Exploring the relatedness of international English language learners at the tertiary level in Türkiye

Hüsem Korkmaz

Article Details

Exploring the relatedness of international English language learners at the tertiary level in Türkiye

Authors:

Hüsem Korkmaz

Publisher:

Kocaeli University

Main Topics:

Eğitimin Psikolojik Temelleri

Journal:

Kocaeli Üniversitesi Eğitim Dergisi Vol.8 Issue 1, pp.135-156

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

5/2025

Document Language:

English

Document ID (Org No.):

2001349106

pISSN:

2636-8846

Keywords:

Abstract:

 As learning a foreign language encompasses a number of challenges, such as requiring strong motivation, determination, collaboration with others, and coping with foreign language learning anxiety, and since international students experience many of the challenges during their first year in the host country, the affective states of the international students play a crucial role in their learning outcomes. Thus, this study is a qualitative investigation into the international English language learners feelings of relatedness, which is accepted as one of the basic psychological needs of second language learners. The study was carried out with international EFL learners in the Turkish tertiary context. A total of 12 participants took part in the study, and the data collected through semi-structured interviews were analysed using thematic analysis in order to come up with relevant codes and themes. The findings suggest that positive and non-discriminative attitudes of the instructors and other staff seem to contribute considerably to the participants sense of relatedness, while weak friendship ties, homesickness, and financial factors such as tuition fees and living expenses reduce it. Some participants recommended that social activities, extracurricular tasks, and speaking clubs could increase relatedness perceptions, and thus contribute to their motivation to learn English. The pedagogical implications are expected to pave the way for the stakeholders to gain more insight regarding the field of English Language Teaching at the higher education level in Türkiye. In this regard, policies and actions contributing to the feelings of relatedness are expected to increase their retention and achievement in the higher education programs.

 As learning a foreign language encompasses a number of challenges, such as requiring strong motivation, determination, collaboration with others, and coping with foreign language learning anxiety, and since international students experience many of the challenges during their first year in the host country, the affective states of the international students play a crucial role in their learning outcomes. Thus, this study is a qualitative investigation into the international English language learners feelings of relatedness, which is accepted as one of the basic psychological needs of second language learners. The study was carried out with international EFL learners in the Turkish tertiary context. A total of 12 participants took part in the study, and the data collected through semi-structured interviews were analysed using thematic analysis in order to come up with relevant codes and themes. The findings suggest that positive and non-discriminative attitudes of the instructors and other staff seem to contribute considerably to the participants sense of relatedness, while weak friendship ties, homesickness, and financial factors such as tuition fees and living expenses reduce it. Some participants recommended that social activities, extracurricular tasks, and speaking clubs could increase relatedness perceptions, and thus contribute to their motivation to learn English. The pedagogical implications are expected to pave the way for the stakeholders to gain more insight regarding the field of English Language Teaching at the higher education level in Türkiye. In this regard, policies and actions contributing to the feelings of relatedness are expected to increase their retention and achievement in the higher education programs.

 As learning a foreign language encompasses a number of challenges, such as requiring strong motivation, determination, collaboration with others, and coping with foreign language learning anxiety, and since international students experience many of the challenges during their first year in the host country, the affective states of the international students play a crucial role in their learning outcomes. Thus, this study is a qualitative investigation into the international English language learners feelings of relatedness, which is accepted as one of the basic psychological needs of second language learners. The study was carried out with international EFL learners in the Turkish tertiary context. A total of 12 participants took part in the study, and the data collected through semi-structured interviews were analysed using thematic analysis in order to come up with relevant codes and themes. The findings suggest that positive and non-discriminative attitudes of the instructors and other staff seem to contribute considerably to the participants sense of relatedness, while weak friendship ties, homesickness, and financial factors such as tuition fees and living expenses reduce it. Some participants recommended that social activities, extracurricular tasks, and speaking clubs could increase relatedness perceptions, and thus contribute to their motivation to learn English. The pedagogical implications are expected to pave the way for the stakeholders to gain more insight regarding the field of English Language Teaching at the higher education level in Türkiye. In this regard, policies and actions contributing to the feelings of relatedness are expected to increase their retention and achievement in the higher education programs.

