Beyond Access: A Systematic Review of Turkish Language Education for Migrant Learners in Türkiye

Abstract

Focusing on Turkish as a second language (L2) education among migrant learners in Türkiye, this systematic review examines how empirical research has conceptualized the pedagogical, institutional, affective, and social conditions shaping Turkish language education between 2014 and 2025. Following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, 72 peer‐reviewed empirical studies identified through TRDizin, ERIC, Scopus, and Web of Science were selected and analyzed. The studies were systematically coded for study characteristics and thematic dimensions. The findings indicate that Turkish language learning is not merely an individual process, but a relational, context‐dependent process shaped by pedagogical practices, teacher agency, social ecology, institutional conditions, and access to linguistic capital. The review identifies a segregation paradox whereby structural inclusion through school enrolment or integration classes does not necessarily foster meaningful interaction with host‐community peers. It also reveals a persistent gap between everyday communicative competence and the academic language proficiency required for participation in education and employment. By synthesizing these patterns, the review advances an ecological understanding of migrant language education and highlights the need for longitudinal and comparative research on non‐Syrian migrant groups, expressive language development, and the psychosocial dimensions of Turkish language learning.