The project is an evaluation study of the Beginner and Pre-Intermediate (Pin) level programs used at a state university in Turkey, which aims to provide the students whose level of English is below proficiency level with basic language skills so that they can pursue their undergraduate studies at their departments without major difficulty. It is believed that the findings of this study may provide information to both instructors and decision makers about the effectiveness of the foundation  courses at the department, in terms of the materials, teaching methods, assessment, students’ competencies, and characteristics of teaching- learning process within from the perspectives of both instructors and students. Therefore, this particular study will provide opportunity to decision makers to make relevant modification, additions and deletions to the program, which will bring about more effective langauge courses at the language teaching program, students with better command of English and fewer numbers of repeat students at the department.

This evaluation study has been designed as a case study that attempted to evaluate the Beginner and Pre-Intermediate Group programs offered at the department of a state universityin Turkey for the purposes of improvement. A “naturalistic inquiry approach” was employed in the study in that there was no use of any treatment or intervention. Patton (1987, p. 14) explains the work of naturalistic inquiry evaluators as in the following:

Naturalistic inquiry evaluators focus on capturing program processes, documenting variations, and exploring important individual differences between various participants’ experiences and outcomes… A naturalistic inquiry strategy is selected to describe naturally unfolding program processes and impacts.

Based on the review of literature, the researcher decided to employ the evaluation model devised by Bellon and Handler (1982) so as to answer the following research questions:

1. What is the current status of the Beginner and Pre-Intermediate level programs in terms of its four fundamental aspects, aims and objectives, course content and materials, course conduct, student assessment and outcomes?
2. How do the instructors and the students evaluate the Beginner and Pin level programs  in terms of its four fundamental aspects, namely aims and objectives, course content and materials, course conduct, student assessment and outcomes?     
3. What can be done to improve and strengthen the Beginner and Pin level programs in terms of its four fundamental aspects, aims and objectives, course content and materials, course conduct, student assessment and outcomes?

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