Abstract:

The aim of this research to determine the teachers’ views on the factors which affect the choice of activities in the Free Activities Course in primary school. Case study which is a qualitative research design was used for the study. The study group consisted of 15 first-grade, second-grade and third-grade teachers each of whom worked at three different primary schools in the city center of Adıyaman. The sampling for qualitative data was determined through convenience sampling. The data were collected by using an observation form and an interview form developed by the researchers. These fifteen teachers were interviewed. In addition to this, eight of these teachers were observed during their lessons. The interview form included four semistructured questions aimed at determining teachers’ views about Free Time Activities Course. Content analysis technique was used to analyze the views and these views were aligned under the themes determined. Teachers who participated in the survey indicated that choice of activities in the Free Time Activities Course affected environmental conditions, physical conditions of school and class, class size, positions of students (academic success, emotional properties, personal development), basic lessons, lack of material, satisfaction of students. Although teachers express the fact that the students find it boring to read books, they frequently held reading activities in 1st and 2nd grade. Teachers often refer to basic lessons. Teachers have done some re-work and reinforcement work in a part of the course. Teachers also recommended the creation of sports, arts, free time centers in schools; preparing an activity book for teachers and students; increasing the number of weekly lectures in second and third grades.

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