Research on the frequency of word usage of 4th and 5th grade elementary students

The aim of this study is to list and analyze the words, which are frequently used by the 4th and 5th grade students while expressing themselves, in accordance with the defined criteria.In this study, qualitative methods were used to examine the research questions and cross-sectional survey design was used in the researcher. The research was made in Ankara during 2009-2010 academic years. It was implemented with a total of 180 students from 4th and 5th grades. The variables of dominant learning styles, socioeconomic level, class and gender were taken into consideration to ensure maximum variety in defining the participants in the study group. The study lasted 7 weeks. The applications were implemented according to the instructions defined by the researcher. The participants were asked to express themselves in the field of visual presentation during the first session, in the field of speaking learning during the second session and in the field of writing learning during the third session. The data gained were analyzed by using frequency, percentage and descriptive analysis. The analysis of data was supported with Simple Concordance and Zemberek Programmes.The findings reached during the research showed that the pupils use limited number of different words while expressing themselves, that the 100 most frequently words they use constitute 61.071 % of their whole word usage and that while expressing themselves, they use the highest number of words in the field of visual presentation. Besides, it was seen among the 100 most frequently used words by the participants that nouns, adjectives, verbs, pronouns, prepositions, adverbs and conjunctions are ranked respectively, they use only the half of the total number of meanings of the 100 most frequently used words in respect to depth and they do not use functional words effectively. Lastly, 48 of the words gained through the research are encountered among the words taught in 4th and 5th grades of Elementary Education Programme of Turkish Language. Education of 58 words was in no way encountered.By using the data acquired from the research, some suggestions were made for word education and the usage of word lists in education process.