|  ISSN: 2757-6116

Original article | Journal of Innovative Research in Teacher Education 2022, Vol. 3(2) 226-246

An analysis of main idea questions included in Turkish course exams

Emel Bayrak Özmutlu & Pınar Kanık Uysal

pp. 226 - 246   |  DOI: https://doi.org/10.29329/jirte.2022.464.11   |  Manu. Number: MANU-2205-26-0002.R1

Published online: September 13, 2022  |   Number of Views: 89  |  Number of Download: 629


Abstract

This study aims to examine the main idea questions included in Turkish course exams. The study was carried out with a non-intervention research model. The research analyses were carried out on 178 questions which were determined to be the main idea questions among 1,432 questions in 238 exam papers from 138 schools. It was observed that there were no main idea questions in approximately half of the exam papers examined in the study. The main idea questions in the exam papers were asked with 10 different question stems. More than half of the main idea questions examined were open-ended. An expository text type was used in the majority of the main idea questions. Examination of the main idea questions revealed that in most of them, the main idea was explicitly included in the text. Moreover, it was seen that in the texts used for main idea questions, the main idea was mostly included at the end of the text. This situation casts doubt on the extent to which the exams applied in schools are adequate in terms of preparing students for international exams. For this reason, curriculum development studies should be included that will serve to make teachers more competent in increasing the quality and quantity of main idea questions in Turkish exams and to improve students’ ability to find the main idea, scaffolding models should be designed and made familiar to teachers and students.

Keywords: Turkish Course, Turkish Course Exam, Main Idea, Main Idea Instruction


How to Cite this Article?

APA 6th edition
Ozmutlu, E.B. & Uysal, P.K. (2022). An analysis of main idea questions included in Turkish course exams . Journal of Innovative Research in Teacher Education, 3(2), 226-246. doi: 10.29329/jirte.2022.464.11

Harvard
Ozmutlu, E. and Uysal, P. (2022). An analysis of main idea questions included in Turkish course exams . Journal of Innovative Research in Teacher Education, 3(2), pp. 226-246.

Chicago 16th edition
Ozmutlu, Emel Bayrak and Pinar Kanik Uysal (2022). "An analysis of main idea questions included in Turkish course exams ". Journal of Innovative Research in Teacher Education 3 (2):226-246. doi:10.29329/jirte.2022.464.11.

References

    Afflerbach, P., & Walker, B. (1992). Main idea instruction: An analysis of three basal reader series. Literacy Research and Instruction, 32(1), 11-28. https://doi.org/10.1080/19388079209558102

    Akhondi, M., Malayeri, F.A., & Samad, A.A. (2011). How to teach expository text structure to facilitate reading comprehension. The Reading Teacher, 64(5), 368-372. https://doi.org/10.1598/RT.64.5.9

    Akyıldız, M. (2009). PIRLS 2001 testinin ülkelerarası yapı geçerliliğinin incelenmesi [Construct validity of PIRLS 2001 test between countries]. (Unpublished doctoral thesis). Ankara University, Turkey. Retrieved from https://tez.yok.gov.tr/UlusalTezMerkezi/ Access Date: 12.10.2021

    Akyol, H. (2006). Yeni programa uygun Türkçe öğretim yöntemleri [Turkish teaching methods suitable for the new program]. Ankara: Kök Publishing.

    Bahap-Kudret, Z., & Baydık, B. (2016). Başarılı ve başarısız dördüncü sınıf okuyucularının okuduğunu anlama ve özetleme becerileri [Reading comprehension and summarizing skills of successful and unsuccessful fourth grade readers]. Ankara University Faculty of Educational Sciences Journal of Special Education, 17(3), 317-346. https://doi.org/10.21565/ozelegitimdergisi.268558

    Bakioğlu, A., & Yıldız, A. (2014). Finlandiya’nın PISA başarısına etki eden faktörler bağlamında Türkiye’nin durumu [The case of Turkey in the context of factors affecting Finland’s success in PISA]. Journal of Educational Sciences, 38(38), 37-53. https://doi.org/10.15285/EBD.2013385565

