Caricature is a material used in training for multi-way thinking, association, analysis and assessment. Considering that language training is interconnected with life, one of the most effective ways of life, art of caricature is inevitably used in language training. Particularly, the meaning of the vocabulary item in which they are used will be taught by use of this visual art.

Employment of new methods to teach vocabulary is as old as language teaching. Teachers use body language, drama, visual aids to teach vocabulary items and they make descriptive sentences and show use of vocabulary in examples to teach them. Although caricatures are a kind of visual aids, they differ from other visual aids as they have sense of humor and a special technique.

“Caricature is a funny description of a person, idea or event by means of picturing. It is picturing of a person or an event in striking manner without going into details but to give a short, leading to think and brief view or to  make the audience laugh” (Mürsel, 2009: 4).

For development of individual’s comprehension and describing skills, multi-way thinking, association, analysis-synthesis, assessment, critical thinking skills are needed. With its characteristics caricature may offer multi-way thinking to learners. With help of all of those and other similar features, caricature should find place in education.

Language teaching is a process covering mental maturing as well. By time individual starts to think with the words of the language, Supported with visual elements, language teaching makes such mind exercise more effective.

Visual factors remind firstly “caricature” which is frequently referred to in language teaching. As caricature is a multi-functional communication means and is a material leading learners to think, enabling them to suggest new and useful  ideas in  addition  to its functions to develop creativity,  it is fundamental visual material frequently used in education and particularly in language teaching,

Teacher and course book have been foundation of multi-media teaching for years in education. Today as modern technology facilities are employed, teacher-course book pairs as well as various resources are helping multi-media teaching in classroom. Such resources are usually audio and visual means. It is known that the more such materials are used in classroom the higher the motivation of students (Demirel, 2007: Transferred from Bar?n, 2007: 191). Such instruments should be effectively employed in teaching Turkish as foreign language (Bar?n, 2007: 191).

The purpose of this study is to find out whether or not the caricatures as visual aids are useful in foreign language teaching and particularly in vocabulary teaching.

Use of caricatures in teaching Turkish as foreign language

General assumption studied in respect to purpose of method of language teaching is that language teaching should be functional. Language teaching cannot be considered independent of them while our era is information, technology and communication era. Use of information and technology will only be possible by means of providing communication.

In study conducted on use of concept of communication in different fields in different meanings, it is indicated that the term is used in 15 separate meanings but the first recalling of communication means conveying emotions, thoughts and information among people via any means (Kuzu, 2008).

As it is understood from this process of transmission by communication, we use language consisting of unity of symbols in our communication that is speaking, listening, perception and thinking.

While coding information during communication several means are employed. Coding of the message should be very short, striking, notice attracting, easy to remember (Kuzu, 2008). The information not carrying such characteristics may not be perceived correctly and fully by the receiving person. For that reason, the most effective way of coding information in communication is visual coding.

Ülker (2008) says “Maybe caricature is the core of word; it just tells in a couple of seconds the message that we tell in hundreds of pages. One single line, one dot, one small circle just becomes symbol for several complicated status and feelings of a person. What is essential is to put forward the conflict with a couple of lines or words. We can also call it a sign language. A couple of simple lines just tell the same thing to any person in any part of the world. Caricature is  so  far  from side meanings and details that can be interpreted in different meanings that it just gives the message to everybody in the same way. Only one single path is described no matter if made by means of a couple of lines or scratching technique" (Ülker, 2008: 51). Topuz defines caricature as follows: “Caricature is a message, that is a visual description with humor based on iconic design in terms of communication" (Topuz, 2001: 58). Gökçe defines caricature as “Caricature is the art of making more visible the ugliness, extremes, funny things, faults not attracting attention at first glance, by means of exaggeration” (Gökçe, 2007: 32). Efe “emphasizing that as long as abstract is made concrete it becomes permanent in man’s mind and thus defines caricature as a visual text subject of displaying" (Efe, 2007: 22).

“Visual learning” ranks number one among the learning styles of students as indicated by the studies conducted in the field, and thus use of visual materials becomes necessary not only as a requirement of our era but also “structuralist approach” putting learner in the center in education. Maybe the most preferred visual material among all visual materials is caricature which is inevitable part of education system in many countries while it has just started to find place in program and course books.

According to a study conducted by Carr et al. (1982), pictures are more effective than words in giving meaning. Both words and pictures can be used as visual teaching materials in education. However, the material to be employed should be designed to provide recalling and helping learners associate those learnt before.

 “Caricature has become a communication means entirely in the 20^th century” (Özer, 2005). In addition to its aspect of being communication means, “fundamental aim of education is to grow good human being, good citizen. The fundamental purpose of humor is to display the inconsistency between the identities persons and entities intend to have and their real identities, and thus to warn the society and therefore humanity." And with such mission, caricature deserves to be used in education (cited: Atila Özer).

Caricatures can be used to attract attention in the beginning of the course, to transfer the information during covering the course and to make assessment at the end of course. During presentation/teaching stage in all courses caricature is the closest assistant of teacher in learning environment where teacher acts as guide.

Used for teaching skills in Turkish course, caricatures may provide permanency of what has been learnt as well as contribute to upper level skills of critical thinking and thus will provide development of reading-comprehension writing skills. In conclusion it must achieve the value it deserves for use in education not only in terms of a communication means but also in respect to its attention attracting characteristics (Dönmez, 2013, p.8).

