Willingness of Syrians Who Are Learning Turkish as Second/Foreign Language in Terms of Communicating in Arabic and Turkish

Abstract

Affective variables in the second/foreign language learning process affect success and proficiency in the target language. Being willing, one of these variables, draws attention as a factor affecting both academic and social success. The importance given to “communication” by the reference frames, programs and guidelines offered for language learning necessitates turning it into a skill. Skill can be developed to the extent of willingness. In this context, determining whether or not Turkish learners as a second/foreign language are willing to communicate or at what level they are willing will eliminate the problems by revealing the deficiencies and obstacles in communication skills. Moreover, it is of vital importance for the revision and reorganization of the language teaching process and practices. The aim of the study is to determine the level of willingness to communicate in Arabic and Turkish among Syrians learning Turkish in Turkey. A quantitative descriptive approach was adopted in the research. Among the non-random sampling methods, convenience sampling was preferred. The data were collected from 102 Syrian students, 35 females and 67 males, who were studying at university and registered with the Aydın Governorship Provincial Directorate of Migration Management. The Willingness to Communicate Inside and Outside the Classroom Scales developed in six-point Likert type, adapted by Al-Murtadha (2020) from McCroskey and Baer (1985) and Cao and Philp (2006), were used. Parametric methods were used in statistical analysis. The dependent groups t-test method was used to compare two different scale scores in a single group, and the independent groups t-test method was used to compare a single score in two different groups. As a result of the analysis; it has been determined that students’ willingness to communicate is especially high in their mother tongue, Arabic. It was determined that there was a significant difference in favor of Arabic inside and outside the classroom. There was no statistically significant difference between men and women for Turkish and Arabic.