The effect of teaching learning strategies on the academic success and recalling levels of the 5 th grade primary school students in the science course

ABSTRACT THE EFFECT OF TEACHING LEARNING STRATEGIES ON THE ACADEMIC SUCCESS AND RECALLING LEVELS OF THE 5th GRADE PRIMARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN THE SCIENCE COURSE Nil YILDIZ Department of Primary Education, Primary School Programme Anadolu University Graduate School of Educational Sciences, January 2003 Advisor: Prof. Dr. Şefik YAŞAR Nowadays where we live the age of science, the aim of the education should not be to reload existing knowledge to students but to give the ability to achieve knowledge. That is why students should be taught how to learn. The most effective way is teaching to learn. To obtain this, students should be aware of the learning strategies, their properties, why and in which situations they are used. This study attempted to identify the effect of teaching learning strategies on the i til academic success and recalling levels of the 5 grade primary school students in the sbience course. In this research, pre and post test controlled group model was used. It was applied in the second term of 2001-2002 academic year at İstiklal Primary School in Eskişehir. In this study 5-A and 5-B classes participated. One of the classes was control group and the other was the experimental group selected randomly. Personal information survey prepared by the researcher and a success test of the unit "Heat and Heat Transfer Through the Substance" was given to students to collect data. Before the instruction was realized, the success test was applied to both control and experimental group. By the help of the equalized group method, the students' 4th class IVreport cards, the data of the given survey, and the pre-test scores were equalized to the experimental and control group to 22 students each group. Total was 44 students. Three days before the students were to lecture the unit, the students in the experimental group were taught the learning strategies they should use and practise was made. This process was not carried out with the control group. After the instruction, traditional education was applied to the control group. The students in the experimental group were supported with learning strategy instructions. After the application, both the control and the experimental group were given a success test after the unit as post-testThe learning levels of both groups were measured. Three weeks after instruction, the unit success test was given as recall test to both groups and their levels of recalling were measured. The pre-test and post-test, average of recall test and standard deviation of the scores were calculated, t-test was used to compare the groups. The groups' average difference was interpreted as.05 level. The findings of the study are as follows: 1. The science course in which learning strategies are thought to the 5th class primary school students, is more effective than traditional teaching methods which learning strategies are not taught in terms of students' academic success. 2. The science course in which learning strategies are taught to the 5th class primary school students, is more effective than traditional teaching methods which learning strategies are not taught in terms of recall of taught items.