The effect of using the embedded letter strategies in 10th grade Turkish Language and Literature course on students' academic achievement

The aim of this research is to examine the effectiveness of the implementation of the Acrostics Mnemonic Method (Acrostic/Acronym) in the 10th grade Turkish Language and Literature (TLL) course on students' academic achievement in secondary education. In the research, Explanatory Design, one of the mixed method designs, was used. In the quantitative part of the study, the experimental and control group quasi-experimental design was used; in the qualitative part, some of the participants' opinions on the process were taken. The participants of the study were 80 students in the 10th grade of a state high school located in Sultanbeyli district, Istanbul, during the first semester of the 2022-2023 academic year. 40 students formed the experimental group while the other 40 students formed the control group. The quantitative data of the research were obtained with the help of the achievement tests prepared by the researcher and the qualitative data were obtained with the help of the interview form prepared by the researcher according to the expert opinions. The convenience sampling method was used in the determination of the participants of the study. While determining this method, transportation, administrators' permission to research, and teachers' attitudes toward research were considered. During the research process, the 10th grade TLL teachers, who used Acrostics Mnemonic Method, were determined on a voluntary basis. The quantitative data of the research were analyzed with SPSS 26.0 software package. The dependent t-test was applied in the analysis made between the experimental and control groups, and the independent t-test was used in the analysis made between the groups. The qualitative data obtained from the research were analyzed and interpreted using content analysis methods. As a result of the research, it was concluded that the Acrostics Mnemonic Method had a positive effect on the academic success of the students in the 10th grade Turkish Language and Literature course. Also, during the interviews with the students participating in the study, it was determined that the students found the Acrostics Mnemonic Method useful and entertaining. It is recommended that teachers make plans in the course of course by taking into account the Embedded Letter Strategies.