Show/Hide Menu
Hide/Show Apps
Logout
Türkçe
Türkçe
Search
Search
Login
Login
OpenMETU
OpenMETU
About
About
Open Science Policy
Open Science Policy
Open Access Guideline
Open Access Guideline
Postgraduate Thesis Guideline
Postgraduate Thesis Guideline
Communities & Collections
Communities & Collections
Help
Help
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Guides
Guides
Thesis submission
Thesis submission
MS without thesis term project submission
MS without thesis term project submission
Publication submission with DOI
Publication submission with DOI
Publication submission
Publication submission
Supporting Information
Supporting Information
General Information
General Information
Copyright, Embargo and License
Copyright, Embargo and License
Contact us
Contact us
Analysis of Turkish learners' attitudes towards English language and English speaking societies
Download
index.pdf
Date
2007
Author
Üzüm, Babürhan
Metadata
Show full item record
Item Usage Stats
700
views
321
downloads
Cite This
This study aimed at investigating learners’ attitudes towards English language and English speaking societies. The study also explored the historical and sociopolitical factors that might have influenced learners’ attitudes. In order to collect data, a language attitude questionnaire was designed adapting several questionnaires which were prepared with the goal of collecting information about learners’ attitudinal predispositions towards language and language learning in various countries around the world. The study sampled 219 students studying at the preparatory schools of two state and three private universities in Ankara. In addition to the quantitative data obtained from the questionnaire, qualitative data were obtained from the open ended items in the questionnaire and the interview sessions. Interview sessions were conducted at the sampled universities, and 10 students (5 male 5 female) were asked their opinions about their reasons to learn English, their opinions regarding the current status of English in Turkey and their feelings towards English and towards their native language. After the data collection procedure, inferences were made according to the data obtained from the questionnaire and interviews so as to make quantitative and qualitative analysis. While the quantitative findings of the data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics via SPSS 11.0 (Statistical Package of Social Sciences), qualitative data were analyzed through the content analysis. According to the factor analysis of the responses in the pilot and the actual study, the parallel statements were categorized into a factor. Consequently, five factors which ultimately formed five ‘themes’ were obtained. The research findings were interpreted with reference to these five themes-native language loyalty, instrumental orientation, cultural interest, appreciation of intercultural contact and attitudes towards British and American people respectively. According to the research findings, Turkish learners of English at sampled universities have favorable attitudes towards the English language due to their interest in the cultural products of the English speaking societies and the instrumental value of English as a global language. On the other hand, they have developed ambivalent attitudes towards the target societies due to the intercultural contact with these societies throughout Turkish history, current sociopolitical concerns regarding the British and American state policies and finally their perceptions regarding their native language and culture. Alternative solutions at individual and institutional levels have been proposed in order to change negative attitudes into favorable ones, and prevent the generalization of stereotypes and attitudes into individual levels. In order to achieve the acquisition of favorable attitudes at individual level, intercultural contact should be promoted so that learners will have personal experiences and personal contacts rather than relying on indirect sources such as press and cultural products which might generate biased assumptions.
Subject Keywords
English.
URI
http://etd.lib.metu.edu.tr/upload/12608571/index.pdf
https://hdl.handle.net/11511/16923
Collections
Graduate School of Social Sciences, Thesis
Suggestions
OpenMETU
Core
Investigation of psycho-social factors that affect english pronunciation preference of efl learners: the relationship between in-class injunctive norms for English pronunciation and fear of negative evaluation in elt classrooms
Ölçü, Zeynep; Yemenici, Alev; Department of English Literature (2008)
This thesis aims to investigate socio-psychological factors that affect foreign language learners’ pronunciation and focuses on the relationship between in-class injunctive norms for English pronunciation and Fear of Negative Evaluation (FNE). Injunctive norms are a type of social norms that define the expected behavior from the group members and sanctions for disobedience. They are evaluative in their nature. FNE is one of the three components of foreign language classroom anxiety and experienced when a pe...
The development of pragmatic competence: a study on requests
Yumun, Elif; Zeyrek Bozşahin, Deniz; Department of English Literature (2008)
The purpose of the study was to investigate the pragmatic competence of Turkish learners of English in requests at two levels of English proficiency. Another aspect of the study was to identify the overall and situational proficiency of the learners in performing the speech act of requests and to figure out development and transfer factors. Additionally, the extent to which the changing social variables of power and distance in each of the situations and through the situations affect the learners’ request b...
Exploring the perceptions of teachers about their current and desired competencies defined by CEF and ELP: a case study
Tandıroğlu, Işıl; Daloğlu, Ayşegül; Department of English Literature (2008)
The purpose of this study is to find out the required teacher competencies in the implementation of the Common European Framework (CEF) and the English Language Portfolio (ELP) and to explore the perceptions of teachers about their current and desired competencies defined by CEF and ELP. The required competencies for the teachers are defined in the book calledCommon European Framework of Reference for Languages. This book being a reference for the whole European Union countries, identifies required teacher ...
An investigation of the relationship between the tendencies of efl instructors to use the emotional intelligence skills and their attitudes towards the teaching of emotional intelligence skills in efl classes
Kazak, Sevil; Yemenici, Alev; Department of English Language Teaching (2010)
This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the tendency of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) instructors to use the emotional intelligence (EQ) skills and their attitudes towards the teaching of EQ skills in EFL classes. The quantitative data were collected through a demographic inventory and two questionnaires. In the quantitative data gathering process, 140 EFL instructors working at Atılım University, Başkent University, Boğaziçi University and Erciyes University participated. In order fo...
Attitudes, motivation and study habits of english language learners: the case of Başkent University second-year students
Çolak, Ahmet; Daloğlu, Ayşegül; Department of English Literature (2008)
This thesis aimed to investigate Ba"kent University second-year students’ attitudes towards English, motivation to learn English and their general and vocabulary study habits with respect to their motivation levels. It also attempted to examine the relationship between students’ attitudes and their grades and departments. In addition, it explored the students’ motivation and motivation orientation levels, and looked into the correlations between the students’ motivation, motivation orientation levels and th...
Citation Formats
IEEE
ACM
APA
CHICAGO
MLA
BibTeX
B. Üzüm, “Analysis of Turkish learners’ attitudes towards English language and English speaking societies,” M.A. - Master of Arts, Middle East Technical University, 2007.