The views and reflections of Turkish graduate students on a pre-departure cross-cultural orientation module as a guide for their prospective social and academic experiences in the USA

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Tezin Türü: Yüksek Lisans

Tezin Yürütüldüğü Kurum: Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi, Eğitim Fakültesi, Yabancı Diller Eğitimi Bölümü, Türkiye

Tezin Onay Tarihi: 2016

Öğrenci: MERVE KİBAR

Danışman: BETİL ERÖZ TUĞA

Özet:

This thesis explores the acculturation of three Turkish graduate students in the USA, who embarked on their study-abroad journey upon taking part in a nine-week Pre-Departure Cross-Cultural Orientation Module (henceforth, Pre-CCOM) in their home country. Adopting a narrative-case study design, the study gathered its data from multiple data collection tools such as initial semi-structured interviews, weekly reflective journals, reports, final interviews before their departure for the USA, and lastly e-mail exchanges and follow-up impromptu Skype interviews during the first three months upon their arrival in the USA. Based on Berry’s acculturation model (1990) and Duff’s academic discourse socialization (2010) as its theoretical frameworks, this study revealed attending the Pre-CCOM benefitted Ali, Nisa and Elif’s acculturation by aiding it to be easier and smoother. In this regard, it was clarified by each participant that they decreased perceived and experienced acculturative stressors and increased their coping strategies thanks to the Pre-CCOM. Shedding light on their experienced acculturative stressors and coping strategies, their narratives also drew attention to the need for such a Pre-CCOM as a legitimate and indispensable part of the language curriculum.