EXPLORING ESL STUDENTS' PERFORMANCES IN COMPETENCE-BASED LANGUAGE TEACHING CLASSES: A CASE STUDY OF ADULT TURKISH SPEAKERS
EXPLORING ESL STUDENTS' PERFORMANCES IN COMPETENCE-BASED LANGUAGE TEACHING CLASSES: A CASE STUDY OF ADULT TURKISH SPEAKERS

Summary/Abstract: The purpose of this study is to explore and evaluate ESL students’ performances in COBALT classes where a minimalist approach, model and method is applied. Accordingly, COBALT was applied to 21 Turkish speaking learners in English classes of 40 hours during a ten-week period. The data were collected through a post-test from 21 beginner level students in Bitlis Eren University. The data collected were analysed quantitatively. The overall findings of the research were interpreted particularly in terms of two implications: linguistic and methodological implications. As to the linguistic implications, the participants were found having no direct access to UG principles and parameters through the L2 input since they transferred L1 not only where principles worked but also where parametric variations and grammatical features occurred. As for the methodological implications, it was found out that, as a first-time ever experienced method in a classroom setting, the COBALT was found promising in terms of cost–benefit analysis although the overall success of the participants tutored through COBALT in the post-test instrument was 51%. Moreover, it was also found out that almost all of the L1 transfer cases observed are of nativization tendency proposing that learners make the input conform to their L1 competence.

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