Foreign Language Teaching: A Problem in Turkish Education

AbstractOne of the functions of Turkish Educational system is to prepare enough and qualified manpower, required by economics. In order to be able to open the ways for this qualified manpower, for economic and social improvement and change, it became more important to know even more than one foreign language. But Turkey, in this area, in spite of so much efforts given ever increased financial burden, besides some schools and universities having instructions in a foreign language, doesn’t seem very successful. But, as a candidate for European Union, this problem is one of the urgent one to be solved. To identify the problems faced very often is important to be able to choose the “urgent” ones. The problem statement of this study is identified as “How often Senior students and staff at English class face with the problems related to foreign language teaching?” 6 staff and 117 senior students from Department of Teaching of English and 41 instructor from Language Teaching and Practicing Center of Abant İzzet Baysal University are included in this study. By examining the related literature and working with 14 volunteer,the problems which they are faced during their foreign language study.20 problems which were the “same” with the ones in related “literature”, identified.In order to identify their “views”,a questionnaire was prepared for the students and staff by asking them if they faced the related question 1)Never, 2)Very seldom, 3)Sometimes, 4)Very often.After having the view an a area specialist, the questionnaire of 36 staff and 72 senior students were included in evaluation and in evaluation SPSS for Windows Package Program, in addition (f) frekans and (%) percent values were used and showed in related tables.Findings according to the total frequencies were: 1) Turkey's policy in foreign language teaching is not sufficient enough (82,4%); 2) Foreign language courses are generally called “teacher-centred” as is being processed (75,0%); 3) Too much emphasis is given in grammar (73,1%); 4)Students are not spending enough time for language learning (64,8%); 5)Classes are too much crowded (63,9%); 6) Language teaching is not starting early enough (61,1%); and environment for language teaching is not sufficient enough (61,1. %); 7)There is not enough practice (59,3%); 8)No question is asked in the university entrance exams in a foreign language (57,4%); 9) Motivating students the desire to learn the language is not enough (55,6%); 10) Homework is not helpful with the language learning (54,6%) and students active participation in foreign language courses is insufficient (54,6%). It seems necessary to work on the problem of foreign language teaching urgently by having more and detailed studies by getting specialists’ views at this matter