Born and raised in Kahramanmaraş, Ali Uzun has a long experience in teaching Turkish to foreigners. He has taught Turkish to foreigners in domestic and foreign universities. He completed his master's degree in Teaching Turkish as a Foreign Language, and is now in the final stage of his doctoral study in the same field. He has scientific studies on Turkish education and teaching Turkish to foreigners. He is currently working at Kahramanmaraş Sütçü İmam University, Turkish and Foreign Languages Application and Research Center (TÖMER). Email: uzunali46@gmail.com

 

Introduction

Language teaching has existed at all times in line with the wishes and needs of individuals because language is arguably the most important means for people to continue their lives by communicating with people who do not share the same first language. The relations of societies with other societies or the need to communicate has made it necessary for individuals to learn one or more additional languages. The individual's need to learn another language has become even more necessary in the 21st century, the age of communication as both individuals and nations are in intensive relations with other individuals and nations, especially in areas such as trade, education, security and tourism, often necessitating the acquisition of even a third language.

Although the teaching of Turkish as a foreign or second language dates back to ancient times, the proof of its use begins with the first written documents of Turkish. The Orkhon Inscriptions date back to the beginning of the 8th century AD. Later on, when we trace the teaching of Turkish as a foreign or second language, we first come across Dîvânu Lugâti't-Türk, the first dictionary of Turkic languages (1072-1074). Looking at the scholarly literature, it seems to be unanimous that Dîvânu Lugâti't-Türk is a milestone in the history of Turkish and its teaching as a foreign or second language (Adıgüzel, 2010; Arslan, 2012; Barın, 2010; Biçer, 2012; Göçer & Moğul, 2011; Güzel & Barın, 2013; Karakuş, 2006). There have been relationships of Turkish states with other states in every field from past to present and this has made the teaching or learning of Turkish as a foreign or second language necessary.

Today, Turkish is becoming a language of interest and widespread use all over the world as a means of communication. Türkiye's geopolitical and geostrategic importance, its location on the transit route from Asia to Europe, and the fact that it has become a place of intense economic mobility increase the importance of Turkish day by day. In line with these developments, a good command of Turkish for foreigners means better education, job opportunities and higher social status. Especially the young generation flocking to Türkiye for higher education and career opportunities makes the teaching of Turkish as a second language gain importance (Sevim et al., 2023). However, it is also the beauty of the language that may be an incentive to take up language lessons. A distinct characteristic of Turkish, the denotation of abstract concepts in concrete expressions is a feature that attracts many foreign learners, and they learn the language even if there is no specific reason to do so (Barın, 2003). 

 

Turkish language teaching centres and foreign students in Turkish universities

Considering that a large number of foreign students have come to Türkiye especially in the last decade, both public and private universities and educational institutions have established various Turkish teaching centres. This development is explicated in some detail below.

Teaching Turkish to foreigners, which has been carried out with different methods and in several institutions, is now centred in courses offered by Turkish Language Teaching Application and Research Centers (TÖMER) established within universities. Ankara University TÖMER, established in 1984, was the first institution in Türkiye to systematically teach Turkish to foreigners. Later, TÖMER departments were established in several universities such as Istanbul University, Gazi University and Marmara University. Today, there are TÖMER departments in almost every university and Turkish language teaching is delivered to students from all over the world. In TÖMER departments, academics from the universities to which they are affiliated, such as directors and deputy directors, Turkish educators and Turkish language experts, work as instructors.

Many of the academics in these centres, especially those who teach Turkish to foreigners, specialise in teaching Turkish as a second language and have done or are doing doctoral studies in this field. TÖMER departments at Turkish universities not only teach Turkish to foreign students but also play an important role in the adaptation of foreign students to the university and the city. In addition, foreign students learn about Turkish culture and art through cultural and artistic activities. In this sense, TÖMER not only teaches Turkish at universities but also provides guidance to international students who are new to the country or city.

