İki Dilli Türk Çocuklarına Ana Dili Türkçe Dersi Öğretimine Yönelik Veli Görüşleri: Almanya Örneği
Parents’ Views on Mother Tongue Turkish Education for Bilingual Turkish Children in Germany

Summary/Abstract: In recent years, the global increase in migration has brought multilingualism and cultural diversity to the forefront of societies. This transformation has also directly influenced education systems, particularly highlighting the need for children with migrant backgrounds to learn and preserve their native languages in their host countries. In Germany, the educational structure presents significant structural gaps concerning native language education for migrant students. The Turkish language course is either not included in the curriculum at many schools or is offered only as an elective subject. Additionally, a shortage of qualified teachers and insufficient instructional hours severely hinder the sustainability of the Turkish language. In this context, bilingualism goes beyond being a mere linguistic asset; it is a multifaceted process that supports an individual's cognitive, social, and emotional development. This study aims to examine the challenges faced by Turkish-origin families living in and around the city of Mönchengladbach in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), Germany, regarding their children's Turkish language learning processes, their attitudes toward this process, and their expectations from the education system. The findings reveal that children predominantly use Turkish through speaking and listening but show limited progress in reading and writing skills. Parents emphasize the importance of the mother tongue in terms of identity, self-confidence, and social integration, and state that Turkish language courses have a positive impact on their children's development. The results also identify various structural deficiencies at both the school and family levels concerning the sustainability of Turkish, and offer concrete, itemized recommendations to address these issues.

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