Analysis of narrative texts in secondary school textbooks in terms of values education

Abstract

Texts have a crucial place in language education and probably they are the most important means of education. Students at the primary and secondary education ages mostly read narrative texts like short stories, poems and fictional books. This study attempts to assess value transfer in narrative texts at the secondary education textbooks. Our study tries to determine whether narrative texts in Turkish textbooks used in secondary education can be used in value transfer while teaching Turkish. The present study reviews the values stated in Educational Program of Social Sciences Course such as attaching importance to family unity, freedom, scientific knowledge, diligence, cooperation, sensitiveness, honesty, aesthetic, tolerance, hospitality, caring about being healthy, respect, love, responsibility, cleanness, patriotism, benevolence values. We employ the document analysis method. Our examination in the study consists of narrative texts in Turkish textbooks used at the secondary education. All of the narrative texts in students and teachers’ textbooks published by the Ministry of National Education are evaluated. Our investigation show that while narrative texts in these textbooks are rich in terms of such values like diligence, sensitiveness, and love, there are lack of certain values such as peace, tolerance, fairness, freedom, cleanness and hospitality.