In line with the development of technology, transportation and communication in recent years, student mobility between countries has also increased. According to UNESCO 2020 data, the number of international students in the world was 6.376.355 and according to the latest statistics 2021, this number reached 6.387.488 (UNESCO, n.d.). Today, the number of international students in the world has reached 7 and a half million and it is estimated that this number will reach 20 million by 2030 (YTB, 2024). In this respect, many countries, especially the leading countries of the world, are in a race to get more share from this student mobility (UDEF, 2024). International student mobility in Türkiye in the last 10 years is presented in Table 1.

 

Table 1. International Student Mobility in Higher Education in Türkiye

(YÖK, 2024)

According to Table 1, the highest number of international students in the last 10 years was 301,694 in the 2022-2023 academic year and the lowest number of international students was 48,183 in the 2013-2014 academic year. Accordingly, the rate of increase in the last 10 years is 526%. This shows that the number of foreign students coming to Türkiye for education is gradually increasing and is expected to increase similarly in the future.

 

Turkish Teaching Method in Turkish Teaching Centers

TÖMER departments in universities in Türkiye are the first place of application for international students coming to Türkiye for education. These centres at universities teach Turkish with a contemporary understanding of language education in the 21st century. Although different course resources are used in each university, the basic teaching framework is based on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

The CEFR, with its recommendation to facilitate language teaching, is a modern approach to language teaching, stating that teachers can implement language teaching in their own way, and it does not recommend a particular method while recognising the need for methods based on principles of communicative language teaching. The aim of the CEFR is to guide teachers and encourage them to analyse current teaching practices. The teacher should always evolve and decide on the methods to be used. The CEFR, which examines language learning and teaching, also addresses methodological issues and advocates that all methods of foreign language teaching should be examined, but that these methods should be presented directly without being tied to a particular approach (CEFR, 2020).

The TÖMER method is the method that has been used in TÖMERs for years and is a combination of methods used in the field rather than an independent method. With this method, appropriate methods should be used in a systematic way by adhering to the subject (Hengirmen, 2006). Speaking, reading comprehension, listening and writing, which are the four basic skills of language, are each taught as separate skills in TÖMER. In TÖMER classes, which are designed in line with the affordances of contemporary teaching environments, students are able to interact, learn and practise all language skills. 

The following methods are used in TÖMER centres usually in face-to-face instruction but also online:

• Grammar translation method

• Direct method

• Audio-lingual method

• Audio-visual method

• Community language teaching

• Suggestopedia

• Task-based language teaching

• Reading method

Although these methods are used in teaching Turkish as a foreign language, different methods may be resorted to in TÖMER departments according to the proficiency level and language needs of the students.

In TÖMER courses, students are first subjected to a level test and then classes are formed as homogeneously as possible. The four basic skills of the language - reading, speaking, listening and writing - are taught by separate instructors or by a single instructor for 30 hours a week. Speaking and listening skills are practised with native Turkish speakers in social media and real environments, especially for foreign students learning Turkish where the target language, Turkish, is spoken.

However, there is no common teaching method and practise for all TÖMER centres in Turkish universities. While each centre can determine its own teaching and practice method, it is known that some centres use the TÖMER curricula and resource-textbooks of universities where teaching Turkish to foreigners has a longer history and more students attend Turkish classes than elsewhere. The lack of unity in TÖMER departments in terms of method and approach has been an important problem as each TÖMER department has its own teaching method and tradition causes differences in the curriculum of teaching Turkish as a second language.

 

Conclusion

Teaching Turkish as a second language through TÖMER departments in Turkish universities has been carried out intensively especially in recent years as a response to international students’ preference towards Türkiye as the location of their academic studies. Scholarships and other factors provided by Turkish higher education to international students are one of the reasons for the intensive migration to Türkiye. In Türkiye, where students from different geographies of the world come for higher education, students go to some courses to learn both Turkish and Turkish culture. The most important of these courses are offered under the roof of TÖMER, which provides official service and Turkish instruction at higher education level. Although the teaching method and application process of TÖMER vary from university to university, it is generally carried out within the CEFR. Accordingly, TÖMER departments offer 12-week A1-A2 for basic level, 12-week B1-B2 for intermediate level, 8-week C1 for advanced level, and academic Turkish for advanced level.

