An Examination of Turkish College-Level Students’ Learned Helplessness States in EFL Context
Journal Title: Yükseköğretim ve Bilim Dergisi - Year 2018, Vol 8, Issue 1
Abstract
Human learning is multi-dimensional and progressive in nature, and it lasts a lifetime, getting influenced through a variety of elements. One of those elements, that is students’ own mental lives, nurture and complete this process since students’ standpoints pertinent to learning can give a certain shape to their own learning and provide insight into their stance as language learners. Misconceptions or negative beliefs also have a role in shaping this process. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the sense of helplessness felt among the university students learning English as a foreign language and the probable reasons behind learned helplessness in EFL context. The data were gathered from a state university in Turkey and the participants of the study were chosen via “Purposive Sampling”. A total of 35 students, which include freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors participated in the study. Data were collected through Learned Helplessness Scale, open-ended learned helplessness questionnaire and grid table. The quantitative data were analysed with the use of SPSS, on the other hand, the qualitative data were subjected to content analysis. Thus, the present study used mixed research design. The study findings pictured two groups of students with and without learned helplessness, and uncovered the students’ self-concepts as language learners and beliefs on learned helplessness in learning English.
Authors and Affiliations
Gökçe DİŞLEN DAĞGÖL
Keywords
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- EP ID EP449530
- DOI 10.5961/jhes.2018.257
- Views 139
- Downloads 0
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