University Preparatory Class Teachers’ Attitudes towards Distance English Language Teaching in Turkey

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to reveal the university preparatory class teachers’ attitudes towards distance English language teaching in Turkey. It has a mixed methods research design combining qualitative and quantitative methods. The participants of the study were 50 instructors from 6 different universities. The general attitudes of participants towards distance English language teaching were investigated through a questionnaire and their more personal attitudes through a semi-structured interview. The quantitative data obtained were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the qualitative data through thematic analysis. The results of the study revealed that teachers have both positive and negative attitudes towards distance ELT. According to the teachers, distance ELT is advantageous, especially in time management, accessibility, and online and digital facilities. It also enables to implement various productive teaching/learning methods. But, on the other hand, it has serious instructional disadvantages including lack of interaction, participation, motivation, focus, and self-discipline. Difficulties in teaching the four skills, hardness in working on phonology, difficulty in getting immediate feedback, stilted online dialogues, deterioration of communication skills, difficulties in classroom management, various technical and technological challenges, and several health problems are some further problems reported. The results also suggest that distance ELT could be made more effective by making some instructional improvements, using interactive online tools and e-materials more efficiently, providing teachers and students technical and technological support, and through training and guidance. Consequently, the results suggest that neither face-to-face nor distance education but probably a hybrid language teaching model would be the best method to teach the English language in today’s world.