Başak Lidya Piotrowska
Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun
Scientific Supervisor: Dr. Hab. Ariadna Strugielska
ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHER-TRAINING IN TURKEY AND POLAND: AN OVERVIEW
The aim of this paper is to determine the similarities and differences in the teacher-training programs in Turkey and Poland. The review is conducted by collecting data from Izmir University in Turkey and Nicolaus Copernicus University in Poland.
Key Words: Teacher-training, Turkish, Polish, education system, English language teaching
Introduction
The main determinant of the quality of a country’s education system is the teachers who are practitioners of that system. Therefore, teacher training process must become a key event for the quality of education at schools. In order to have well-qualified education at schools, all the elements of teacher training should be evaluated and improved consistently.
In this context, comparing the English language teacher training methods in two different countries would help to develop new methods by inspiring from each other. The purpose of this study is to examine contemporary English language teacher-training model in Turkey by comparing with the model in Poland. On this purpose, initially, contemporary model of English language teacher-training in Turkey will be compared with the model is used in Poland in terms of foreign language teacher-training policies.
English Language Teacher-Training Process in Turkish Education System
According to Turkish education system, in order to be an English language teacher, students are required to be graduated from full-time bachelor program which consists four years of studying at the Department of English Language Teaching (ELT). The Department of English Language Teaching may take place either in the Faculty of Educational Sciences or the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Students are selected by ‘‘Student Selection and Placement Exam’’ which is managed by the Ministry of National Education after graduating from high school. Exam includes two steps which are called YGS and LYS. First exam evaluates the student’s general competences in all subjects. Only if they get the minimum passing score, they can have a right to get second step of the exam. Second step of the exam assesses language proficiency of the students. After passing the exam, candidate students prepare a list of universities which they would like to study in and they are placed by the Ministry of National Education in deference to their scores. (Demirel,Özcan.1991:25-28)
Universities make another language proficiency test for students just before they start their studies. The test covers receptive and productive language skills. The students who cannot pass the proficiency test at universities are obliged to complete one year of preparatory class, which provides 700 hours of English training, at their universities. (Demirel,Özcan. 1991:29)
Besides the Department of ELT, students who get the four years of bachelor degree in ‘American Literature and Culture’ or ‘English Language and Literature’ departments may find employment as teachers on condition that they participate in a post-graduate program upon completing ELT and pedagogical training. (www.izmir.edu.tr)
In the Department of English Language Teaching, teacher-training subjects are placed in each semester, during four-year Bachelor’s study. According to the curriculum which is published by the Ministry of National Education; students are required to complete several detailed classes and teaching practice in scope of English language teaching. Izmir University divides teaching training classes into eight semesters as in below:
1st Semester: Introduction to Educational Sciences (42hrs)[1] , Effective Communication (42hrs)
2nd Semester: Educational Psychology (42hrs)
3rd Semester: Principles and Methods of Teaching (42hrs), Approaches to English Language Teaching I (42hrs)
4th Semester: Instructional Technology and Materials Design (42hrs), Approaches to English Language Teaching II (42hrs), Methodology I (28hrs)
5th Semester: Classroom Management (28hrs), Teaching English to Young Learners I (56hrs), Teaching Language Skills I (28hrs), Methodology II (28hrs), Literature and Language Teaching I (42hrs)
6th Semester: Testing and Evaluation (42hrs), Teaching English to Young Learners II (28hrs), Teaching Language Skills II (28hrs), Literature and Language Teaching II (42hrs)
7th Semester: School Experience (Total Workload is 128hrs)[2], Guidance (42hrs), Special Education (42hrs), Language Teaching Materials Evaluation and Development (42hrs)
8th Semester: Practice Teaching (Total Workload is 222hrs)[3], Comparative Education (28hrs), Turkish Educational System and School Management (28hrs), English Language Testing and Evaluation (42hrs) (www.izmir.edu.tr)
