A Critical Discourse for Higher Education Preparatory Class Language Instructor Employment

• Main Author: Nesrin ÖZTÜRK
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bülent Ecevit University 2019-12-01
• Series: Yükseköğretim ve Bilim Dergisi
• Subjects: higher education; foreign language education; teaching staff; policy
• Online Access: http://higheredu-sci.beun.edu.tr/pdf.php3?id=1895

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.