Development and implementation of the learning autonomy scale in teaching Turkish as a foreign language

Authors

  • Nurcay Özkaya Akdeniz University
  • Berker Kurt Akdeniz University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47750/jett.2022.13.03.005

Keywords:

Teaching Turkish as a foreign language, learner autonomy, scale development, foreign language teaching

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to develop learner autonomy scale in teaching Turkish as a foreign language and to analyze learner autonomy in terms of some variables. In short, the characteristics that an autonomous individual should have in learning a foreign language are knowing the learning strategies, taking an active role in the learning process, making accurate predictions, contributing to the learning materials, and having tolerance towards the target language. In this study, these dimensions were taken as the basis for scale development and examined in detail. We want to analyze the relationship between learner autonomy and gender, place of residence, desire to learn a language other than Turkish, purpose of learning Turkish, employment status, education level and academic field variables. Survey design methodology is used for this study. The universe of the study consisted of people who learned Turkish as a foreign language in Turkish Education Application and Research Centers (TÖMER) in Turkey and abroad. E-mail list sampling, one of the online sampling methods, was used and 370 people from 55 countries voluntarily participated in the study. Within the scope of the study, the "Learner Autonomy Scale for Learners of Turkish as a Foreign Language", consisting of 6 factors and 25 items with necessary psychometric properties such as validity and reliability, was developed. According to the findings obtained with the application of the scale, it was seen that female participants had higher self-efficacy in the attitude factor towards foreign language learning than male participants. It was determined that among the participants, those who use foreign language learning strategies are more willing to learn a foreign language other than Turkish, compared to those who do not. Considering the participants' Turkish learning objectives, It has been observed that those who learn Turkish for educational purposes are more competent in using a foreign language learning strategy and in directing themselves in learning, than those who learn it for a purpose other than education. Considering the participants' desire to learn a foreign language other than Turkish, it has been determined that those who have high scores on using a foreign language learning strategy, their attitudes towards learning a foreign language, their ability to direct themselves in learning, their expectations from the teacher and their total scores have a desire to learn a different foreign language other than Turkish. In addition, it was seen that the participants who wanted to learn another foreign language other than Turkish had lower foreign language learning anxiety.

Author Biography

Nurcay Özkaya, Akdeniz University

Akdeniz University, School of Foreign Languages

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Published

2022-09-01

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Section

Articles