Attitudes, beliefs and challenges of Turkish mathematics teachers while teaching mathematics in a second language
Author
Yeşilkaya, Merve
Advisor
Ayas, Alipaşa
Date
2018-06Publisher
Bilkent University
Language
English
Type
ThesisItem Usage Stats
208
views
views
70
downloads
downloads
Abstract
Some high schools in Turkey provide medium of instruction in English.
Mathematics, science and social science courses are taught in English in these
schools. This study explored attitudes, beliefs and challenges of high school
mathematics teachers who work in institutions where medium of instruction is in
English. Furthermore, this study investigated difficulties students face with when
they learn Math from Turkish teachers from these teachers‟ perspective. Eight
private high schools located in Ankara, Ġstanbul and Erzurum where the medium of
instruction is in English were selected as sample and 50 out of 72 teachers
participated in the questionnaire from these schools. Of these, five teachers from
three private schools located in Ankara were chosen in order to conduct the interview
and lesson observations by purposeful sampling method in regards to their
questionnaire results. This study utilized mixed-methods approaches. Results of this
study were analyzed using descriptive statistics and qualitative data analysis
methods. According to the findings of this study, a majority of Turkish mathematics
teachers have negative attitudes towards teaching mathematics lessons in English.
According to the general results, some of the factors leading these teachers to have
negative attitudes and beliefs are University Exam reality in Turkey, English
background and proficiency of teachers, English proficiency of students,
mathematics lessons being abstract in nature, students‟ lack of mathematical
terminology knowledge and participation of the students in the lessons. According to
the interview results, it was found out if the teachers have issues while teaching the
lesson in English and the fact that teachers‟ preference of medium of instruction
differed depending on the teachers‟ own English levels.