Grade Turkish Research Articles

COMPARATIVE TEACHING EXAMPLE RELATED TO COURSE ACTIVITIES DEVELOPING TRANSFER SKILL IN PROBLEM SOLVING IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PROGRAMS IN SOUTHEAST ANATOLIA REGION

As of 2004-2005 school year, principles of constructivism have been adopted to a great extent in the education system of Turkey. In the present study, the lessons were video recorded in order to observe the activities to develop the transfer skills used in problem solving by the students attending 4th and 5th grades of elementary schools in Tarsus province of Icel in Southeast Anatolian Region. Moreover, lessons were also video recorded in order to observe the problem solving behaviors of the 6th grade Turkish students attending Turkish language lessons given by a Turkish teacher in Linden province of Hannover in Germany. The lessons given in Linden and Tarsus were compared in terms of “environment and process” through tables. It was concluded that the environmental conditions existing in the elementary school in Southeast Anatolian Region are not suitable for constructivist applications and here, it was observed that direct instruction model was continuously in use. On the other hand, at the school in the Linden region, while transfer skills necessary for real life are being developed, “asking question and discussion” behaviors are also gained. Key words: inert / flexible knowledge; direct instruction model; invention; self-explaining.

Factors influencing mathematical problem-solving achievement of seventh grade Turkish students

It is known that there are many factors affecting students' problem-solving abilities. In this study, the influence of seventh-grade students' affective factors, their academic success, their gender and their families' educational levels on their problem-solving achievement was examined. To achieve this aim, a Problem-Solving Attitude Scale, a Mathematics and Problem-solving Belief Scale, a Mathematics Anxiety Scale, a Self-efficacy Perception for Mathematics Scale and a Problem-Solving Achievement test, which were developed according to the literature and the opinions of experts, were applied to one hundred fifteen seventh-grade students. The data were analyzed using the correlation method, and the direct and indirect factors affecting problem-solving achievement were examined. In the results, a highly significant relationship between academic successes and problem-solving achievements was found, while a moderately significant relationship between students' problem-solving attitudes, problem-solving beliefs, mathematics anxiety and self-efficacy perception for mathematics factors and their problem-solving achievements was observed. No significant relationship between the indirect factors and problem-solving achievements was found.

The Effect of Guided-Inquiry Instruction on 6th Grade Turkish Students' Achievement, Science Process Skills, and Attitudes Toward Science

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of guided-inquiry approach in science classes over existing science and technology curriculum in developing content-based science achievement, science process skills, and attitude toward science of grade level 6 students in Turkey. Non-equivalent control group quasi-experimental design was used to investigate the treatment effect. There were 162 students in the experimental group and 142 students in the control group. Both the experimental and control group students took the Achievement Test in Reproduction, Development, and Growth in Living Things (RDGLT), Science Process Skills Test, and Attitudes Toward Science Questionnaire, as pre-test and post-test. Repeated analysis of variance design was used in analyzing the data. Both the experimental and control group students were taught in RDGLT units for 22 class hours. The results indicated the positive effect of guided-inquiry approach on the Turkish students' cognitive as well as affective characteristics. The guided inquiry enhanced the experimental group students' understandings of the science concepts as well as the inquiry skills more than the control group students. Similarly, the experimental group students improved their attitudes toward science more than the control group students as a result of treatment. The guided inquiry seems a transition between traditional teaching method and student-centred activities in the Turkish schools.

Analysis of Value Elements in Stories in Eight Grade Turkish Course Books With Regard to Collocation Patterns

Analysis of Value Elements in Stories in Eight Grade Turkish Course Books With Regard to Collocation Patterns

The Effect of Idioms in Primary Education 5. Grade Turkish Course Book on Students Receptive Vocabulary

The Effect of Idioms in Primary Education 5. Grade Turkish Course Book on Students Receptive Vocabulary

Mathematics Anxiety among Sixth and Seventh Grade Turkish Elementary School Students

The purpose of the study is to investigate relationship between math anxiety and gender, grade, perceived enjoyment of mathematics, perceived appreciation of mathematics teacher, type of school, parent's education, number of siblings, and mathematics achievement. Participants were sixth (n = 120) and seventh (n = 124) grade students selected using convenience sampling from two different schools in Fethiye. Significant differences were found between mathematics anxiety and perceived enjoyment of mathematics, perceived appreciation of mathematics teacher, and mathematics achievement. Female students obtained lower anxiety scores than male students. Students who like their mathematics teachers had significantly lower mathematics anxiety.

