Learning Beyond the Curriculum: An Extracurricular Model for Sociolinguistic Development

Abstract

This study introduces and evaluates an extracurricular instructional model designed to foster sociolinguistic awareness among pre-service English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers in Türkiye. In response to the limited integration of sociolinguistic content in formal English Language Teaching (ELT) curricula, the extracurricular workshop offered a three-day, non-formal learning environment grounded in reflection, collaboration, and pedagogical design. Guided by qualitative methodology and reflexive thematic analysis, the study draws on participants’ letters of intent, pedagogical materials, and post-workshop reflections to explore how teacher candidates developed sociolinguistic awareness, reimagined their professional roles, and translated critical insights into classroom practices. Findings revealed that participants transitioned from intuitive understandings of linguistic diversity to critically informed perspectives, incorporating sociolinguistic principles into learner-centered, inclusive instructional designs. The workshop experience contributed to participants’ identity formation as culturally responsive educators and advocates for linguistic equity. The study underscores the transformative potential of extracurricular initiatives in addressing curricular gaps and cultivating teacher agency in sociolinguistically complex educational contexts. Implications for teacher education include the need to support experiential, ideologically aware pedagogies that legitimize diverse Englishes and embrace linguistic diversity.