THE ATTITUDES AND OPINIONS OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHERS IN RELATION TO THE USE OF MATERIALS IN THEIR LESSONS

YABANCI DİL ÖĞRETMENLERİNİN DERSLERİNDE MATERYAL KULLANIMINA İLİŞKİN TUTUM VE GÖRÜŞLERİ

Abstract

Foreign language education should help to raise the awareness of students about learning a language and to transform it into a lifelong behavior because today already experienced communication is a versatile communication and knowing a foreign language is to use the target language as a tool for communication (Gündoğdu 2007; Gömleksiz/ Elaldı, 2011: 447). The constructivist principle attitudes in "Common European Framework Programme Criteria" which was introduced by the Council of Europe in 2001 has also influenced the use of materials in foreign language teaching and determined in terms of content and quality (Güler 2009; Özdemir, 2006). Constructivist approach requires the students what they have learned in a free environment to internalize and predicts to experience it by interpreting. For this reason, foreign language teacher, first of all, should ensure that students perform activities related to the issues and construct knowledge. In constructivist approach the new information is constructed by formatting with original comments by students (Özdemir, 2006: 64; Şimşek 2004; Yeşilyurt 2011). Therefore, in foreign language teacher training, the development of strategies contributing to the development of analyzing, designing and editing materials should be supported (Cesur, 2008: 25, 90). The arrangement of multimedia will increase the learning success, student motivation, and configure the learned knowledge. Recently, it is envisaged the acquisition of a foreign language as it is used in its natural environment and is also expected to benefit from the various materials and other concrete teaching strategies for this. Teachers should be able to select the materials which are appropriate for the course content, will help to acquire the target language as it is in its natural environment, and can model real life and have the ability to develop new materials. The present study aimed to find out the attitudes and opinions of foreign language teachers in relation to the use of materials, the importance and effects of using materials in foreign language teaching, the positive and negative factors that affect the use of material in schools. In order to achieve this main objective, the following research questions were aimed to answer: 1- What is foreign language teachers’ level of awareness and consciousness about material use? 2- Do foreign language teachers prepare and use materials in their courses? Do teachers give importance to the use of materials? 3- Does the use of materials have positive or negative effects on students? 4- What are the positive and negative factors affecting the use of materials in foreign language classes? Yabancı Dil Öğretmenlerinin Derslerinde Materyal Kullanımına İlişkin… 1053 Turkish Studies International Periodical For the Languages, Literature and History of Turkish or Turkic Volume 10/3 Winter 2015 A questionnaire was developed for the study and research was designed in line with the objectives of survey methodology. The results were evaluated in a way to contribute to the validity of the research. The participants of the study consist of 65 foreign language teachers from different regions of Turkey. The participants of the study constitute of 65 foreign language teachers, 38 females (%58.5), and 27males (%41.5). 57 of the teachers (87.7%) work at state schools and 8 of them (12.3%) work at private schools. The data were obtained by means of a questionnaire and the findings were evaluated both quantitatively and qualitatively to increase the validity of the research. The questionnaire developed for this study consists of three parts. In the survey three parts consisting of closed and open-ended questions took place. The teachers were allowed to express their views freely by means of open-ended questions. Descriptive statistical techniques were used in the analysis of quantitative data obtained from the questionnaire and were evaluated based on frequency and percentage. Firstly, the qualitative data obtained from open-ended questions in the third part of the questionnaire were transferred to a computer; themes were identified on the basis of research questions, data were grouped under these themes and interpreted. In addition, during the presentation of the findings the direct quotations of the teachers were directly presented. In order to increase to increase the reliability of the findings and themes, inter-rater reliability study was conducted by the researchers. The study revealed that the awareness level of majority of foreign language teachers in the use of material is high and find the use of materials as necessary and important. According to teachers, it is necessary to use additional materials other than textbooks. In foreign language learning for cultural transmission, cultural comparison and in terms of the diversity and richness of the subject different materials are needed. Applications made with materials attract students and increases the efficiency of the course. The use of the materials motivates students and supports the permanent learning. Teachers think that the use of materials in foreign language learning is important in terms of multiple intelligence and learning styles and they are in the opinion that preparing materials considering the learning styles of the students are important and during the learning and teaching process the cognitive and affective dimensions should be taken into consideration. Additional material use is especially important in terms of visual and auditory materials. In particular, visual and audio materials support effective learning. The use of original and authentic materials that will develop four language skills is very important and useful for the students. One of the two remarkable findings occurred in the study is that, more than half of the teachers prepare their own materials and the other is that web has emerged as a relevant source of providing the material. This can be explained as achieving material v

Özet

Bu çalışmada, yabancı dil öğretmenlerinin materyal kullanımı konusundaki tutum ve görüşleri, yabancı dil eğitiminde materyal kullanımının önem ve etkileri ile okullarda materyal kullanımını etkileyen olumlu ve olumsuz etmenler araştırılmıştır. Araştırmanın katılımcılarını Türkiye'nin farklı bölgelerinde çalışan toplam 65 yabancı dil öğretmeni oluşturmuştur. Araştırma verileri bir anket yardımı ile elde edilmiş ve sonuçlar araştırmanın geçerliliğine katkı verecek nitelikte hem nicel hem nitel olarak değerlendirilmiştir. Araştırmanın sonucunda, yabancı dil öğretmenlerinin büyük çoğunluğunun, materyal kullanımının gerekli ve önemli olduğu konusundaki bilinç ve farkındalık düzeylerinin yüksek olduğu ortaya çıkmıştır. Öğretmenler, yabancı dil eğitiminde materyal kullanımının, çoklu zekâ kuramı ve öğrenme stilleri açısından önemli olduğunu, öğrencilerin öğrenme stillerini göz önünde bulundurarak materyal hazırlamasının ve bu bağlamda eğitim ve öğretim sürecinde bilişsel ve duyuşsal boyutun göz önünde bulundurulması öğretmenlerin büyük oranda materyal tasarlamaya çalıştıklarını, ancak özellikle öğrenci ilgisi ve seviyesine uygun ve yaratıcı materyal tasarlarken zaman, maliyet ve emek konusunda bazı sıkıntılar yaşadıklarını dile getirmişlerdir. Yaşanan bu zorlukların okullarda materyal kullanımında önemli bir olumsuz etken olduğu sonucu ortaya çıkmıştır. Çalışmaya katılan öğretmenlerin şu an Türkiye'nin değişik bölgelerinde öğretmenlik yaptıkları düşünülürse, Milli Eğitim Bakanlığı'nın konu kapsamındaki sorunları daha etraflıca tespit etmesi ve bu alana yatırım yapması, yurtiçi ve yurtdışında gerçekleştirilecek eğitim çalışmalarıyla materyal hazırlama eğitimleri sağlaması önemli olduğu düşünülmektedir