An Analysis of Language Teacher Education Programs: A Comparative Study of Turkey and Other European Countries

Abstract

The main aim of this study is to analyze and discuss the similarities and the differences between English language teacher educational programs at universities in Turkey, and to identify the undergraduate students' ideas about their current curriculum. In addition to this, the study aims to compare the education of English language teacher education in some countries in which English language proficiency scores are at the highest level in EF EPI (EF English Language Proficiency Index), and to suggest some important points to improve the language teacher educational programs in Turkey. In the study, a document analysis and semi-directed interviews with the 30 students in English language education departments in Turkey are implemented to provide valid and reliable results. The interview questions are based on students' thoughts and ideas describing the sufficiency of their programs, and their goals and objectives. In the study, also, the course curricula of 15 English language teacher education programs are examined and compared. In this research, qualitative and quantitative methods are used. The study includes an international comparison of English language teacher education. With the comparison of the programs, some weak points of English language education programs in Turkey are determined. Besides, in the study, with the analysis of the English teacher education in 5 countries, the ways in which how they reached these targets are defined. At the end of the study, some suggestions are submitted to design and develop English language teacher education programs to produce more successful future teachers and English language education.