Araştırma Makalesi

Instructional Practices in Turkish Kindergarten Classrooms: An Exploratory Study of Opportunities to Respond and Teacher Feedback

Sayı: 67 21 Ağustos 2026
PDF İndir
TR EN

Instructional Practices in Turkish Kindergarten Classrooms: An Exploratory Study of Opportunities to Respond and Teacher Feedback

Öz

Evidence from unstructured observations, teacher interviews, and standardized assessments such as the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (ECERS) and the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) indicates that early childhood classrooms in Türkiye often struggle with the quality and frequency of teacher-child interactions and the efficient use of instructional time. Despite increasing recognition of the need for high-quality instruction in Türkiye, there is a lack of data on how often and in what ways teachers interact with children during instruction, especially in commonly used whole-group settings. To fill this gap, this preliminary exploratory study measured teachers’ instructional interaction behaviors during whole-group instruction in kindergarten classrooms. A structured observation form was used to record opportunities to respond (OTRs)—teacher prompts aimed at eliciting verbal or non-verbal student responses—and instances of positive and negative teacher feedback. Interviews with teachers were then conducted to gain deeper insights into the recorded data from two kindergarten classrooms. Results showed that teachers provided an average of 1.45 OTRs per minute, falling below recommended rates in the literature, whereas the positive-to-negative feedback ratio of 7:1 was consistent with recommended practices. Although these results provide initial insights into how instructional interaction occurs in early childhood classrooms in Türkiye, they should be viewed with caution due to the limitations of the study.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Kindergarten, instructional practices, opportunity to respond, teacher feedback

Etik Beyan

This research was conducted with the permission obtained by the Hacettepe University Scientific Research and Publication Ethics Social and Human Sciences Board's decision dated 04/01/2023 and numbered E-35853172-900-00002608249.

Teşekkür

We thank Mustafa Öztürk, a junior student in the Special Education Department at Hacettepe University, for his invaluable contribution as a secondary coder and for providing inter-observer reliability in the classroom observations.

Kaynakça

  1. Akdağ, Z., & Haser, C., (2016). Beginning early childhood education teachers’ classroom management concerns. Teachers and Teaching, 22(6), 700-715. https://doi.org/10.1080/13540602.2016.1158959
  2. Aumann, L., Puca, R. M., & Gasteiger, H. (2025). Effects of early childhood teachers' knowledge and feedback on children’s early mathematical development in German kindergartens. Early Childhood Educ J. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-025-01859-1
  3. Aydoğan, C., Farran, D. C., & Sağsöz, G. (2015). The relationship between the kindergarten classroom environment and children's engagement. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 23(5), 604-618. https://doi.org/10.1080/1350293X.2015.1104036
  4. Aydoğan, C., & Sağsöz Başyurt, G. (2013). An investigation of instructional environment in kindergarten classrooms. e-Journal of New World Sciences Academy-Education Sciences, 1C0575, 8(1), 103-114.
  5. Bağ, C., & Ay, Ş. Ç. (2017). Okul öncesi öğretmenlerinin öğretmen yeterlikleri ve hizmet içi eğitim ihtiyaçlari. Bolu Abant İzzet Baysal Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi, 17(1), 289-312.
  6. Barton, E. E., Pribble, L., & Chen, C.-I. (2013). The use of e-mail to deliver performance-based feedback to early childhood practitioners. Journal of Early Intervention, 35(3), 270-297.
  7. Beaman, R., & Wheldall, K. (2000). Teachers’ use of approval and disapproval in the classroom. Educational Psychology, 20, 431–446.
  8. Berger, S. (1994). The effects of increased opportunity to respond in a choral responding intervention in teaching expressive object identification to preschoolers with developmental delays [Unpublished master’s thesis]. The Ohio State University.
  9. Berner, V. D., Seitz-Stein, K., Segerer, R., Oesterlen, E., & Niklas, F. (2022). ‘Good’ or ‘well calculated’? Effects of feedback on performance and self-concept of 5- to 7-year-old children in math. Educational Psychology, 42(3), 296–315. https://doi.org/10.1080/01443410.2021.2001790
  10. Booren, L. M., Downer, J. T.., & Vitiello, V. E., ... (2012). Observations of children’s interactions with teachers, peers, and tasks across preschool classroom activity settings. Early Education & Development, 23(4), 517–538. https://doi.org/10.1080/10409289.2010.548767

Kaynak Göster

APA
Meran, S., Olçay, S., & Akman, B. (2026). Instructional Practices in Turkish Kindergarten Classrooms: An Exploratory Study of Opportunities to Respond and Teacher Feedback. Pamukkale Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 67, 280-302. https://doi.org/10.9779/pauefd.1803554
AMA
1.Meran S, Olçay S, Akman B. Instructional Practices in Turkish Kindergarten Classrooms: An Exploratory Study of Opportunities to Respond and Teacher Feedback. PAÜEFD. 2026;(67):280-302. doi:10.9779/pauefd.1803554
Chicago
Meran, Sevil, Seray Olçay, ve Berrin Akman. 2026. “Instructional Practices in Turkish Kindergarten Classrooms: An Exploratory Study of Opportunities to Respond and Teacher Feedback”. Pamukkale Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, sy 67: 280-302. https://doi.org/10.9779/pauefd.1803554.
EndNote
Meran S, Olçay S, Akman B (01 Ağustos 2026) Instructional Practices in Turkish Kindergarten Classrooms: An Exploratory Study of Opportunities to Respond and Teacher Feedback. Pamukkale Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi 67 280–302.
IEEE
[1]S. Meran, S. Olçay, ve B. Akman, “Instructional Practices in Turkish Kindergarten Classrooms: An Exploratory Study of Opportunities to Respond and Teacher Feedback”, PAÜEFD, sy 67, ss. 280–302, Ağu. 2026, doi: 10.9779/pauefd.1803554.
ISNAD
Meran, Sevil - Olçay, Seray - Akman, Berrin. “Instructional Practices in Turkish Kindergarten Classrooms: An Exploratory Study of Opportunities to Respond and Teacher Feedback”. Pamukkale Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi. 67 (01 Ağustos 2026): 280-302. https://doi.org/10.9779/pauefd.1803554.
JAMA
1.Meran S, Olçay S, Akman B. Instructional Practices in Turkish Kindergarten Classrooms: An Exploratory Study of Opportunities to Respond and Teacher Feedback. PAÜEFD. 2026;:280–302.
MLA
Meran, Sevil, vd. “Instructional Practices in Turkish Kindergarten Classrooms: An Exploratory Study of Opportunities to Respond and Teacher Feedback”. Pamukkale Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, sy 67, Ağustos 2026, ss. 280-02, doi:10.9779/pauefd.1803554.
Vancouver
1.Sevil Meran, Seray Olçay, Berrin Akman. Instructional Practices in Turkish Kindergarten Classrooms: An Exploratory Study of Opportunities to Respond and Teacher Feedback. PAÜEFD. 01 Ağustos 2026;(67):280-302. doi:10.9779/pauefd.1803554