Teacher's views for the curriculum compliance of the texts in the 8th grade Turkish books (Sample of Kırşehir)

In this study, the opinions of the teachers' about the appropriateness of the texts in 8th grade Turkish textbooks which were taught in the 2016-2017 academic year, to the Turkish curriculum were examined (in the sample of Kırşehir). The purpose of the study is to reveal the opinions of the Turkish teachers about the appropriateness of the texts in the 8th grade Turkish textbooks to the curriculum. A qualitative approach has been adopted in the research and semi-structured interview form has been prepared according to the characteristics that should be found in the reading texts stated in the 2006 and 2015 Turkish Teaching Program as data collection tool. In the study, the opinions of 30 Turkish teachers were utilized. Teachers were selected by purposive sampling method and their professional seniority that is over 10 years. After the obtained data were analyzed with descriptive analysis, codes and categories were created. During the interview, teachers were asked some questions about the texts' appropriateness of the students' learning level, the situation of leading students to do research and investigation, whether the visual elements of the texts in the textbooks are facilitating learning, whether the texts in the textbooks are compatible with human rights, democratic values and gender equality, the appropriateness of the language and expression of the texts to the student level, the appropriateness of the language and expression of the texts to the student level, whether selected texts in the textbooks give language taste and aesthetic value to the student and last but not least whether the selected texts in the textbooks are qualified to lead the students to gain reading habits and love or not. It has been determined that Turkish teachers have negative opinions about the texts in the 8th grade Turkish textbooks. It has been identified that the texts in the 8th grade Turkish textbooks are not appropriate according to the features of the reading texts stated in the 2006 and 2015 Turkish Teaching Program. It has been found out that the texts are not suitable for the students' learning level, they do not encourage students to research and examine, they are not qualified to lead the students gain reading habits and love and, the visuals are inadequate.