A Qualitative Evaluation of the Difficulties Encountered by Adult Learners in Russian as a Foreign Language Education

Saliha Keklik; Mahmut Öner

Makale detayları

A Qualitative Evaluation of the Difficulties Encountered by Adult Learners in Russian as a Foreign Language Education

Yazarlar:

Saliha Keklik | Mahmut Öner

Yayıncı:

Ataturk University

Ana Başlıklar:

Dil Çalışmaları (Diğer)

Dergi:

Russian Insights: Literature, Culture And Linguistic Issue 2, pp.38-57

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

1/2025

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001357781

pISSN:

3061-9874

Anahtar kelimeler:

Özet:

 The aim of this study is to identify the learning difficulties encountered by adult learners of Russian as a foreign language through qualitative data. Conducted within the scope of the TÜBİTAK 2209-A Research Projects Support Program for Undergraduate Students, the study is based on semi-structured interviews with a total of 15 participants enrolled in A1-level Russian language courses at the Sinop Şehit Şakir Elkovan Public Education Center, comprising 5 individuals aged 1825, 4 individuals aged 2640, 4 individuals aged 4155, and 1 individual aged 56 and above. The data obtained from the interviews were analyzed using content analysis. According to the findings, participants considered Russian to be strategically and professionally significant. However, throughout the learning process, they experienced substantial difficulties in areas such as pronunciation, intonation, stress, the Cyrillic alphabet, grammatical gender, inflection systems, and syntax. Furthermore, grammatical and cultural differences between Turkish and Russian were found to hinder the learning process, while native language interference increased the frequency of learning errors. Adult learners, in particular, faced additional challenges due to time constraints, low motivation, affective barriers, and differences in learning habits. The study indicates that foreign language instruction in non-formal education settings should be structured in accordance with the needs and psychological characteristics of adult learners. Increasing pedagogical diversity through phonetics-oriented, comparative, and communication-based instructional strategies could enhance the functionality and sustainability of the learning process.

 The aim of this study is to identify the learning difficulties encountered by adult learners of Russian as a foreign language through qualitative data. Conducted within the scope of the TÜBİTAK 2209-A Research Projects Support Program for Undergraduate Students, the study is based on semi-structured interviews with a total of 15 participants enrolled in A1-level Russian language courses at the Sinop Şehit Şakir Elkovan Public Education Center, comprising 5 individuals aged 1825, 4 individuals aged 2640, 4 individuals aged 4155, and 1 individual aged 56 and above. The data obtained from the interviews were analyzed using content analysis. According to the findings, participants considered Russian to be strategically and professionally significant. However, throughout the learning process, they experienced substantial difficulties in areas such as pronunciation, intonation, stress, the Cyrillic alphabet, grammatical gender, inflection systems, and syntax. Furthermore, grammatical and cultural differences between Turkish and Russian were found to hinder the learning process, while native language interference increased the frequency of learning errors. Adult learners, in particular, faced additional challenges due to time constraints, low motivation, affective barriers, and differences in learning habits. The study indicates that foreign language instruction in non-formal education settings should be structured in accordance with the needs and psychological characteristics of adult learners. Increasing pedagogical diversity through phonetics-oriented, comparative, and communication-based instructional strategies could enhance the functionality and sustainability of the learning process.

 The aim of this study is to identify the learning difficulties encountered by adult learners of Russian as a foreign language through qualitative data. Conducted within the scope of the TÜBİTAK 2209-A Research Projects Support Program for Undergraduate Students, the study is based on semi-structured interviews with a total of 15 participants enrolled in A1-level Russian language courses at the Sinop Şehit Şakir Elkovan Public Education Center, comprising 5 individuals aged 1825, 4 individuals aged 2640, 4 individuals aged 4155, and 1 individual aged 56 and above. The data obtained from the interviews were analyzed using content analysis. According to the findings, participants considered Russian to be strategically and professionally significant. However, throughout the learning process, they experienced substantial difficulties in areas such as pronunciation, intonation, stress, the Cyrillic alphabet, grammatical gender, inflection systems, and syntax. Furthermore, grammatical and cultural differences between Turkish and Russian were found to hinder the learning process, while native language interference increased the frequency of learning errors. Adult learners, in particular, faced additional challenges due to time constraints, low motivation, affective barriers, and differences in learning habits. The study indicates that foreign language instruction in non-formal education settings should be structured in accordance with the needs and psychological characteristics of adult learners. Increasing pedagogical diversity through phonetics-oriented, comparative, and communication-based instructional strategies could enhance the functionality and sustainability of the learning process.

