|  e-ISSN: 2718-0107

Volume 1 Issue 1 (September 2020)

Original Articles

Issue Information

pp. 0 - 0   |  DOI: 10.29329/bedu.2020.253

Abstract

Keywords:

A Cross-sectional Study of Adverb Placement of Turkish EFL Learners

Meriç Akkaya Önal & Revan Serpil

pp. 1 - 19   |  DOI: 10.29329/bedu.2020.253.1

Abstract

How languages are acquired and what stages learners go through has been the focus in language teaching area, and this cross-sectional study investigated the use of English adverbs by elementary, pre-intermediate and intermediate level Turkish EFL students at Anadolu University School of Foreign Languages by analyzing it from acquisitional perspective. Specifically, it explored a) whether the accuracy of adverb placement by the students varied in terms of the types of tasks that the participants carried out, b) whether the accuracy of adverb positioning varied in terms of the proficiency levels and c) whether problematic structures in adverb placement differ regarding language proficiency. The data were collected through two task types: a grammaticality judgment task (GJT) and a written production task. The data were collected during regular class hour and analyzed using descriptive statistics. The results of these tasks revealed that the accuracy of adverb placement by students varies with respect to the types of tasks and their proficiency levels. The analysis of the data has shown that Turkish L2 learners of English demonstrate development differences both in their grammaticality judgment tasks and production tasks, and this may be related to Full Access/Full Transfer Hypothesis as at the beginning of the acquisition, the learners have resort to their L1 more because it forms the basis for them until they have full access to UG. 

Keywords: Adverb placement, Adverbials, L1 interference, Full Access/Full Transfer.

The Use of Assignments in Education

Ömer Gökhan Ulum

pp. 20 - 26   |  DOI: 10.29329/bedu.2020.253.2

Abstract

In all educational levels, teachers assign their students with different activities to practice and reinforce what they have learnt. Further, assignments are valuable educational tools that raise students’ consciousness as believed by teachers, parents, and authorities. It functions, in a sense, a bridge between schools and homes. Assignments require the effort, time, and dedication of students, families, and teachers. Thus, it is crystal clear that assignments are practical tools to develop communicative skills and provide learning experiences in order to achieve the needed behavior change. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to examine the views of state primary school students on the assignments given by their teachers. The participants of the study were chosen from the most convenient and accessible schools located in Adana, Turkey. The sample consisted of 250 primary school students (178 female and 72 male) who voluntarily participated in the study. Based upon a qualitative research design, a semi-structured interview designed by the researcher was utilized in order to attain the required data. Therefore, based on a descriptive research design, this study involved the data analysis of descriptive statistics (SPSS 22.0) in order to report the views of participants in numerical data. The findings of the study suggest that assignments are favored by the students, which may be attributed to their school level.

Keywords: Assignment, education, reinforcement, learning, revision

Piano Education Through Educational Games: Piano in the Box Game

Ayça Avcı

pp. 27 - 39   |  DOI: 10.29329/bedu.2020.253.3

Abstract

The aim of this study is to determine how much the educational play named "Piano in the Box" developed by the researcher influences the musical success of fifth grade middle school students. As the method, the single-group pretest-posttest (retention-test) experimental design was used. As the data collection tool, a multiple-choice achievement test developed by the researcher was used after confirming its validity and reliability. First, the normality distribution of the data was determined through Shapiro-Wilk test, by using the SPSS 15.0. Concluding that the data were not normally distributed, any significant relationship between the results was examined by running the Wilcoxon Signed Rank test. The results were positive and in favor of the posttest and retention test. It was determined that the "Piano in the Box" game increased the success in learning music and made a positive change in learning the places of the notes on the staves and the piano.

Keywords: Game, educational game, music, music education, piano

Evaluation of Free Reading Texts in Yedi İklim Turkish Set For Foreigners

Mesut Gün & Abdullah Uğur

pp. 40 - 50   |  DOI: 10.29329/bedu.2020.253.4

Abstract

Reading is a competence gained after listening and speaking skills in mother tongue teaching but it might be said that it is one of the first competences gained in foreign language learning. Reading texts have a great role in gaining and developing reading skill. Therefore, a great care should be given when choosing the reading texts in Turkish Sets prepared to teach Turkish as a foreign language. In this study, some of the free reading texts in Yedi İklim Turkish Set were picked up and evaluated on the base of free reading activities given in the European Common Framework of Reference for Languages. In this study, document review method, which is one of the data collection tools in qualitative research, was employed. As a result of our research, it is concluded that the visuals used in free reading texts are not   effective and not original, either in its real sense. However, cultural transfer through the reading texts is given weight as much as possible. It is in particular remarkable that comprehension activities are missing following the free reading texts. As free reading texts help to develop learner’s skill to comprehend and understand a word within language learning process, free reading texts should be followed by some activities and exercises to understand the given text better and more accurately.

Keywords: Reading, free reading, evaluation, teaching Turkish as a foreign language.

Comparison of Speaking Activities in the Coursebooks New Hitit Turkish Language for Foreigners 1 and İstanbul Turkish A1 for for Foreigners

Lokman Tanrıkulu & Esat Öncül

pp. 51 - 63   |  DOI: 10.29329/bedu.2020.253.5

Abstract

Teaching Turkish as a foreign language is an increasingly important field. The number of foreigners who want to learn Turkish is increasing day by day. In foreign language teaching, four basic language skills are emphasized and teachers make various applications in the lessons to improve students' basic language skills. Textbooks are among the resources used in foreign language teaching. Activities prepared in accordance with the principles of each level can speed up students language learning processes. In addition, the use of various visuals in the activities in the textbooks can intensify the students attention, making it easier to understand abstract concepts. Speech, one of the four basic language skills, is a skill that exists in every moment of human life. While learning a foreign language, as in their mother tongue, people provide their communication with speaking skills. Students who improve their speaking skills can express themselves more effectively, increase their self-confidence and communicate comfortably with their environment. In this study, the speaking activities of the Turkish textbook 1 for New Hitit Foreigners and the Turkish A1 textbook for Istanbul Foreigners were compared. It was emphasized whether visuals were used in the speech activities examined, whether the activities developed other skills as well. In addition, the appropriateness of the activities to those measured for the A1 level speech assessment in the European Common Reference for Languages text was examined. It is hoped that the suggestions made based on the findings reached by comparing the speech activities in both books will contribute to the new speech activities.

Keywords: Turkish for foreigners, Speech activities, Comparison, Istanbul, New Hitit, Textbook.