A practical study on the use of Turkish mythology in Turkish lessons

Myths are foundational narratives that emerge from societies' efforts to comprehend existence and interpret the universe, gaining continuity within collective memory through intergenerational transmission. Mythology is the field of study that examines the origin of these narratives, their symbolic structures, and their cultural functions. This thesis aims to investigate the effects of using narratives and symbols from Turkish mythology as a contextual and pedagogical support framework to reinforce students' core language processes and creative outputs in Turkish language education, focusing on middle school learners. The research was carried out within a qualitative research approach, structured on a case study design and data were analyzed through content analysis methodology. The sample of the study consists of 27 students enrolled in grades 5, 6, 7 and 8 at a middle school located in Murgul district, Artvin province, during the 2024-2025 academic year. Within the scope of the thesis, students' prior knowledge and perceptions regarding mythology - with a particular focus on Turkish mythology -were examined through semi-structured interview forms. The interview process was based on open-ended, interpretive question formats allowing students to construct meaning and express associations rather than measuring direct factual recall. Findings obtained from classroom and extracurricular implementations indicate that Turkish mythological narratives and symbols provide a meaningful contextual foundation that can support students' narrative construction and expression processes in Turkish language education. Throughout the study, students produced oral and written narratives, creative texts, and visual design outputs centered on Turkish mythology. These outputs demonstrated that mythological symbols were not only adopted as teaching references supporting lesson context but were also reflected in students everyday communication and meaning-making practices, strengthening cultural awareness. Overall, the data patterns reveal that the Turkish mythological framework supported students' engagement, curiosity, and motivation while enhancing their ability to form culturally anchored meaning connections. These patterns suggest that Turkish mythology can be positioned as a supportive pedagogical source in Turkish language instruction, enabling students to integrate symbolic references into both lesson contexts and daily narrative practices.