    Batur, Z., Ulutaş, M., & Beyret, T. N. (2018). LGS Türkçe sorularının PISA okuma becerileri hedefleri açısından incelenmesi [Investigation of 2018 LGS Turkish questions for PISA reading skills objectives]. National Journal of Education, 48(1), 595-615. Retrieved from https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/milliegitim/issue/51765/674356

    Bayrak-Özmutlu, E. (2020). Ana dili öğretim programlarında yer alan kazanımların zihinsel beceriler temelinde gösterdiği dağılımın incelenmesi [The distribution of the mother tongue curricula learning outcomes based on the thinking skills]. Cukurova University Faculty of Education Journal, 49 (1), 185-224. Retrieved from https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/cuefd/issue/53758/623935

    Beerwinkle, A. L., Owens, J., & Hudson, A. (2021). An analysis of comprehension strategies and skills covered within grade 3–5 reading textbooks in the United States. Technology Knowledge and Learning, 26(2), 311-338. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10758-020-09484-0

    Boudah, D. J. (2014). The main idea strategy: A strategy to improve reading comprehension through inferential thinking. Intervention in School and Clinic, 49(3), 148-155. https://doi.org/10.1177/1053451213496160

    Bowen, G. A. (2009). Document analysis as a qualitative research method. Qualitative Research Journal. 9(2), 27-40. https://doi.org/10.3316/QRJ0902027

    Bozkurt, B. Ü. (2016). Türkiye’de okuma eğitiminin karnesi: PISA ölçeğinden çıkarımlar [A report on reading instruction in Turkey: Implications from PISA]. Bolu Abant Izzet Baysal University Faculty of Education Journal, 16(4), 1673-1686. Retrieved from https://app.trdizin.gov.tr/makale/TWpNM09EazFOUT09

    Brookhart, S. M. (2010). How to assess higher-order thinking skills in your classroom. Alexandria: ASCD. Access address: http://www.ascd.org/Publications/Books/Overview/How-to-Assess-Higher-Order-Thinking-Skills-in-Your-Classroom.aspx Access Date: 11.12.2021

    Brown, S. A. (2018). The effects of explicit main idea and summarization instruction on reading comprehension of expository text for alternative high school students. (Doctoral thesis), Utah State University, Logan, Utah.  Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/openview/434502d946d9d89b62f9de17d8051a80/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750 Access Date: 03/04/2022

    Büyükalan-Filiz, S. & Yıldırım, N. (2019). Ortaokul Türkçe dersi öğretim programı kazanımlarının revize edilmiş Bloom taksonomisine göre analizi [Analysis of secondary-school Turkish course curriculum objectives according to revised Bloom Taxonomy]. Elementary Education Online, 18(4), 1550-1573. https://doi.org/10.17051/ilkonline.2019.632521

    Büyüköztürk, Ş., Kılıç-Çakmak, E., Akgün, Ö., Karadeniz, Ş., & Demirel, F. (2012). Bilimsel araştırma yöntemleri [Scientific research methods] (11th ed.). Ankara: Pegem.

    Çetinkaya, Ç., Ateş, S., & Yıldırım, K. (2013). Anlam kurmanın zor ve önemli bir becerisi: Ana fikri bulma [A difficult and important skill in making meaning: Finding the main idea]. Journal of Theory & Practice in Education, 9(3), 188-210. Retrieved from https://dergipark.org.tr/en/download/article-file/63359

    Çintaş-Yıldız, D. (2015). Türkçe dersi sınav sorularının yeniden yapılandırılan Bloom taksonomisine göre analizi [The analysis of Turkish course exam questions according to re-constructed Bloom’s taxonomy]. Gaziantep University Journal of Social Sciences, 14(2), 479-497. Retrieved from https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/069b/777224d783b6a0eb4e634b518d6e25b7aa2d.pdf

    Corbin, J., & Strauss, A. (2008). Basics of qualitative research: Techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory. Los Angeles, CA: Sage.

