Özet:

Students' foreign language views are closely related to their foreign language learning desires, goals, needs, prejudices and learning environments. It is clear that the knowledge of the foreign language perspectives of foreign language learners will make foreign language teachers and researchers more equipped. Today, one of the most important problems faced in learning a foreign language is the lack of motivation. Therefore, it is believed that there is a relationship between foreign language perceptions, attitudes, beliefs, foreign language perspectives and motivations of students. In this framework, the current study aims to reveal the views of foreign language students in Turkey. The study included a total of 200 students in the 2016-2017 academic year who were preparing and studying in the first class in a state university’s various bachelor’s programs. Imaging statistics of data collected using Likert-type surveys are extracted in the SPSS 20 program. In a five-dimensional study, the general view of the foreign language of university students, their perceptions of the use of the mother tongue in foreign language learning, their views of the basic language skills, their objectives and their positive attitudes in foreign language learning were assessed. The study found that the vast majority of university students have a positive view of foreign language in general, that they learn foreign language largely in the classroom environment, that they tend to take advantage of Turkish as much as possible in the foreign language learning process, and that they care about the motivation to learn language. Additionally, the research has found that students have predisposed and developed a negative perspective on speaking and writing skills in foreign languages. More than half of the students who participated in the study also found that they had an external motivation in learning a foreign language.

Özet:

Students’ perceptions about a foreign language is closely related to their foreign language learning desires, aims, needs, prejudices, and learning environments. It is clear that knowing foreign language learners' perceptions towards foreign languages will make foreign language teachers and researchers more informed and equipped. Research has shown that one of the most important problems encountered in learning foreign languages is the lack of motivation. Therefore, it is thought that there is a connection between foreign language perceptions, attitudes, beliefs, foreign language perspectives and motivations of students. In this context, the present study aims to reveal the university students’ perspectives about foreign languages in Turkey. A total of 200 students studying in preparatory and first year classes at different undergraduate programs of a state university participated in the study in the 2016-2017 academic year. The collected data based on the Likert type questionnaire were analyzed through descriptive statistics in the SPSS 20 program. The survey, which consists of five dimensions, aims to find out students’ general views about foreign languages, their perceptions of the native language use in foreign language learning, their perspectives on basic language skills, and their attitudes towards the foreign language learning. As a result of the research, it was found that the vast majority of the university students have a positive view towards the foreign languages in general, they tend to use Turkish language as much as possible in the foreign language learning process, and they attach importance to the language learning motivation. In addition to these, it has been determined that students are prejudiced against speaking and writing skills in foreign languages and developed a negative viewpoint. Moreover, it was revealed that over half of the students who participated in the survey had external motivation to learn a foreign language.

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