 Bu araştırmanın amacı, Rusçayı yabancı dil olarak öğrenen yetişkin bireylerin karşılaştıkları öğrenme güçlüklerini nitel veriler doğrultusunda ortaya koymaktır. TÜBİTAK 2209-A Üniversite Öğrencileri Araştırma Projeleri Desteği kapsamında yürütülen bu çalışma, Sinop Şehit Şakir Elkovan Halk Eğitimi Merkezinde A1 düzeyinde Rusça eğitimi alan, yaşları 18-25 arasında 5 kişi, 26-40 arasında 4 kişi, 41-55 arasında 4 kişi ve 56 yaş ve üzerinde 1 kişi olmak üzere toplam 15 kursiyerle yapılan yarı yapılandırılmış görüşmelere dayanmaktadır. Görüşmelerden elde edilen veriler içerik analizi yöntemiyle değerlendirilmiştir. Araştırma bulgularına göre, katılımcılar Rusçanın stratejik ve mesleki açıdan önemli olduğunu düşünmektedir. Ancak öğrenme süreci boyunca telaffuz, tonlama, vurgu, Kiril alfabesi, dil bilgisel cinsiyet, çekim sistemleri ve söz dizimi gibi alanlarda ciddi zorluklarla karşılaştıkları görülmüştür. Ayrıca, Türkçe ile Rusça arasındaki dil bilgisel ve kültürel farklar, öğrenme sürecini zorlaştırmakta; anadilden kaynaklanan müdahaleler interferens öğrenme hatalarını artırmaktadır. Yetişkin bireyler ise zaman kısıtı, motivasyon düşüklüğü, duyuşsal engeller ve öğrenme alışkanlıklarındaki farklılıklar nedeniyle dil öğreniminde ilave güçlüklerle karşılaşmaktadır. Araştırma, yaygın eğitim kurumlarında verilen yabancı dil öğretiminin, yetişkin bireylerin ihtiyaçlarına ve psikolojik özelliklerine göre yapılandırılması gerektiğini göstermektedir. Ses bilgisi odaklı, karşılaştırmalı ve iletişim temelli öğretim stratejileri ile pedagojik çeşitliliğin artırılması, bu sürecin daha işlevsel ve sürdürülebilir olmasına katkı sağlayacaktır.

Makale detayları

A Qualitative Evaluation of the Difficulties Encountered by Adult Learners in Russian as a Foreign Language Education

Yazarlar:

Saliha Keklik | Mahmut Öner

Yayıncı:

Ataturk University

Ana Başlıklar:

Dil Çalışmaları (Diğer)

Dergi:

Russian Insights: Literature, Culture And Linguistic Issue 2, pp.38-57

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

1/2025

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001357781

pISSN:

3061-9874

Adult education

Russian language teaching

foreign language

content analysis

interference.Yetişkin eğitimi

Rusça öğretimi

yabancı dil

içerik analizi

interferens.

Sayı

Makale detayları

Yazarlar: Saliha Keklik | Mahmut Öner

Yayıncı: Ataturk University

Ana Başlıklar: Dil Çalışmaları (Diğer)

Dergi: Russian Insights: Literature, Culture And Linguistic Issue 2, pp.38-57

Belge Tipi: Makale

Yayın Tarihi: 1/2025

Belge Dili: Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.): 2001357781

pISSN: 3061-9874

Sayı

Yazarlar:

Saliha Keklik | Mahmut Öner

Yayıncı:

Ataturk University

Ana Başlıklar:

Dil Çalışmaları (Diğer)

Dergi:

Russian Insights: Literature, Culture And Linguistic Issue 2, pp.38-57

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

1/2025

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001357781

pISSN:

3061-9874