Teaching Turkish as a foreign language to children: The case of Maarif Türkçe (Textbook Set Review)

Authors : Yasemin Başkan, Hasan Hüseyin Mutlu

Pages : 2292-2329

Doi:10.48146/odusobiad.1556688

View : 74 | Download : 205

Publication Date : 2025-12-28

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Teaching Turkish as a foreign language has been an area that has been pursued with different aims and methods from periods traceable through written sources to the present day. Today, these instructional activities are carried out through Turkish Teaching Centers within universities, Yunus Emre Enstitüsü, Türkiye Maarif Vakfı, Millî Eğitim Bakanlığı, as well as various public and private institutions; these institutions also develop instructional materials. Among the fundamental materials used in language teaching, coursebooks are one of the most important resources after the teacher in guiding learners through the learning process. However, the majority of existing coursebooks are primarily designed for teaching Turkish as a foreign language to adults, while materials intended for children remain limited. Yet, in today’s world, where multilingual and multicultural societies are increasingly common, early second language learning has become an important necessity for children. Since children’s cognitive and developmental characteristics differ from those of adults, language teaching materials designed for this group should also be structured differently from those prepared for adult learners. In this study, the Maarif Türkçe İlkokul Kitap Setleri: Okuma Yazma Öğreniyorum (coursebook and teacher’s guidebook) published by Türkiye Maarif Vakfı in 2023, as well as the coursebooks, workbooks, and teacher’s guidebooks covering the A1.1, A1.2, A1.3, and A1.4 levels, were examined in terms of supplementary materials, format, content, and assessment and evaluation diversity. The research was conducted within the scope of the basic qualitative research design using the document analysis method, and the data obtained were analyzed through descriptive analysis. The findings revealed that the book sets are rich in terms of supplementary material variety; they demonstrate unity and balance in overall design and aesthetic elements, yet some levels remain insufficient in terms of weight and size; the Maarif Vakfı Türkçenin Yabancı Dil olarak Öğretimi Programı plays an effective role in organizing the instructional process; the game- and drama-based approach ensures learners’ active participation in the process; the materials are enriched with local and universal cultural elements; they focus on process-based and alternative assessment and evaluation techniques; and as the level increases, the diversity of assessment and evaluation techniques also increases.
Keywords : Çocuklara Türkçe Öğretimi, Öğretim Setleri, Ders Kitabı, Maarif Türkçe Kitap Seti

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