Teachers' opinions on the compatibility of Turkish questions in the LGS with eighth grade Turkish coursebook activities and end-of-theme evaluation question

The primary aim of this study is to investigate the alignment between the Turkish language questions in the High School Entrance Exam (LGS) and the activities and end-of-theme assessment questions found in the 8th-grade Turkish textbooks, based on the views and experiences of Turkish language teachers. This qualitative research employed a phenomenological design to explore participants' lived experiences and perceptions. The study group consisted of 30 Turkish teachers employed in public schools affiliated with the Ministry of National Education (MoNE) in the city center and districts of Amasya, Türkiye. Participants were selected through purposive sampling, specifically using homogeneous sampling to ensure shared teaching experiences relevant to the study focus. Data were gathered using a semi-structured interview form developed by the researchers, containing 14 open-ended questions designed to elicit in-depth responses. The collected data were analyzed through descriptive analysis techniques. In the analysis process, themes were first constructed in line with the research objectives and literature. Participants' responses were carefully reviewed, similar answers were grouped under emerging codes, and the data were organized systematically. To enhance the trustworthiness of the results, representative participant quotations were included as direct citations. The findings were categorized under 14 main themes: the concept and perceived function of LGS, students' attitudes toward the exam, the impact of reading comprehension skills on performance, the adequacy of allocated time for the Turkish section in LGS, the role of the exam in teacher performance evaluation, the content distribution of Turkish language questions in LGS, the alignment between LGS questions and textbook activities, the compatibility of end-of-theme assessment questions with LGS items, the sufficiency of Turkish textbooks in preparing students for the exam, students' needs for supplementary resources, their motivation and attitudes toward Turkish as a subject in the LGS context, and teachers' suggestions for improving exam performance. Teachers overwhelmingly expressed concerns regarding the limited effectiveness of current textbook materials in preparing students for LGS. They reported that both the activities and end-of-theme questions in the textbooks are often misaligned with the cognitive demands and difficulty levels of actual LGS questions. Consequently, it was noted that students and teachers tend to rely heavily on external resources to adequately prepare for the exam. The study contributes to the ongoing discussions about textbook adequacy, curriculum-exam alignment, and educational resource planning in standardized testing environments. The results underscore the need for revising Turkish language textbooks in line with the structure and competencies measured by the LGS. Moreover, the findings have practical implications for teachers involved in exam preparation processes, policymakers designing national curricula, and researchers studying the effectiveness of instructional materials within high-stakes testing frameworks.