Today, as Turkish is in high demand by foreigners, universities and state authorities offer opportunities in this field by organising congresses, symposiums and other scientific events. This shows that Türkiye attaches great importance to teaching Turkish as a second language. In line with these opportunities, TÖMER continues its activities at an intense pace in order to teach Turkish to more foreign students at their desired level. In order to teach Turkish at world language standards like English, TÖMER and related institutions should prepare a common framework and program and make plans for more active teaching in technology and internet environments.

 

References

Adıgüzel, M. S. (2010). Kashgarlı Mahmut's Turkish teaching method. Journal of Turkology Research, 27, 27-35. https://dergipark.org.tr/en/download/article-file/156979

Arslan, M. (2012). Studies on the teaching-learning of Turkish as a foreign language in the historical process. Kahramanmaraş Sütçü İmam University Journal of Social Sciences 9(2) 167-188. https://dergipark.org.tr/en/download/article-file/107817

Barın, E. (2003). The importance of basic vocabulary in teaching Turkish to foreigners. Journal of Turkology Research, 13, 311-317. https://dergipark.org.tr/en/download/article-file/156774

Barın, E. (2010). On the Elifbâ book written for the purpose of teaching Turkish to foreigners. Journal of Turkology Research, 27, 121-136. https://dergipark.org.tr/en/download/article-file/156985

Biçer N. (2012). Teaching Turkish to foreigners from the Huns to the present. International Journal of Turkish Literature Culture Education, 1(4), 107-133. https://dergipark.org.tr/en/download/article-file/13678

CEFR (2020). Diller için Avrupa ortak başvuru metni: Öğrenme, öğretme ve değerlendirme. [Common European framework of reference for languages: Learning, teaching and assessment]. Purposes of the CEFR - Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) (coe.int)

Göçer, A., & Moğul, S. (2011). An overview of studies on teaching Turkish as a foreign language. Turkish Studies, 6(3), 797-810. http://dx.doi.org/10.7827/TurkishStudies.2470

Güzel, A., & Barın, E. (2013). Teaching Turkish as a foreign language. Akçağ Publications.

Hengirmen, M. (2006). Foreign language teaching methods and TÖMER method. Engin Publishing House.

Karakuş, İ. (2006). Turkish teaching in Atatürk period education system. Turkish Language Association Publications.

Sevim, O., Uzun, A., & Sevim, S. (2023). Examining students' views on exposure to the target language in teaching Turkish as a second language. International Journal of Language Academy, 11(3), 347-363. International Journal of Language Academy (ijla.net)

UDEF (2024). Dünya’da ve Türkiye’de Uluslararası Öğrencilik.[International studentship in the world and in Turkey].  https://udef.org.tr/uluslararasi-ogrencilik/

UNESCO (n.d.). Sustainable development goals. https://data.uis.unesco.org/?lang=en&SubSessionId=&themetreeid=-200 [to receive the data, click on EDUCATION in the menu on the left; => Number and rates of international outbound students (inbound and outbound) => Outbound students => Outbound students by host region].

YÖK (2024). Uyruğa Göre Öğrenci Sayıları Raporu [Report on student numbers according to nationality] [Excel file] https://istatistik.yok.gov.tr [to receive the data, click on Öğrenci İstatistikleri in the top menu => Uyruğa Göre Öğrenci Sayıları Raporu]

YTB (2024). Uluslararası Öğrenci Hareketliliği [International student mobility]. https://ytb.gov.tr/daireler/uluslararasi-ogrenciler/uluslararasi-ogrenci-hareketliligi

 

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