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2019, Cilt 9, Sayı 3, Sayfa(lar) 375-383 |
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DOI: 10.5961/jhes.2019.339 |
A Critical Discourse for Higher Education Preparatory Class Language Instructor Employment |
Nesrin ÖZTÜRK |
Ege University, School of Foreign Languages, Department of Foreign Languages, Izmir, Turkey |
Keywords: Higher education, Foreign language education, Teaching staff, Policy |
Foreign language education in Turkey is not only a problem in primary and secondary education but also higher education institutions.
Students’ foreign language proficiency level and motivation are low; thereby, they may stand as negative factors for the internationalization
of universities and in the formation of an information economy society. In the comprehensive studies, various factors feeding the main
problem were identified; thus, quality programs were developed and policies were revised to improve these factors. In particular, when
policies regarding the employment of foreign language teaching staff are examined, one can read that some requirements are vague
and open to interpretations as well as foreign language education is not perceived as a system. The requirement of `a master’s degree`
operates as `a master’s degree in the field` in faculty employment announcements. By so, foreign language education, which is, in fact, a yetkinlikmultidisciplinary
system, is approached from the perspective of a single discipline; philology. In foreign language education, instructors’
language proficiency can be a supportive competence; however, it may not be fundamental for solving educational problems. In other
words, problems of curriculum and teaching, assessment and evaluation, professional competence, educational psychology, educational
philosophy, and educational policies require a multidisciplinary perspective and approach. To solve current problems, moving away from a
monopolistic disciplinary approach is a must. Regarding institutional goals and needs and following the job description, candidates should
be evaluated by a master’s degree in any program that develops their knowledge, skills, expertise, and experiences in areas such as language
education, teaching, and learning. It is more realistic to promote language education expertise and seek the competence of solving the
current problems in a foreign language education system rather than highlighting the discipline for a graduate degree.
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