Analysis of existing materials
An analysis of existing materials has shown that current courses for Turkish neglect the ever more important aspect of cultural awareness as well as the findings of the neuro-sciences and cognitive constructivism with regard to language learning. They display an atomistic and synthetic approach to language learning which practically exclusively focusses on grammar and the learning of isolated words.
Cognitive constructivist approach
The conception for the HandsOnTurkish project is based on a cognitive constructivist approach to learning, in particular language learning, that is combined with the currently available technology of desktop/laptop computers, tablet computers and smartphones. This approach sees learning, as does CEF, as an active process and learners as active meaning makers.
Methodology
The methodology of the language course will guarantee sustainable learning through two channels: On the one hand learners are guided by a task-based approach (= CEF: carrying out tasks that activate strategies through which learners ‘draw on the competences … to engage in language activities’) to acquire Turkish and an awareness of Turkish culture. On the other hand, in order to achieve sustainability of learning, the project team will create a situation that strives to emulate a total immersion situation of language learning. This situation – now possible through developments in technology – will, analogously to the concept of e-learning, be called e-immersionplus®, a concept developed and a term coined by the partners and based on the original STELLA methodology.
e-immersionplus
The programming that leads to the e-immersionplus situation will ensure that the content of the course is customised in such a way that the complete course, or parts of the course respectively, will be accessible on desktop/laptop computers, on tablet computers and also on smartphones, each of these technological devices complementing the others. This will allow learners to have the contact time with Turkish that is needed for sustainable learning to take place.