The Place of Global Issues in Foreign Language Classes from the Perspective of English Lecturers: A Critical Look
Аннотация
Background: As an approach aiming to increase students' knowledge and awareness of the world they live in, global education includes using global issues in the lessons.hile English language courses offer a flexible platform for discussing global issues, their systematic incorporation remains inconsistent. This situation necessitates the analysis of the integration of global issues in EFL contexts and the revelation of current practices by English lecturers.
Purpose: This case study examines the place of global issues in the English courses offered in Turkish higher education institutions by using critical theory and critical pedagogy as guiding frameworks.
Method: This qualitative study adopts a case study design through interviews with 13 English lecturers from various universities in Türkiye. Data was analyzed using thematic analysis to identify common patterns in lecturers' approaches to global issue integration.
Results: The findings reveal that while lecturers recognize the benefits of incorporating global issues, some challenges hinder effective implementation. These include strict curricula, reliance on standardized coursebooks, institutional limitations, and concerns over including sensitive topics. Moreover, despite the adoption of a critical pedagogical approach by some lecturers, the majority tend to engage with global issues in a superficial manner and this limits their transformative potential in language education.
Conclusion: The study emphasizes the need for well-designed professional development programs to support lecturers in integrating global issues effectively. Language learning programs could be enhanced through a shift toward a more systematic and critical engagement with global topics in English language instruction. Future research should explore students' perspectives on global issue integration and examine institutional policies that influence teaching practices on the incorporation of global education.
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