TEACHING CHEMISTRY IN ENGLISH IN TURKISH UNIVERSITIES: CHALLENGES AND OBSTACLES
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.20535/2410-8286.288479Keywords:
Chemistry, learning difficulties, university, English, TurkeyAbstract
No matter if they are in high school or college, Turkish students have particular challenges when trying to understand chemistry lectures delivered in English. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the difficulties Turkish students have when studying chemistry in English. A survey was administered to Turkish students at a Turkish University, nutrition and dietetics major in order to obtain relevant information. The results showed that 24.6% of students have difficulties learning chemistry in English, and 52.3% of the students are reluctant to give presentations in the chemistry class due to their lack of confidence in the English language. The results showed that the areas of weakness in the English language were conversational skills (78.5%), grammar (75.4%), vocabulary (75.4%), listening (72.2%), and reading (38.5%). Therefore, a considerable percentage of these students (48.6%) take their lecture notes in Turkish, and an overwhelming majority of them (46.2%) think that adding English terminology to textbooks alongside Turkish would help the problem. According to the research, it is possible to increase students' English skills and therefore their understanding of chemistry by employing various teaching strategies. To address communication hurdles in chemistry classes, the study heavily draws on both the Communicative and Natural Approaches.
Downloads
References
- Alcott, B. (2017). Does Teacher Encouragement Influence Students’ Educational Progress? A Propensity-Score Matching Analysis. Research in Higher Education, 58(7), 773-804. doi:10.1007/s11162-017-9446-2
| - Alozie, N., & Mitchell, C. (2014). Getting students talking: Supporting classroom discussion practices in inquiry-based science in real-time teaching. The american biology Teacher, 76(8), 501-506.
| - Balan, P., & Metcalfe, M. (2012). Identifying teaching methods that engage entrepreneurship students. Education + Training, 54(5), 368-384. https://doi.org/10.1108/00400911211244678
| - Bennett, J. M., & Sözbilir, M. (2007). A Study of Turkish Chemistry Undergraduates' Understanding of Entropy. Journal of Chemical Education, 84(7), 1204. https://doi.org/10.1021/ed084p1204
| - Bialystok, E. (1994). Analysis and control in the development of second language proficiency. Studies in second language acquisition, 157-168.
| - Brown, M. R., Higgins, K., & Paulsen, K. (2003). Adolescent alienation: What is it and what can educators do about it? Intervention in School and Clinic, 39(1), 3-9.
| - Cardenas, F. L. (2013). Teacher talking time vs. student talking time: Fostering speaking in the EFL classroom. Universidad Austral de Chile.
- Carter, C. S., & Brickhouse, N. W. (1989). What makes chemistry difficult? Alternate perceptions. Journal of Chemical Education, 66(3), 223–225. https://doi.org/10.1021/ed066p223
| - Dirrigl, F. J., & Noe, M. (2014). The student writing toolkit: enhancing undergraduate teaching of scientific writing in the biological sciences. Journal of Biological Education, 48(3), 163-171. https://doi.org/10.1080/00219266.2013.863795
| - Erman, E. (2017). Factors contributing to students’ misconceptions in learning covalent bonds. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 54(4), 520-537. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.21375
| - Gabel, D. (1999). Improving Teaching and Learning through Chemistry Education Research: A Look to the Future. Journal of Chemical Education, 76(4), 548–554. https://doi.org/10.1021/ed076p548
| - Graham, I. (1983). Difficulties encountered by biology students in understanding and applying the mole concept. Journal of Biological Education, 17(4), 339-342. https://doi.org/10.1080/00219266.1983.9654577
| - Haliti, T. (2019). Teacher talking time VS student talking time: Encouraging speaking in EFL classroom-a case study at the “Sami frasheri” gymnasium in Prishtina. (IJSBAR) International Journal of Sciences: Basic and Applied Research, 47(2), 12–21.
