A study of alternative English teacher certification practices in Turkey

For several years the number of teachers trained in several subject areas through regular teacher education programs in Turkey has been insufficient to meet the demands in the country. As a result, to combat teacher shortages in many subjects alternative routes to teacher certification have been sought. Here we examine teacher candidates' perspectives of some of these practices. The participants in this examination comprised 140 senior undergraduate students in the English teaching program in a Faculty of Education in Ankara. Almost all participants believed that the teacher candidates who go through alternative routes to become teachers of English do so because they seek employment and this is the last resort. The study highlights the fact that it is critical to pursue educational planning if we are to improve quality in education.