The teaching of primary reading and writing in Turkey from Tanzimat to Republic of first years (1839-1928)

The aim of the study is to determine the historical development of primary reading and writing at the primary education institutions from Tanzimat (Administrative Reforms) (1839) to the adaptation of Latin characters by means of curricula, textbooks, institutional works and writings. The data sources of the study are made up of Primary Education Curricula published between the years 1839-1928, elifba (alphabet) books, institutional works and articles related to the issue in periodical publishing. As a result of studying into the data gathered, it was determined that the teaching of primary reading and writing has followed a developing course in three different ways. 1) The development of Primary Reading and Writing Depending on the Curricula: For the first time, teachers will carry out reading and writing together in accordance with the Regulation to be given to the Administrators o the Schools over How the Education, Teaching and Training of the Pupils will be carried out published at the date of 1263/1847. At the program belonging to Dersaadet and Kasabat tbtidiai Mektepleri, prepared in the year 1893 and at the program prepared for "has Rüştiyesi" and "Kız Sanayi Mektebi" the content of the elifba courses was determined by depending on the basis of the method of character. With Curriculum of Primary Schools, the method of characters used up to that time was banned in primary reading and writing. The method proposed for primary reading and writing at the curriculum of 1926 is the method of analysis and synthesis being traced up to 2005 in the teaching of primary reading and writing in Turkey.IV 2) The Development of Primary Reading and Writing Depending on Elifba Books: Elifba books do not show a parallel development with curricula in terms of the method of primary reading and writing. An alphabet book beyond the age was published with the name of Mebde-i Talim-i Sibyan in 1875. The work was written with the principles of the method of sentence. Alphabet books with similar names appeared only forty eight years later in the period of the Republic. At the Elifba of Ismail Hakkı published in 1891 the method of sound was followed. Such a lack in terms of the method followed at the course books appeared in the quality of printing and the content. The quality of illustration at the work of Resimli Elifba-i Osmani by Hafız RefF published in 1874 has never been caught in no other alphabet book in the period of nine years. 3) The Development of the Teaching of Primary Reading and Writing Depending on the Institutional Works and Writings: It is observed that the institutional works or writings written over the teaching of primary reading and writing have sometimes been sources for the determination of the methods to be followed in the curricula and the books of elifba after they are published. The method of short spelling over which Selim Sabit argues in his Rehnüma-i Muallimin is the method followed in the textbooks published later on and the one adopted in the curriculum prepared in 1892. Elifba books were written depending on the method of sound (savtf) after the article named "How to learn Elifba?" by Sati Bey publishing in his periodical of Tedrisat-ı İptidaiye in 191 1. As a conclusion, the curricula over the teaching of primary reading and writing have shown a course of development renewing and completing each other within the framework of text books, institutional works and writings.