    Creswell, J. W., & Miller, D. L. (2000). Determining validity in qualitative inquiry. Theory into Practice, 39(3), 124-130. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15430421tip3903_2

    Creswell, J. W. (2017). Nitel araştırmacılar için 30 temel beceri [30 basic skills for qualitative researchers] (H. Özcan, Trans.) Ankara: Anı.

    Daniels, H. (2001). Vygotsky and pedagogy. New York: Routledge. https://www.routledge.com/Vygotsky-and-Pedagogy/Daniels/p/book/9781138670556  Access Date: 12.09.2022

    Demirel, G., & Yağmur, K. (2017). Uluslararası PIRLS uygulamaları ölçütlerine göre Türk öğrencilerin üst düzey düşünme becerilerinin değerlendirilmesi [An evaluation of Turkish children’s higher order thinking skills based on the international PIRLS applications standards]. Journal of Language Education and Research, 3(2), 95-106. Retrieved from https://dergipark.org.tr/en/download/article-file/335981

    De Beaugrande, R. A. & Dressler, W. U. (1981). Introduction to text linguistics. London: Longman Group Company. http://library.lgaki.info:404/2017/De%20Beaugrande%20R.-A..pdf Access Date: 13.01.2022

    Dickson, S., Simmons, D. C., & Kame’enui, E. J. (1998). Text organization: Research bases. In D. C. Simmons & E. J. Kame’enui (Eds.). What reading research tells us about children with diverse learning needs: Bases and basics (p. 239-278). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Dilidüzgün, Ş. (2013). Ortaokul Türkçe derslerinde oku(ma)dan özet yaz(ma)ya [From reading to summary writing in secondary school Turkish lessons]. Ankara University Journal of Faculty of Educational Sciences, 46(2), 47-68. Retrieved from https://kitaplar.ankara.edu.tr/xmlui/bitstream/handle/20.500.12575/47030/19325.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

    Eser, E. (2017). Türkçe öğretmen adaylarının farklı metin türlerinde konu ve ana fikri belirleme yeterlilikleri [The competencies of Turkish teacher candidates in determining the topic and main idea in different types of texts]. Turkish Studies, 12(4), 181-192. http://dx.doi.org/10.7827/TurkishStudies.10086

    Fielding, L. G., & Pearson, P. D. (1994). Reading comprehension: What works. Educational Leadership, 51(5), 62-68. Retrieved from https://buddies.org/articles/Reading2.pdf

    Goldman, R. S., & Rakestraw, J. A. (2000). Structural aspects of constructing meaning from text. In Kamil, P. B. Mosenthal, P. D. Pearson, & R. Barr (Eds.). Handbook of reading research (Vol. 3), (p. 311-335). New York- London: Routledge.

    Goldman, S. R. (2012). Adolescent literacy: Learning and understanding content. The Future of Children, 22(2), 3-15. https://doi:10.1353/foc.2012.0011

    İlter, I. (2018). Zayıf okuyucuların okuduğunu anlama becerilerinin geliştirilmesinde ana fikir belirleme becerisinin öğretimi [The instruction on identifying main ideas in improving the reading comprehension of poor readers]. Ankara University Faculty of Educational Sciences Journal of Special Education, 19(2), 303-334. https://dergipark.org.tr/en/download/article-file/481649

    Jitendra, A. K., Chard, D., Hoppes, M. K., Renouf, K., & Gardill, M. C. (2001). An evaluation of main idea strategy instruction in four commercial reading programs: Implications for students with learning disabilities. Reading & Writing Quarterly, 17(1), 53–73. https://doi.org/10.1080/105735601455738

    Kanık-Uysal, P., & Akyol, H. (2019). Okuma güçlüğü ve giderilmesi: Bir eylem araştırması [Reading disabilities and intervention: An action research study]. Education and Science, 44(198), 17-35. https://doi.org/10.15390/EB.2019.8032

