PERCEPTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHERS TO PREVENT CHILDREN VIOLENCE AND ABUSE: A CASE STUDY IN TISHK INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN ERBIL, IRAQ

Violence and abuse against children are important social issues for teachers. The aim of this study was to determine the perceptions of foreign language students, regarding violence and abuse against children, and their suggestions for preventing violence. The research was designed in the case study pattern, which is a qualitative research method. The study group of the research consists of 82 first year and second year foreign language pre-service teachers studying at Tishk International University, Faculty of Education, and voluntarily agreeing to participate in the research. The data of the study were obtained by using the structured “Recommendations Form for Preventing Violence and Abuse Against Children” developed by the researchers. Written data were analyzed by content analysis method. 82 students from first and second years at Education Faculty were interviewed and their opinions were taken. There were some subheadings during the survey: family, laws, national and international non-governmental organizations, schools and teachers, society, media, and art. They expressed their opinions about what the functions of these organs should be to prevent the violence and abuse against children. The pre-service teachers attached important duties to each of these organs separately. It is concluded that the prevention of violence and abuse against children can only be achieved in cooperation and separate duties of these organs. It is also recommended that courses and training that will provide pre-service teachers with knowledge, skills and awareness about violence and abuse against children should be placed in the curriculum as compulsory in education faculties.