“The origin of caricature means to fill, to load in Italian and comes from “caricare” metaphorically meaning to exaggerate,   to   mock   (Baran,   2009).  Caricature  is  a means of establishing communication via indicators. Caricature artist sends his/her message to the receiver by use of symbols.

The issue of teaching its language is a matter paid much attention to by states in their education policies. Transfer of culture by means of language, being used as the most effective communication means and being highly important in preservation of national identity, language teaching and learning has been given a special importance by states. “Common language contains society specific interactions and reinforces group ties. Each community has a language specified legally by the authority or recognized officially. Use of official language makes necessary to have a school where legitimately adopted language is valid.  In addition, the school is the place assigned for placement of it” (Lazar, 1993). 

The instruments prepared to create opportunity to influence more than one senses of learner at one time and enhance the effect of teaching-learning process are not core of education but just means. Visual aids help in several aspects such as raising attention, keeping interest constant, enhancing and supporting thinking. Such support to be provided in classroom will lead to better learning. As an another example to describe benefits of visual aids in achievement of visual reading or target in daily life other than learning-teaching process in the world surrounded by visuals, we can mention the following event:

Just as some more samples to prove pictures, drawings and painting that is visual components may create stronger effects than verbal description; the following examples can be given: A traffic accident picture describes feeling pain faster than written description and thus campaign against alcohol and driving under alcohol effects can be much more effective. In advertisement sector, advertisement of a product to be advertised not only in verbal descriptions but also visual components prove that line is very effective in giving strong political messages.

For instance, cartoons, television and video have more roles in business communication. Today many specialized organizations prepare video programs in various business branches and industrial training subjects. Rather than receiving information from a memo or notice, people prefer a short video film. The main advantage of using such communication medium is speed as it is the case in all visual communication types. For instance, a table indicating changes in temperature of a patient in hospital room or arrival-departure times of train give much clearer information than a long written text.

Research pattern

In this study an experimental study is conducted on 67 students studying at Department of Turkish Language and Literature at Kabil University. While selecting the groups, two classes  were  specified, which can be deemed equal in success levels in line with information from course instructor and course notes. Drawing was made for the classes and 33 students were in control group and 34 in Experimental Group, and conventional language teaching was given to control group, and caricatures were used in Experimental Group for teaching each vocabulary item. Such semi-experimental design applications are called matched design (Büyüköztürk et al., 2011: 206).

As pre- and post- test,  a test consisting of 20 questions each with 2 points was prepared and required reliability and validity study was conducted for the test. The reliability coefficient of the test consisting of 20 questions administered to students is 0.85. Pre- and post- test points were compared by means of t test in SPSS 19.0 package program.

Application process

The study was completed in 14 teaching sessions. Application was made in order to find out the effect of technique of description by use of caricature on success of foreign students in learning Turkish vocabulary items, and success points of the class before and after use of technique were compared.

Analysis of data

The data obtained in the study were analyzed taking into account the experimental process on question basis.  SPSS 19.0 statistics program was used for dependent and independent sampling performed according to success averages of experimental and control groups, and t test results are shown in tables in respect to 05 significance level.

Descriptive values of pre- and post- test points of experimental and control groups students

Pre- and post- test average and standard deviation points of total students (N=67) in experiment and control groups are shown in Table 1. The results indicate that there is 1 point difference in favor of Experimental Group when average points of experiment and control group students gained in pre-tests are compared, and it is not statistically significant. The difference between the groups in post-tests is about 7 points also in favor of Experimental Group and this is statistically significant.

Values of data (pre-test-post-test) obtained from experimental group in teaching Turkish vocabulary items by use of caricatures

The data in Table 2 indicate that there is a significant difference in favor of post -test between the pre- test and post- test success points of Experimental Group. (t: -8,657, p(0,000) < 0,05). Examination of average points of success points of pre-test (X=25,26) – post- test (X=34,41)  indicates that application process created a specific effect on Experimental Group students (about 9 points) and that the teaching Turkish vocabulary items to foreign students by use of caricature has been effective. 

Current teaching program, pre-test post- test t test values obtained from control group in teaching Turkish vocabulary items to foreign students

Examining Table 3 indicates that there is no significant difference between pre-test and post- test success points of control group (t: 3,446; p(0,267) > 0,05). Examination of success points averages of Pre-test (X=24,38) – post- test (X=27,94) indicate that the application has not created a statistically significant effect on control group students.

Pre- test t test values of data collected from teaching proverbs and phrasal items to control group where caricatures were not used in teaching and experimental group where caricatures were used in teaching

When Table 4 is  examined,  it  is  seen  that  there  is  no significant difference between pre- test success points of experiment and control groups (t: -,546; p (0,785) > 0.05). This indicated that groups have similar properties at the beginning of application process.

Comparison of values of experimental group where caricature is used for teaching Turkish vocabulary items and control group where conventional teaching method is employed

Examination of Table 5 indicates that post -test points of experimental group where Turkish vocabulary items were taught by use of caricatures are significantly different (t: -,546, p (0,000) < 0,05. It is seen that averages of post- test success points of experimental group (X=34,41)  are higher than averages of post- test success points of control group (X=27,94). This suggests that teaching Turkish vocabulary to foreign students by use of caricature is more successful than the approaches in which caricatures are not used.

The author has not declared any conflict of interests.