Opinions of pre-school pre-service teachers concerning tales: The case of TRNC

Near East University, Ataturk Faculty of Education, Department of Turkish Language Teaching, 99138 Nicosia, North Cyprus

^* Corresponding author: selma.korkmaz@neu.edu.tr

Abstract

Tales have an important place in the education lives of children. For this reason, attention should be paid to the qualifications of tales read to the children in pre-school period. Pre-school teachers have important roles to play in this regard. The purpose of this study is to obtain the opinions of pre-school pre-service teachers who will serve as preschool teachers in the future concerning tales and explore whether they have adequate knowledge and awareness. For this purpose, our study group consists of 60 pre-service teachers studying at 4^th grade of Near East University Atatürk Education Faculty Preschool Teaching Department. Interview forms were used in the collection of data. Frequency, percentage and content analysis were used in the analysis of data. Based on the findings obtained, it is determined that pre-service teachers have a certain accumulation of knowledge concerning tales; however, it became evident that this knowledge is inadequate and that they are under the impact of foreign culture, and that they have little knowledge about Turkish tales although they are senior students. At the same time, pre-service teachers declare that when they become teachers they will teach some tales which they claim that have negative effects on children, which is an indication that they do not have conscious.