Affective comparison of messages in narrative texts of first- and fourth-grade preservice Turkish teachers

Abstract

The aim of this study is to compare the messages in the narrative text written by first- and fourth-grade preservice Turkish teachers in order to assess their positive or negative views. To this end, 13 first- and 13 fourth-grade students of the Turkish Language Teaching Department of Van Yüzüncü Yıl University were asked to complete a narrative text. Data were analyzed using content analysis. Texts were assessed both as a whole and as a unit. Result showed that fourth graders used more positive sentences than first graders. The analysis of sentences as a whole revealed a difference between male and female participants. However, it was not statistically significant. The analysis of sentences as a unit revealed that male participants had significantly more positive views than female participants. The reasons for the significant difference between first and fourth graders are that before starting higher education, students have high expectations, which are, however, not fully met, and various reasons arising from universities or cities. The difference between male and female participants might be due to the fact that the latter have higher expectations and are more perfectionist than the former.