Second law evaluation and sensitivity analysis of a thermal power plant operating with 10 different types of low grade Turkish lignites

Second law and sensitivity analysis of a lignite–fired Thermal Power Plant (TPP) are implemented by using the data obtained from a simulated 245 MWel TPP in Thermoflex simulation software. In this regard, exergy destruction and exergy efficiency of each component of the power plant and power generation, emissions and exergetic performance of the overall TPP is determined. Also sensitivity analysis is carried out by changing some essential parameters. In addition, power plant is fired with 9 other types of Turkish lignites. From exergy efficiency and emissions perspectives, it can be stated that, for the same power generation capacity, Soma lignite can be considered as the best lignite type among others. Moreover, for low grade Turkish lignites, two certain coefficients have been determined, in order to calculate directly the approximate fuels chemical exergies with the help of Lower Heating Value (LHV) and Higher Heating Value (HHV) of the lignites.

Level of consistency text exercises in Turkish language workbooks in fourth and fifth grade in primary education with critical thinking skill

This study aims to determine the level of consistency between the text exercises included in the workbooks for fourth and fifth grade in primary education with the critical thinking skill. The document examination method, a qualitative research method, was employed in the study. Target population of the study is comprised of Turkish Language course books studied in 4th and 5th grade in primary education in the province of Erzurum in the educational year of 2010-2011. Books examined in the study 4th and 5th grade Turkish Language workbooks published by two different publishing houses selected by simple random sampling from among publishing houses determined by the Provincial Directorate of National Education in Erzurum. Data obtained were analyzed by content analysis method. According to the findings obtained in the study, 322 out of 458 activities included in fourth and fifth grade Turkish Language workbooks are in consistency with gains of critical thinking skill.

An investigation of 5th Grade Turkish Students' Performance in Number Sense on the Topic of Decimal Numbers

Abstract The purpose of this research is to investigate the number sense of 5th grade Turkish students on the topic of decimal numbers. The research participants are composed of 121 5th grade students from two different elementary schools. All of the students have already completed the 5th grade mathematics curriculum. The data of the research was collected by number sense test about decimal numbers (NSTDN). It contained 16 questions and four components of number sense. The results of this quantitatively analysed research have shown that the 5th grade students’ number sense on decimal numbers is low. There was no significant difference in number sense between the genders. These findings are consistent with the previous researches.

Elementary Students’ Scientific Epistemological Beliefs in Relation to Socio-Economic Status and Gender

This study investigated students’ scientific epistemological beliefs in relation to socio-economic status (SES) and gender. Data were obtained from 1,152 eight grade Turkish elementary school students using Scientific Epistemological Beliefs instrument. Canonical correlation analysis indicated that students with a working mother and educated parents as well as greater number of books at home together with a separate study room are more likely to have tentative views and less likely to have fixed views about science compared to students with unemployed mother, uneducated parents, less books at home, and no separate study room. Generally, results revealed while family SES correlated positively with tentative views, it was negatively associated with fixed views, implying that students from high SES family were more likely to believe that knowledge is uncertain and not handed down by authority compared to students from low SES family. This study, however, failed to indicate any relationship between father work-status, buying daily newspaper and epistemological beliefs. In addition, Multivariate Analysis of Variance indicated that boys more likely to have tentative beliefs compared to girls.

THE READIBILITY OF THE COURSE BOOK USED FOR THE 6.-7. GRADE TURKISH AND TURK CULTURE COURSE AND ITS ELIGIBILITY TO THE TARGET LEARNERS' AGE LEVEL: A CASE FROM FRANCE

Coursebooks constitute the first and the most significant step in communication between teachers and learners. From the very beginning, the quality and the suitability of the communication will both have a direct effect on the student's success in the future and will contribute to the teacher's classroom performance efficiency. This study aims at bringing to discussion whether the coursebooks, which are used abroad for Turkish and Turk Culture courses, are quality communication means between the students and teachers. In this context, by the decision of the Board of Education and Discipline with a date, 16.11.2009 and number 201, the eligibility of the 6. 7. Grade Turkish and Turk Culture course's coursebooks in use to the target learner's age levels is tested through several international tests, as well as France/Paris based Education consultancy also tested the readability of the texts in the coursebooks with the bilingual Turkish students attending the schools within their jurisdiction. The results of a descriptive-survey model study reveals that the coursebooks used for the 6.-7. grade Turkish and Turk culture courses are far from being readable.

Examination of Texts at MEB 6, 7 and 8. Grade Turkish Course Textbooks According to Value Transmission

Examination of Texts at MEB 6, 7 and 8. Grade Turkish Course Textbooks According to Value Transmission

Elementary Students’ Scientific Epistemological Beliefs in Relation to Socio-Economic Status and Gender

This study investigated students’ scientific epistemological beliefs in relation to socio-economic status (SES) and gender. Data were obtained from 1,152 eight grade Turkish elementary school students using Scientific Epistemological Beliefs instrument. Canonical correlation analysis indicated that students with a working mother and educated parents as well as greater number of books at home together with a separate study room are more likely to have tentative views and less likely to have fixed views about science compared to students with unemployed mother, uneducated parents, less books at home, and no separate study room. Generally, results revealed while family SES correlated positively with tentative views, it was negatively associated with fixed views, implying that students from high SES family were more likely to believe that knowledge is uncertain and not handed down by authority compared to students from low SES family. This study, however, failed to indicate any relationship between father work-status, buying daily newspaper and epistemological beliefs. In addition, Multivariate Analysis of Variance indicated that boys more likely to have tentative beliefs compared to girls.

