Multigrade Classes as a Pedagogical Necessity in Rural Türkiye: Turkish Teaching Processes, Problems, and Solutions

Abstract

The principle of equal opportunity in education mandates access to quality educational services for every individual, regardless of geographical and demographic barriers. Multigrade classes, a historical and sociological reality of the Turkish education system, play a vital role in ensuring this access, particularly in rural areas. This research aims to examine the processes of teaching Turkish in multigrade classes, the structural and pedagogical difficulties encountered, teacher perceptions, and student achievement levels through a holistic approach, in light of academic studies conducted between 2010 and 2024. Designed with a qualitative meta-synthesis method, distinct from action research patterns, this study deeply analyzes existing literature to reach a thematic synthesis. The research findings reveal that Turkish teaching in multigrade classes is deeply shaken not only by physical impossibilities but also by the inflexible structure of curricula, inadequacies in teachers' pre-service training, and the dilemma of "independent study" versus "teacher-led" lesson hours. In particular, the incompatibilities created by the Sound-Based Sentence Method (SBSM)—used in initial literacy teaching—with the dynamics of multigrade classes constitute one of the report's most striking findings. The study concludes with concrete, data-driven recommendations for policymakers and practitioners.