    Kanık-Uysal, P. & Gültekin-Pala, S. (2022). Ana fikri bulma: Öğretmen ve öğrenciler neler yapıyor? Neden zorlanıyor?. [Finding the main idea: What do teachers and students do? Why do they have difficulties?]. Research in Reading & Writing Instruction, 10(1), 44-66. https://doi.org/10.35233/oyea.1112647

    Kanık-Uysal, P. (2022). Türkçe dersi sınavlarında yer alan soruların üst düzey düşünme becerileri açısından incelenmesi [Examination of questions in Turkish lesson exam papers in terms of higher-order thinking skills]. Journal of Mother Tongue Education, 10(1), 136-156. https://doi.org/10.16916/aded.1016659

    Kanık-Uysal, P., Akın-Arıkan, Ç., Acar-Erdol, T., Bayrak-Özmutlu, E., & Akyol, H. (2022). Türkçe dersi sınav sorularının özgünlük, madde türü, madde yazma ölçütleri ve bilişsel düzey açısından incelenmesi [Examining Turkish course exam questions in terms of originality, page layout, item type, item writing criteria and cognitive level]. Education and Science, 47(210), 259-280. https://doi.org/10.15390/EB.2022.10896

    Karatay, H., & Dilekçi, A. (2019). Türkçe öğretmenlerinin dil becerilerini ölçme ve değerlendirme yeterlikleri [Competencies of Turkish teachers in measuring and evaluating language skills]. National Journal of Education, 48(1), 685-716. https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/pub/milliegitim/issue/51765/674598

    Kaya, K. (2021). Anlama eğitiminde konu ana fikir özetleme öğretiminin program ders kitabı ve öğretmen görüşleri çerçevesinde değerlendirilmesi [An assessment of topic main idea summarization teaching in education of comprehension in the framework of curriculum textbooks and teachers' views]. (Unpublished master’s thesis), Hacettepe University, Turkey. Retrieved from https://tez.yok.gov.tr/UlusalTezMerkezi/  Access Date: 10.10.2021

    Kırnık, D. (2017). Örgütleme stratejilerinin ana fikir ve yardımcı fikir bulmaya etkisi [The effect of organizing strategies on finding the main and supporting idea]. (Unpublished doctoral thesis), İnönü University, Turkey. Retrieved from https://tez.yok.gov.tr/UlusalTezMerkezi/ Access Date: 21.09.2021

    Kuşdemir, Y., & Katrancı, M. (2016).  Okumada kaygı ve anlama: Ana fikri bulamıyorum öğretmenim! [Anxiety and comprehension in reading: I cannot find the main idea, my teacher!]. Education and Science, 41(183), 251-266. https://doi.org/10.15390/EB.2016.4951

    Lord, K.M. (2015). Determining the main idea: Instructional strategies that work. Kappa Delta Pi Record, 51(3), 138-142. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/00228958.2015.1056669

    McMillan, J. (2015). Sınıf içi değerlendirme, etkili ölçütlere dayalı etkili bir öğretim için ilke ve uygulamalar [Classroom assessment: Principles and practice for effective standards-based instruction].  (Trans. Eds.: A. Arı). Konya: Eğitim.

    Ministry of National Education [MoNE].  (2018). PISA 2018 okuma becerileri yayımlanan sorular cevap anahtarı [PISA 2018 reading skills published questions answer key]. Ankara: Ministry of National Education.http://pisa.meb.gov.tr/meb_iys_dosyalar/2022_02/08000654_PISA_2018_Okuma_Becerileri_YayYmlanan_Soru_Cevap_Anahtari.pdf Access Date: 08.05.2022

    Ministry of National Education [MoNE]. (2019a). Türkçe dersi öğretim programı [Turkish course curriculum] (İlkokul ve ortaokul 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 ve 8. sınıflar). Ankara: Ministry of National Education. Access address: http://mufredat.meb.gov.tr/Dosyalar/20195716392253-02-T%C3%BCrk%C3%A7e%20%C3%96%C4%9Fretim%20Program%C4%B1%202019.pdf

