Contributions of fairy tales in secondary school Turkish textbooks to student education

In this study, the fairy tale texts included in the Turkish textbooks taught at the secondary school level in public schools in the 2023-2024 academic year were analysed. The main purpose of the study is to evaluate the contribution of these fairy tales to students' academic and language skills. Document analysis method was used in the study and teacher opinions were also consulted. Within the scope of the research, a total of six fairy tale texts in fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth grade Turkish textbooks were analysed. The analysed texts were evaluated in terms of content, language and expression features, effects on students' comprehension and expression skills and values education. According to the findings, it was determined that the number of fairy tales in the existing textbooks is insufficient. In addition, it was observed that some of the fairy tales were not fully appropriate for the age and cognitive development levels of the students. According to the teachers' opinions, fairy tale texts support reading, comprehension and expression skills, but the selection of texts should be more careful. Research findings show that fairy tales are important in terms of developing students' vocabulary, increasing their critical thinking skills and transferring cultural values. As a result, it is recommended to increase the number of fairy tales in textbooks, to make the content more pedagogical and qualified, and to add activities suitable for student level.