Challenges in teaching Turkish to foreign students in primary schools in North Cyprus: An evaluation of teachers' perspectives

This study aims to identify the main problems frequently encountered in the literature on teaching Turkish to foreigners and to examine the opinions of classroom teachers working in primary schools in the North Cyprus regarding the challenges they face in teaching Turkish to foreign students, the solutions they implement, and their suggestions for addressing these issues. The research involved 12 classroom teachers and employed phenomenology and document analysis as its methods. Data were collected through interviews and analyzed using content analysis, a qualitative approach, and presented as findings with descriptive content analysis. The results revealed that primary school teachers face numerous challenges in teaching Turkish to foreigners, including language barriers, lack of family support, and insufficient programs and resources. Teachers primarily relied on audio-visual materials to support Turkish instruction. Recommendations include developing training programs and resource books for foreign students, implementing a preliminary program to teach the language, and urging the Ministry of National Education to address the issue with greater seriousness. Key Words: Teaching Turkish, teaching Turkish to foreigners, primary school, teacher opinions.