Evaluating Speech Activities Used in Teaching Turkish as a Foreign Language Using an Intercultural Communication Approach
Planning a separate learning process for the four basic language skills in teaching foreign language is an important issue in this field. The materials should be designed in accordance with language competencies because the most important indicator of acquiring or learning language is the speaking skill, and the materials that are utilized to develop such skill are the most important tools in this context. The connection between language and culture requires the creation of a process for intercultural communication between the target language and native language in terms of speaking skills to accelerate and perpetuate learning. Based on this approach, when reviewing Turkish textbooks as a foreign language, the speaking activities that are in accordance with the intercultural approach are not in specific order, and there are numerical and proportional differences in such textbooks. In the study, B1- and B2-level speaking activities in Istanbul Turkish Teaching Set for Foreigners (ITTSF) and YediIklim Turkish Teaching Set (YITTS) were qualitatively examined using an intercultural communicative approach, and data from the analysis of such documents were compared. In addition, suggestions were made to prepare activities using this approach.
Yabancı Dil Olarak Türkçenin Öğretiminde Kullanılan Konuşma Etkinliklerinin Kültürlerarası İletişimsel Yaklaşım Bağlamında Değerlendirilmesi
Yabancı dil öğretiminde dört temel dil becerisinin her biri için ayrı öğrenme sürecinin planlanması dil öğretimi açısından önemli bir husustur. Dili edinmenin veya öğrenmenin en temel göstergesinin konuşma becerisi olduğu ve bu beceriyi geliştirecek materyallerin de bu bağlamda en önemli araç olduğu düşünüldüğünde, bu materyallerin dil yeterliklerine uygun şekilde tasarlanması gerektiği söylenebilir. Dil ile kültür arasındaki bağ nedeniyle konuşma becerisi öğretiminde hedef dil ile ana dili arasında kültürlerarası iletişime yönelik oluşturulacak bir süreç, öğrenmeyi hızlandıracak ve kalıcı hâle getirecektir. Bu yaklaşımdan hareketle yabancı dil olarak Türkçe ders kitaplarına bakıldığında kültürlerarası yaklaşıma uygun konuşma etkinliklerinin belli bir düzende ve sırada yer almadığı ve kitaplarda sayısal ve oransal olarak farklar olduğu görülmektedir. Çalışmada İstanbul Yabancılar için Türkçe Öğretim Seti (İTÖS) ile Yedi İklim Türkçe Öğretim Seti’nde (YİTÖS) yer alan B1 ve B2 düzeyi konuşma etkinlikleri, kültürlerarası iletişimsel yaklaşım bağlamında nitel olarak ele alınmış ve doküman analiziyle ortaya konan veriler karşılaştırılmıştır. Ayrıca etkinliklerin bu yaklaşıma uygun hazırlanmasına yönelik önerilerde bulunulmuştur.
The basic indicator of learning a language is the speaking skill, and the materials that hone this skill are extremely important tools in this context. Such materials should be designed and applied according to language competencies. Due to the relationship between language and culture, a learning process should be initiated for intercultural communication between the target language and the source language in speaking skills, so that learning can be facilitated and rendered permanent. To this end, when reviewing Turkish textbooks in learning a foreign language, speaking activities that are suitable for the intercultural approach do not appear to be systematic, and discrepancies in rates can be observed.
In the study, B1- and B2-level speaking activities in the Istanbul Turkish Teaching Set for Foreigners (ITTSF) and Yediİklim Turkish Teaching Set were presented using the intercultural communicative approach. It aims to validate how many practices related to intercultural communicative approach were used in speaking activities, and what cultural elements were included in these practices, as well as to interpret them. In such textbooks, speaking activities, the way of transferring the approach, the cultural elements, and the numerical data of these elements are presented for this purpose.
The result of the analysis shows that the contents suitable for the intercultural communicative approach in the textbooks were generally formed by the unit title designed to support the content. The content suitable for such approach in some units covers all activities; however, any content suitable for the approach could not be found in other units. Traditions and Folklore was used 11 times in certain activities in specific textbooks, making it the most frequently used cultural element in activities related to intercultural communicative approach. Social Life and Geography and Location were used once in activities specified in textbooks, but they were the least used cultural elements in activities related to intercultural communicative approach. The fact that Social Life is one of the least used cultural elements can be considered a deficiency, especially when considering the language of functionality.
The results of the numerical analysis of the textbooks imply that ITTSF textbooks were designed in a more orderly and systematic manner in terms of distribution of cultural rates in activities suitable for cross-cultural communication as well as ratio of the number of activities. In ITTSF textbooks, the section entitled From Culture to Culture positively affected the rates and distributions.
According to the intercultural communicative approach model, predetermined cultural elements in a specific order in the materials that are used to develop speaking skills will facilitate learning.