All the classes are conducted in English (www.izmir.edu.tr)
English Language Teacher-Training Process in Polish Education System
In Polish Education System, English language teacher-training program is conducted very differently from Turkish system. First of all, the Department of English Language Teaching is not existed in Polish Universities. Instead of completing specific department for training English language teachers, students are directed to the English Philology Departments. Students are selected by the score of their ‘matura exam’. After three years of Bachelor study in the Philology field, students are not allowed to be employed as teachers in the state schools. They are required to complete two years of Master study which provides them teacher-training courses, teaching practice, and ELT courses. In order to participate in master program, candidate students are required to provide their bachelor’s certificates and be evaluated by the teachers who are from the commission of the English Philology Department. Having sufficient knowledge in the field of literature and culture, language skills, or translation skills are enough to complete assessment process successfully. (www.fil.umk.pl)
In Nicolaus Copernicus University, there are three specialisation programs, which are ‘Language–Culture–Literature’, ‘English Translation Studies’, and ‘Editing and Publishing’ in the field of English Studies. Besides their specialisation, students, who would like to be teachers, can choose teacher-training courses in addition to their studies. (www.umk.pl)
All courses, except ‘The practice of teaching (2nd, 3rd, and 4th educational stages)’[4], are conducted in Polish language. (dydaktykakfaumk.businesscatalyst.com)The reason of having classes which are conducted in Polish language is that in Polish education system, the teacher-training program is not specialised according to fields of teaching; such as foreign language teaching, mathematics teaching, and so forth. (dydaktykakfaumk.businesscatalyst.com)
Teacher-training courses, which are required by the Ministry of Education for the candidate teachers, are divided into three semesters of biennial MA program by Nicolaus Copernicus University:
1st Semester of MA Studies: Basics of Psychology (30hrs), Basics of Pedagogy (45hrs), Voice Training (15hrs), The practice of teaching – 2nd, 3rd, and 4th educational stages (60hrs),
2nd Semester of MA Studies: Psychology – 2nd, 3rd, and 4th educational stages (30hrs), Pedagogy – 2nd, 3rd and 4th educational stages (30hrs), Pedagogical Practice – 2nd, 3rd and 4th educational stages[5] (30hrs), The Basics of Teaching (30hrs), The practice of teaching – 2nd, 3rd, and 4th educational stages (60hrs)
3rd Semester of MA Studies: teacher –training courses are not applied.
4th Semester of MA Studies: Teaching Practice (Total Workload is140hrs) (dydaktykakfaumk.businesscatalyst.com)
Conclusion
The teacher-training programs in both of the countries show a similarity with each other in terms of student selection exams. Despite the fact that students are selected by an exam, Turkish students are obliged to pass another proficiency exam just before the beginning of their studies at the universities. If it is necessary, they are required to complete 1-year of preparatory class. In Poland, there is no preparatory class system.
It has been observed that teacher –training program includes a period of eight academic semesters in Turkey. In Polish education system, in order to be teacher, students are required to complete ten academic semesters which encompasses Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees and only three semesters include teacher-training courses. The courses mentioned in the teacher-training program in Turkey are composed of professional and detailed teaching knowledge. Contrarily, in Poland, domain knowledge and general knowledge is more important. Eventually, considering all the differences in both systems; while the bachelor’s degree is enough to become a foreign language teacher in Turkey, the master’s degree is necessary in Poland.
References
- Demirel,Özcan.1991.”Türkiye’de Yabancı Dil Öğretmeni Yetiştirmede Karşılaşılan Güçlükler”. HÜ Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi. Ankara: Sayı 6, 25-29 p.
- fil.umk.pl/en/kat_2,63,108,128_English_Studies.html
- izmir.edu.tr/fef/bolumler/amerikan-k%C3%BClt%C3%BCr%C3%BC-ve-edebiyati/amerikan-kulturu-ve-edebiyati-hakkinda.html
- izmir.edu.tr/ibp/en/faculty-of-arts-and-sciences-departments/english-language-teaching/82-course-structure-diagram-with-credits.html
www.umk.pl/en/admissions/in_english/english_studies_ma/
[1] Numbers concern only course hours. Study hours out of the classes are not mentioned in this paper.
[2] 60hrs of Work Placement
[3] 84hrs of Work Placement
[4] Content of the course is ELT-training
[5] Internship