Abstract:

This study has analyzed social learning concept in foreign language teaching; it has explained the contributions of social learning system to foreign language teaching, and it has focused on social learning skills of the students in the Department of German Language Teaching at OMU in foreign language courses. It also examined the development of social learning information and skills and the contributions of social learning system to self-education by means of group works among students. Accordingly, this study has firstly investigated the application of social learning model by teachers and has explained teacher-oriented social learning form such as the conformity of extracurricular activities with social learning system; then, it has examined student-oriented social learning process; it has underlined the roles of students in this process and the responsibilities of students in social learning, and it has demonstrated psycho-social factors influencing the functioning of this process. The study has also evaluated mutual duties and responsibilities of students and teachers in terms of social learning model. In the study, a questionnaire based on social learning model has been applied to 61 first-year students in daytime and evening education in the Department of German Language Teaching of the Faculty of Education at Ondokuz Mayis University in 2013-2014 academic year. The results of the questionnaire has demonstrated that social learning model motivates students for communication and interaction, that it enforces social development, and that it improves the consciousness of mutual understanding. As a model motivating students for active participation in courses, social learning is a student-centered method in education. Since social learning method is quite useful in terms of motivation and learning, it is recommended that social learning model is applied more consciously and more prevalently in foreign language teaching.

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