RE-EVALUATION OF THE COMPONENTS OF INTENSIVE ENGLISH PROGRAM IN TURKEY

Authors : Hülya Ünsal Şakiroğlu, Halil İbrahim Kaya

Pages : 200-213

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Publication Date : 2017-12-21

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :The purpose of this study is to define the challenges that college students face during the intensive English program and present the potential solutions. A previously developed survey by Gökdemir (2005 pp251-264) was used for the quantitative side and for the qualitative part, a number of interview questions were prepared with the help of four experts and 32 students were randomly selected and interviewed with the questions. The interview questions were analyzed as qualitative assessment. The results revealed that the demographic variables are not important for attitudes toward language learning. The students determined a number of elements to be improved in the current curriculum, teacher’s and learner’s competence along with physical environment for language learning. Students also identified a number of challenges that they face while gaining the language skills along with personal strategies to overcome such challenges.  Heavy grammar based teaching strategy and evaluation along with low level of native exposure and inadequate student participation were the main problems listed by students. 
Keywords : Foreign language education, language problems in Turkey, higher education, language teaching methods