching and Learning in Single Structure Education. Received from https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/fpfis/mwikis/eurydice/index.php/Hungary:Teaching_and_Learning_in_Single_Structure_Education
15. Eurydice. (2014). Hungary; Organisation of the Education System and of its Structure. Received from https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/fpfis/mwikis/eurydice/index.php/Hungary:Organisation_of_the_Education_System_and_of_its_Structure
16. Eurydice. (2015-a). Turkey; Teaching and Learning in Single Structure Education. Received from https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/fpfis/mwikis/eurydice/index.php/Turkey:Teaching_and_Learning_in_Single_Structure_Education
17. Eurydice. (2015-b). Denmark; Teaching and Learning in Single Structure Education. Received from https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/fpfis/mwikis/eurydice/index.php/Denmark:Teaching_and_Learning_in_Single_Structure_Education
18. Eurydice. (2016-a). Denmark: Ovewiev. Received from https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/fpfis/mwikis/eurydice/index.php/Denmark:Overview
19. Eurydice. (2016-b). Portugal; Teaching and Learning in Single Structure Education. Received from https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/fpfis/mwikis/eurydice/index.php/Portugal:Teaching_and_Learning_in_Single_Structure_Education
20. Eurydice. (2016-c). Portugal; Teaching and Learning in General Upper Secondary Education. Received from https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/fpfis/mwikis/eurydice/index.php/Portugal:Teaching_and_Learning_in_General_Upper_Secondary_Education
21. Eurydice. (2016-d). Portugal; Organisation of the Education System and of its Structure. Received from https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/fpfis/mwikis/eurydice/index.php/Portugal:Organisation_of_the_Education_System_and_of_its_Structure
22. Karahan, F. (2007). Language attitudes of Turkish students towards the English language and its use in Turkish context. Journal of Arts and Sciences(7), 73-87.
23. Khan, I. A. (2016). Positive attitude and English language learning: Psycho-pedagogic connections. Arab World English Journal, 7(1), 432-444.
24. Kirkgoz, Y. (2007). English Language Teaching in Turkey: Policy Changes and their Implementations. Regional Language Centre Journal, 38(2), 216-228.
25. Kurt, T. (2006). Eğitim Yönetiminde Yerelleşme Eğilimi. Kastamonu Eğitim Dergisi, 14(1), 61-72.
26. Ministeriet for Børn, Undervisning og Ligestilling. (2016). Timetal. Received from http://uvm.dk/Uddannelser/Folkeskolen/Fag-timetal-og-overgange/Timetal
27. Ministério Da Educação. (2001). Programa de Inglês Nível de Iniciação 10º, 11º e 12º Anos. Received from http://www.dge.mec.pt/sites/default/files/Secundario/Documentos/Documentos_Disciplinas_novo/Curso_Ciencias_Tecnologias/Linguas_Estrangeiras_I_II_III/ingles_inic_10_11_12.pdf
28. Ministério Da Educação. (2014-a). Metas Curriculares de Inglês. Received from http://ebsv.edu.azores.gov.pt/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/INGLES_1CEB.pdf
29. Ministério Da Educação. (2014-b). Programa De Inglés. Received from http://www.dge.mec.pt/sites/default/files/ficheiros/eb_ing_programa.pdf
30. Ministério Da Educação. (2014-c). Programa de Inglês 3.° Ciclo Le I. Received from http://www.dge.mec.pt/sites/default/files/ficheiros/eb_ing_programa_3c.pdf
31. Ministry of National Education. (2012). Genelge 2012/20. Ankara: Milli Eğitim Bakanlığı. Received from http://www.meb.gov.tr/haberler/2012/12YillikZorunluEgitimeYonelikGenelge.pdf
32. Ministry of National Education. (2013). İngilizce Dersi Öğretim Programı. Ankara: Milli Eğitim Bakanlığı. Received from http://ttkb.meb.gov.tr/program2.aspx
33. Ministry of National Education. (2014). Ortaöğretim İngilizce Dersi Öğretim Programı. Ankara: Milli Eğitim Bakanlığı.
34. Mirici, İ. H. (2003). Ülkemizde neden İngilizce Ögretemiyoruz? Bilim Yolu(3), 377-386.
35. Nemzeti Erőforrás Minisztérium. (2002-a). Az Alapfokú Nevelés-Oktatás Első Szakasza. Received from http://www.nefmi.gov.hu/kozoktatas/tantervek/alapfoku-neveles
36. Nemzeti Erőforrás Minisztérium. (2002-b). Az Alapfokú Nevelés-Oktatás Második szakasza. Received from http://www.nefmi.gov.hu/kozoktatas/tantervek/alapfoku-neveles-090803-1
37. Nemzeti Erőforrás Minisztérium. (2002-c). Gimnázium. Received from http://www.nefmi.gov.hu/kozoktatas/tantervek/gimnazium
38. Nemzeti Erőforrás Minisztérium. (2007). 243/2003. (XII. 17.) Korm. rendelet a Nemzeti alaptanterv kiadásáról, bevezetéséről és alkalmazásáról. Nemzeti Erőforrás Minisztérium. http://www.nefmi.gov.hu/kozoktatas/tantervek/nemzeti-alaptanterv-nat
39. OECD. (2015). Education At A Glance 2015: OECD Indicators. OECD Publishing. http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/eag-2015-en
40. Paker, T. (2012). Türkiye’de Neden Yabancı Dil (İngilizce) Öğretemiyoruz ve Neden Öğrencilerimiz İletişim Kurabilecek Düzeyde İngilizce Öğrenemiyor? Pamukkale University Journal of Education, 32(11), 89-94.
41. Sadighi, F., & Zarafshan, M. (2006). Effects of attitude and motivation on the use of language learning strategies by Iranian EFL university students. Journal of Social Sciences & Humanities of Shiraz University, 23(1), 71-80.
42. Styrelsen For It Og Læring. (2016-a). Mundtlig kommunikation. Received from http://www.emu.dk/omraade/gsk-l%C3%A6rer/ffm/engelsk/10-klasse/mundtlig-kommunikation
43. Styrelsen For It Og Læring. (2016-b). Vejledning For Faget Engelsk. Received from http://www.emu.dk/modul/vejledning-faget-engelsk#afsnit-4-engelskfagets-kompetenceomraader
44. Szabó, I. (2008). Foreign language teaching in Primary Education in Hungary. Encuentro(17), 23-27.
45. TOEFL. (2010). Test and Score Data Summary for TOEFL Internet-based and Paper-based Tests. Educational Testing Service.
46. TOEFL. (2011). Test and Score Data Summary for TOEFL IBT Tests and TOEFL PBT Tests. Educational Testing Service.
47. TOEFL. (2012). Test and Score Data Summary for the TOEFL ITP Test. Educational Testing Service.
48. TOEFL. (2013). Test and Score Data Summary for TOEFL iBT Tests. Educational Testing Service.
49. TOEFL. (2014). Test and Score Data Summary for the TOEFL ITP Test. Educational Testing Service.
50. TOEFL. (2015). Test and Score Data Summary for TOEFL IBT Tests. Educational Testing Service.