- Hurriyet. (2020). Announced education statistics in Turkey (Türkiye’nin eğitim öğretim istatistikleri açıklandı). Hurriyet. Retrieved from https://www.hurriyet.com.tr/egitim/turkiyenin-egitim-ogretim-istatistiklerini-aciklandi-41603792
- Kirkgöz, Y. (2007). Language Planning and Implementation in Turkish Primary Schools. Current Issues in Language Planning, 8(2), 174–191. https://doi.org/10.2167/cilp114.0
- Kirkgöz, Y. (2014). English language teaching in Turkey: Challenges for the 21st century. In Teaching English to the World (pp. 159–170). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781410612861
- Krashen, S., & Brown, C. L. (2007). What is academic language proficiency. STETS Language & Communication Review, 6(1), 1-5.
- Mann, S. J. (2001). Alternative Perspectives on the Student Experience: Alienation and engagement. Studies in Higher Education, 26(1), 7–19. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075070020030689
| - Millar, R. (1991). Why is science hard to learn? Journal of Computer assisted learning, 7(2), 66-74.
| - Nja, C. O., Orim, R. E., Neji, H. A., Ukwetang, J. O., Uwe, U. E., & Ideba, M. A. (2022). Students’ attitude and academic achievement in a flipped classroom. Heliyon, 8(1), e08792. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e08792
- O'Dwyer, A., & Childs, P. E. (2017). Who says organic chemistry is difficult? Exploring perspectives and perceptions. EURASIA Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 13(7), 3599-3620. https://eric.ed.gov/?q=organic+AND+chemistry&id=EJ1144450
| - Osman, K. (2013). Conceptual understanding in secondary school chemistry: A discussion of the difficulties experienced by students. American Journal of Applied Sciences, 10(5), 433–441. https://doi.org/10.3844/ajassp.2013.433.441
- Petrina, S. (2007). Advanced Teaching Methods for the Technology Classroom (pp. 1–394). IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-59904-337-1
- Schurmeier, K. D., Shepler, C. G., Lautenschlager, G. J., & Atwood, C. H. (2011). Using item response theory to identify and address difficult topics in general chemistry. In Investigating classroom myths through research on teaching and learning (pp. 137-176): ACS Publications.
- Simonsmeier, B. A., Peiffer, H., Flaig, M., & Schneider, M. (2020). Peer Feedback Improves Students’ Academic Self-Concept in Higher Education. Research in Higher Education, 61(6), 706-724. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11162-020-09591-y
| - Sirhan, G. (2007). Learning difficulties in chemistry: An overview.
- Sun, R. C. F., Shek, D. T. L., & Siu, A. M. H. (2008). Positive School and Classroom Environment: Precursors of Successful Implementation of Positive Youth Development Programs. The Scientific World JOURNAL, 8, 1063–1074. https://doi.org/10.1100/tsw.2008.126
| - Tekin, B. B., & Nakiboglu, C. (2006). Identifying Students’ Misconceptions about Nuclear Chemistry. A Study of Turkish High School Students. Journal of Chemical Education, 83(11), 1712–1718. https://doi.org/10.1021/ed083p1712
| - Uchegbu, R. I., Oguoma, C. C., Elenwoke, U. E., & Ogbuagu, O. E. (2016). Perception of difficult topics in chemistry curriculum by senior secondary school (II) students in Imo state. AASCIT Journal of Education, 2(3), 18-23.
- Westwood, P. S. (2008). What teachers need to know about teaching methods. Australia: Aust Council for Ed Research.
- Wilson, D., Jones, D., Bocell, F., Crawford, J., Kim, M. J., Veilleux, N., . . . Plett, M. (2015). Belonging and Academic Engagement Among Undergraduate STEM Students: A Multi-institutional Study. Research in Higher Education, 56(7), 750-776. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11162-015-9367-x
| - Woldeamanuel, M. M., Atagana, H., & Engida, T. (2014). What makes chemistry difficult? African Journal of Chemical Education, 4(2), 31-43.
- YÖK. (2020). Study in Turkey. Retrieved from https://www.studyinturkey.gov.tr/
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2023 Ismail Elhaty, Tariq Elhadary. Article cover has been designed using assets from freepik.com
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).