English language teacher education in Turkey: policy vs academic standards

Abstract

This qualitative study examines curriculum frameworks in English language teacher education (ELTE) programs in Turkey in light of current second language (L2) teaching standards and research vs Turkey's Higher Education Council (HEC) mandates. It also investigates program directors' perceptions about the current situations of their programs with regards to those standards and mandates. Data include eight ELTE curricula (including both private and public and low and high-ranking schools), interviews with eight program directors, student admission test scores, and teacher education standard manuals. Results suggest that while the overwhelming majority of the programs offer a homogeneous curriculum with a similar number of credit-hour allocation and weighted coverage for each competency area in the curriculum, compared to international education standards for teachers of English to speakers of other languages (TESOL), these programs seem to exhibit several noticeable weaknesses concerning the language, culture, instruction, assessment and professionalism domains. In addition, program directors express concern with how adherence to mandates has restricted the quality of their teacher education programs.