Teaching punctuation marks with discovery learning strategy

In the 21st century, there is a need for practices that are led by the constructivist approach to the learning process. The research aims to determine the effect of teaching punctuation marks with the teaching method through invention strategy, which is one of these applications, on the learning level of secondary school 5th-grade students. In the research, the commonly used functions of 14 punctuation marks in the 2019 Turkish Curriculum were selected. The study was conducted with a total of 23 5th-grade students in the schools affiliated with the Ministry of National Education in Kocasinan district of Kayseri province in the 1st term of 2022-2023 academic year. Mixed-methods research design was used in the study. "Pretest-posttest one sample model" was preferred as the research model. The "Punctuation Marks Achievement Test" developed by the researcher was used as a quantitative data collection tool, and an "interview form" and "Personal Information Form" were used as qualitative data collection tools. Quantitative data were analyzed with the SPSS package program, and qualitative data were analyzed in line with the written opinions obtained. As a result of the study, a significant difference was found between the pre-test and post-test scores. According to these results, it was concluded that the discovery learning strategy positively affected the learning levels of 5th-grade students in the teaching of punctuation marks. Interview questions were asked of the students to evaluate the discovery learning strategy. Content analysis was made based on the answers. It was concluded that the students regarded the use of the discovery learning strategy while teaching punctuation marks as instructive, entertaining, useful, and permanent, that they learned punctuation better with this strategy, and that their success increased. Based on these results, it was stated that teaching through the invention strategy, which makes the student active in the teaching process, can be used in the teaching of punctuation marks. Keywords: discovery learning strategy, punctuation marks, learning level, assessment