    Ministry of National Education [MoNE]. (2019b). PISA 2018 Türkiye ön raporu [PISA 2018 Turkey preliminary report]. Ankara: Ministry of National Education. http://pisa.meb.gov.tr/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/PISA_2018_Turkiye_On_Raporu.pdf Access Date: 12.09.2022

    Merriam, S. B. (2009). Nitel araştırma: Desen ve uygulama için bir rehber [Qualitative research: A guide to design and implementation]. (Trans.: S. Turan). Ankara: Nobel.

    Mert, E. L. (2011). 8. sınıf Türkçe ders kitaplarındaki metinlerin metinsellik ölçütlerine uygunluğu [The compatibility of the texts in 8th grade Turkish textbooks to the textuality criteria]. Language Journal, 153, 7-23. https://kitaplar.ankara.edu.tr/xmlui/bitstream/handle/20.500.12575/62602/19270.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y Access Date: 12.09.2022

    Meyer, B. J., & Freedle, R. O. (1984). Effects of discourse type on recall. American Educational Research Journal, 21, 121-143. https://doi.org/10.3102/00028312021001121

    Meyer, B.J. F., & Ray, M. N. (2011). Structure strategy interventions: Increasing reading comprehension of expository text. International Electronic Journal of Elementary Education, 4(1), 127-152. Retrieved from https://www.iejee.com/index.php/IEJEE/article/view/217

    Mullis, I., Martin, M., Foy, P., & Drucker, K. (2012). PIRLS 2011 international results in reading. TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center, Lynch School of Education, Boston College Chestnut Hill, MA, USA. https://timssandpirls.bc.edu/pirls2011/international-results-pirls.html Access Date: 12.09.2022

    Nitko, A. J., & Brookhart, S. M. (2016). Öğrencilerin eğitsel değerlendirmesi [Educational assessment of students] (B. Bıçak, M. Bahar ve S. Özel, trans.). Ankara: Nobel.

    Ören, Z., Konuk, S., Sefer, A., & Sarıtaş, H. (2017). Ortaokul Türkçe öğretim programlarındaki metin türleri ile PISA’daki metin türlerinin karşılaştırılması [Comparison of text types in secondary Turkish curriculum and text types in PISA].  In EJER IV. International Eurasian Educational Research Congress (p. 275-280). Ankara: Anı Publishing. https://www.academia.edu/download/55793390/bildiri_-_2017.pdf

    Öztürk, H., Tağa, T., & Ünlü, S. (2015). Türkçe dersine yönelik sınavlar ile ders kitaplarının metin türleri bakımından örtüşme düzeyleri [Correspondence level of exams intended for Turkish lessons and course books with regard to text types]. National Journal of Education, 45(207), 189-202. https://dergipark.org.tr/en/download/article-file/470132

    Özbay, M., & Çeçen, M. A. (2012). Türkçe ders kitaplarında (6-8. sınıflar) yer alan metinlerin tür ve tema açısından incelenmesi [A study of texts in Turkish language 6, 7, 8th grade text books in point of type and theme]. Journal of Language and Literature Education, 1(1), 67-76. https://www.acarindex.com/dosyalar/makale/acarindex-1423875352.pdf

    Özdemir, Y., & Kıroğlu, K. (2019). Okuduğunu anlama becerilerinin gelişimine uzamsal bir bakış [A longitudinal overview of the development of reading comprehension skills]. Amasya Education Journal, 8(1), 85-124. https://dergipark.org.tr/en/download/article-file/736602

    Patton, M. Q. (2014). Nitel araştırma ve değerlendirme yöntemleri [Qualitative research and evaluation methods] (Trans. Eds.: M. Bütün and S. B. Demir). Ankara: Pegem Akademi.