The Investigation of 5th Grade Turkish Students- Comprehension Scores According to Different Variables

The Investigation of 5th Grade Turkish Students- Comprehension Scores According to Different Variables

An investigation of mathematics anxiety among sixth through eighth grade students in Turkey

The purpose of the present study is to investigate mathematics anxiety among 220 sixth through eighth grade Turkish students in terms of mathematics achievement levels, perceived enjoyment of the mathematics teaching method, perceived enjoyment of mathematics, and perceived help with mathematics from parents. The Mathematics Anxiety Scale for Primary School Students (Bindak, 2005) was used to assess the levels of mathematics anxiety. A 3 × 2 factorial analysis of variance results showed that there was not a significant interaction effect or main effect of gender; however, there was a significant main effect of grade level. Standard multiple regression analyses show that independent variables accounted for 63% to 70% of variability in the dependent variable. The results also indicate that not only the perceived enjoyment of mathematics, but also the enjoyment of the mathematics teaching method and help with mathematics from parents had a significant effect on mathematics anxiety.

Comparative investigation of cultural components in Turkish and German language coursebooks

It must be noted that students, as from the elementary school, get to know their own cultures and other cultures and they are taught to acquire necessary skills to be able to constructively communicate with people from different cultures, while bracing themselves for the real challenges of today's globalizing world. The main purpose of this study is to investigate cultural components of 4th grade Turkish and German language course books comparatively. Qualitative design, particularly document analysis technique, was used to identify cultural components embedded in the course books. The findings of the study revealed that in spite of the fact that some cultural components were handled and presented in a very similar way, some of them were very unique to German and Turkish culture.

Mathematics Anxiety Among 4th And 5th Grade Turkish Elementary School Students

Using a sample of 4th and 5th graders, this study investigated whether students’ mathematics anxiety differed significantly according to a group of variables. A total of 249 students participated in the study. “The Mathematics Anxiety Scale for Elementary School Students” and “The Personal Information Form” were used for data collection. Independent samples t-tests, Oneway Anova and Schefee test were used to analyze the data. Results showed that students’ mathematics anxiety differed significantly according to gender, whether they liked mathematics class or not, whether they liked their mathematics teachers or not and the achievement level in mathematics. Female students reported significantly higher mathematics anxiety than males. Students who liked mathematics class and those who liked their mathematics teachers had lower anxiety. Students with higher achievement in mathematics reported lower degrees of mathematics anxiety. However, results did not show any significant difference in students’ mathematics anxiety with respect to their grade level and gender-stereotypes about success in mathematics.

Mnemonics Strategy Development: Improving Alphabetic Understanding In Turkish Students, At Risk for Failure in EFL Settings

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of integrated mnemonics on consonant letter naming and consonant sound production for three 4th grade Turkish students, at-risk for failure in an English-as-a-Foreign-Language (EFL) classroom. Mnemonic picture cards, where the target consonant letter was embedded as an integral part of the picture, were developed (e.g., the letter C as the clock, the letter D as the drum). Results showed that (a) all three students reached mastery on consonant letter naming, and (b) all three students showed marked improvement for consonant sound production, with one student reaching mastery. Letter-sound correspondence performance remained near instructional levels one week post-intervention. Generalization data showed students could produce some words that began and ended with consonant sounds, once consonant letter-sound correspondence was mastered.

The Dose of Exposure and Prevalence Rates of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in a Sample of Turkish Children Eleven Months After the 1999 Marmara Earthquakes

Since Turkey is a centrally prime earthquake zone, Turkey’s children are at risk for developing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) caused by earthquake exposures and threats of anticipated earthquakes. Given the gaps in the literature and the risk to children living in Turkey, the present study was undertaken to investigate the severity and prevalence of PTSD in 4th and 5th grade Turkish children after the notorious 1999 earthquakes in the city of Sakarya. Data were collected in May 2000. The research focus was to compare results between high-impact trauma and low-impact trauma groups according to percentage, severity and the frequency of PTSD diagnosis. Group means were compared for mild, moderate, severe and very severe categories of PTSD diagnosis. High and low impact groups were not significantly different in any category; the number of children who met the PTSD requirement was almost the same in both groups in number and severity.

Assertiveness of Loneliness of Fifth Grade Turkish Students

Assertiveness of Loneliness of Fifth Grade Turkish Students