An analysis of instructional texts for teaching Turkish to foreigners in terms of vocabulary

Words are the building blocks of language. To use a language correctly and effectively, one must have a certain level of mastery over the existing words in the language. The words that a person is proficient in and actively uses in communication make up their vocabulary. The breadth of vocabulary is a factor that enhances the quality of interpersonal communication. In particular, vocabulary acquisition and development play a significant role in foreign language learning. During the language learning process, words are presented to learners through communication environments and specific materials. Studies indicate that in the language learning process, learners should be primarily taught high-frequency words. In this context, it is important to identify frequently used words and determine how and at what level each word should be taught.When examining the conducted studies, it can be observed that frequency analysis-related investigations mainly revolve around textbooks. The examined textbooks are generally treated as a whole, without specifically considering the types of texts they contain or conducting a study on which words are used at what frequency in each text type. Based on this observation, it is crucial to determine the elements of vocabulary present in the language learning process, the frequency and distribution of these vocabulary elements in different text types, and the identification of words at different proficiency levels. This will facilitate the development of suitable materials for language learning. Therefore, this research focuses on instructional texts, particularly informative texts, found in textbooks used for teaching Turkish as a foreign language. The aim is to identify vocabulary elements, such as words, idioms, reduplications , proverbs, terms, tongue twisters, and riddles, in informative texts. The data for the research is derived from Turkish language textbooks prepared for teaching Turkish as a foreign language, specifically from the following textbooks: "Yeni İstanbul Turkish for Foreigners," "Yeni Hitit Turkish for Foreigners," and "Yedi İklim Turkish for Foreigners." The informationregarding the vocabulary elements in Turkish language textbooks for foreign learners was collected through document analysis. Content analysis was used to analyze the vocabulary elements, and descriptive analysis was employed to determine their frequencies. According to the obtained data, the most encountered vocabulary element after words in the informative texts of the textbooks is terms, followed by idioms, collocations, and proverbs. None of the textbooks include tongue twisters or riddles.