 Bir yabancı dil öğrenmek güçlü bir motivasyon, kararlılık, başkalarıyla iş birliği yapma ve yabancı dil öğrenme kaygısıyla başa çıkma gibi bir dizi güçlüğü barındırdığından ve ayrıca, uluslararası öğrenciler bu zorlukların çoğunu ev sahibi ülkedeki ilk yıllarında deneyimlediklerinden, uluslararası öğrencilerin duyuşsal durumları öğrenme çıktıları üzerinde önemli rol oynamaktadır. Bu doğrultuda mevcut çalışma, ikinci dil öğrenenlerin temel psikolojik ihtiyaçlarından biri olarak kabul edilen bağlılık duygusunu yükseköğretim düzeyinde uluslararası İngilizce öğrencileri bağlamında inceleyen nitel bir araştırmadır. Çalışma Türk yükseköğretim bağlamında uluslararası İngilizce öğrencileri ile gerçekleştirilmiştir. Toplamda 12 katılımcı çalışmada yer almış ve yarı yapılandırılmış görüşmeler yoluyla toplanan veriler, ilgili kodlar ve temaları saptamak amacıyla tematik analiz yöntemi kullanılarak analiz edilmiştir. Elde edilen bulgular, öğretim elemanlarının ve diğer personelin uluslararası İngilizce öğrencilerine karşı olumlu ve ayrımcı olmayan tutumlarının katılımcıların bağlılık duygusuna önemli ölçüde katkıda bulunduğunu; zayıf arkadaşlık bağları, anavatan özlemi ve öğrenim ücretleri ile yaşam masrafları gibi bir takım faktörlerin ise bu hissi zayıflattığını göstermektedir. Bazı katılımcılar, sosyal etkinlikler, ders dışı faaliyetler ve konuşma kulüplerinin bağlılık algılarını arttırabileceğini ve dolayısıyla İngilizce öğrenme motivasyonlarına katkıda bulunabileceğini önermektedir. Çalışmadan yapılacak pedagojik çıkarımların Türkiyede yükseköğretim düzeyinde İngilizce öğretimi alanındaki paydaşlar için yol gösterici olması beklenmektedir. Bu bağlamda, bağlılık duygularını artıran politikalar ve eylemlerin, yükseköğretim programlarında İngilizce öğrenen uluslararası öğrencilerin devamlılık ve başarılarını artırması beklenmektedir.

Article Details

Exploring the relatedness of international English language learners at the tertiary level in Türkiye

Authors:

Hüsem Korkmaz

Publisher:

Kocaeli University

Main Topics:

Eğitimin Psikolojik Temelleri

Journal:

Kocaeli Üniversitesi Eğitim Dergisi Vol.8 Issue 1, pp.135-156

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

5/2025

Document Language:

English

Document ID (Org No.):

2001349106

pISSN:

2636-8846

English language learners

higher education

international students

psychological needs

relatednessİngilizce öğrenenler

yükseköğretim

uluslararası öğrenciler

psikolojik ihtiyaçlar

Bağlılık

Issues

Article Details

Authors: Hüsem Korkmaz

Publisher: Kocaeli University

Main Topics: Eğitimin Psikolojik Temelleri

Journal: Kocaeli Üniversitesi Eğitim Dergisi Vol.8 Issue 1, pp.135-156

Document Type: Article

Publication Date: 5/2025

Document Language: English

Document ID (Org No.): 2001349106

pISSN: 2636-8846

Issues

Authors:

Hüsem Korkmaz

Publisher:

Kocaeli University

Main Topics:

Eğitimin Psikolojik Temelleri

Journal:

Kocaeli Üniversitesi Eğitim Dergisi Vol.8 Issue 1, pp.135-156

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

5/2025

Document Language:

English

Document ID (Org No.):

2001349106

pISSN:

2636-8846