Solution Suggestions in Elementary Literacy Teaching to Elementary School Students Whose Mother Tongue is not Turkish

Abstract

The purpose of the current study is to offer solutions to the issues first grade students whose mother tongue is
not Turkish face in elementary literacy teaching. The current research employed case study, one of qualitative
research methods. The sample consisted of 40 elementary school first grade teachers chosen according to
maximum variation sampling who worked in Diyarbakır city center, province centers, towns, and villages in the
2012-2013 academic year. The data was collected using semi-structured interview forms. Content analysis was
used to analyze the data. Frequency and percentage intervals were used in the interpretation of the data. The
most frequent view (25%) reported by teachers related to mother tongue education was:" Parents should be
aware of the education their children receive and they should care about the education their children receive".
The 22, 5% of the teachers reported that: “Education must be in the mother tongue first and then the official
language". The 17, 5% of the teachers reported that:" Students should be facilitated to speak in Turkish as well as
their mother tongue before they start school". The 10% of the teachers reported that: “Education must be in the
mother tongue"; however, they did not comment on how to proceed with this education. It may not be possible
for students whose mother tongue is not Turkish to receive education solely in their mother tongue. Even if
students receive education in their mother tongue they still need to receive education in Turkish as well, since
the official language of our country is Turkish and it is used in formal procedures.
Keywords: Mother tongue, bilingual education, elementary literacy teaching, solution.

Keywords: Mother tongue, bilingual education, elementary literacy teaching, solution.