    Pilten. G. (2007). Ana fikir bulma stratejisi öğretiminin ana fikir bulma ve okuduğunu anlamaya etkisi [The effect of main idea strategy instruction on finding main idea and reading comprehension] (Unpublished doctoral thesis), Gazi University, Turkey. Retrieved from https://tez.yok.gov.tr/UlusalTezMerkezi/  Access Date: 14.10.2021

    Ruddell, R. B., & Unrau, N. J. (1994) Reading as a meaning-construction process: The reader, the text, and the teacher. In R. B. Ruddell, M. P. Ruddell, and H. Singer (Eds.), Theoretical models and processes of reading (p. 996–1056). Newark, DE: International Reading Association.

    Sefer, A. (2015). Çin Hong-Kong, Finlandiya, Kore, Singapur ve Türkiye’nin ana dili öğretim programlarının karşılaştırılması [Comparison of mother tongue teaching programs of China Hong-Kong, Finland, Korea, Singapore and Turkey]. (Master’s thesis), Marmara University, Turkey. Retrieved from https://tez.yok.gov.tr/UlusalTezMerkezi/   Access Date: 21.02.2021 

    Slavin, R. E. (2017). Bilişsel, dil ve okuma-yazma gelişimi [Cognitive, language and literacy development] (B. Ekinci, Trans.). G. Yüksel (Ed.), in Eğitim Psikolojisi Kuram Uygulama [Educational psychology: Theory and practice] (10. edition) (p. 29-47). Ankara: Nobel Publishing.

    Söylemez, Y. (2018). 2018 Türkçe dersi öğretim programındaki kazanımların üst düzey düşünme becerileri açısından değerlendirilmesi [Evaluation of the acquisitions in the 2018 Turkish language teaching program in terms of high-level thinking skills]. Journal of Turkish Research Institute, 63, 345-384. https://doi.org/10.14222/turkiyat3991

    Stevens, E. A., Park, S., & Vaughn, S. (2018). Summarizing and main idea interventions for upper elementary and secondary students: A meta-analysis of research from 1978 to 2016. Remedial and Special Education, 40(3) 131-149. https://doi:10.1177/0741932517749940     

    Stevens, E. A., Vaughn, S., House, L., & Stillman-Spisak, S. (2020). The effects of a paraphrasing and text structure intervention on the main idea generation and reading comprehension of students with reading disabilities in grades 4 and 5. Scientific Studies of Reading, 24(5), 365-379. https://doi.org/10.1080/10888438.2019.1684925

    Uğur, F. (2017). The level of ability of 7th grade secondary school students to determine the structural elements of an informative text. Mustafa Kemal University Journal of Graduate School of Social Sciences, 14(39), 200-222. https://dergipark.org.tr/en/download/article-file/355079

    Van den Broek, P., Lynch, J.S., Naslund, J., Ievers-Landis, C. E., & Verduin, K.  (2003). The development of comprehension of main ideas in narratives: Evidence from the selection of titles. Journal of Educational Psychology, 95(4), 707-718. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0663.95.4.707

    Vaughn, S., Klingner, J. K., Swanson, E. A., Boardman, A. G., Roberts, G., Mohammed, S. S., & Stillman-Spisak, S. J. (2011). Efficacy of collaborative strategic reading with middle school students. American Educational Research Journal, 48, 938-964. https://doi:10.3102/0002831211410305

    Williams, J. P. (2006). Stories, studies, and suggestions about reading. Scientific Studies of Reading, 10(2), 121-142. https://doi.org/10.1207/s1532799xssr1002_1

    Williams, J.P. (2018). Text structure instruction: The research is moving forward. Reading and Writing, 31(9), 1923–1935. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11145-018-9909-7

    Williams, J. P., Kao, J. C., Pao, L. S., Ordynans, J. G., Atkins, J. G., Cheng, R., & DeBonis, D. (2016). Close analysis of texts with structure (CATS): An intervention to teach reading comprehension to at-risk second graders. Journal of Educational Psychology, 108, 1061-1077. https://doi.org/10.1037/edu0000117