The Integration of European Classics into Primary Turkish Education: Reader-Response Theory and Culturally Responsive Pedagogy

Abstract

This systematic review addresses the pedagogical challenges of integrating European classics into Turkish primary education, specifically within the context of the Ministry of National Education’s "100 Fundamental Works" list. Despite policy mandates, a significant gap exists between the "universal" philosophical intent of these texts and the practical reality of student alienation due to linguistic barriers and cultural disconnects. Utilizing the DISCAR model for qualitative document analysis, this study examines the issue through the lenses of Rosenblatt’s Reader-Response Theory and Culturally Responsive Pedagogy. Findings indicate that the prevailing instrumental approach prioritizes "efferent" reading, which hinders engagement. The study argues that shifting to an "aesthetic" stance—facilitated by strategies such as reading aloud and establishing intertextual connections—can transform European classics from sources of cultural alienation into instruments for critical intercultural dialogue. A "Culturally Responsive Reader-Response Model" is proposed to reconcile classical literary education with contemporary pedagogical needs.