The identification of difference between achievement levels of optional and compulsory English preparatory class students

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to identify the difference between achievement levels of students in optional and compulsory English preparatory classes at the School of Foreign Languages at the University of Nevşehir Hacı Bektaş Veli. In accordance with this purpose, the mean scores of overall English achievement levels that optional and compulsory preparatory students get are compared. In line with this objective, the mean scores of assessment grades of active participation and portfolio that optional and compulsory preparatory students get through the academic year are compared. Besides, it is also aimed to find the reasons of this difference through views of the English instructors. The study is a qualitative research using the document analyses and interview method. The population of the study consists of 170 students who are studying at the optional English preparatory class in the School of Foreign Languages at Nevsehir Haci Bektas Veli University in 2017-2018 academic year and 559 compulsory English preparatory class students in the School of Foreign Languages at Nevsehir Haci Bektas Veli University in 2015-2016 academic year. The qualitative data about the views of the English instructors were gathered through semi-structured interviews conducted to 30 instructors. Frequency and percentage distributions of descriptive statistical techniques were used to compare mean scores of the study group and content analysis method was used to analyze the questions of the semi-structured interviews. It is concluded that compulsory preparatory class students’ level of English achievement, active participation score and portfolio assessment score is lower than that of optional preparatory class students. Besides, according to the qualitative data, it is found out that the change in preparatory class system from compulsory to optional is believed to cause negative results in teaching English by the instructors. Finally, the instructors have evaluated student motivation level to be lower than before since the preparatory class system changed from compulsory to optional in 2015.