THE REFLECTION OF PUNCTIATION MARKS IN THE CURRICULUM OF 2ND-STEP INSTRUCTION OF THE TURKISH COURSE AT ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND IN TURKISH TEXTBOOKS

A language has such two aspects as ‘written’ and ‘oral’. ‘Oral language’ uses such auxiliary elements for expression as gestures, facial expressions and intonation or toning, whereas ‘written language’ uses only ‘writing’ as a means of expression. The elements of expression used in ‘oral language’ is replaced by punctuation-marks in ‘written language’, which is of great importance and necessity in terms of the involvement of the details of ‘oral language’ in ‘writing’ and of the prevention of some probable confusions. In the study, the focus is, therefore, on the forms of the punctuation-marks being used in the Curriculum of 2nd-step Instruction of the Turkish Course at Elementary Schools from the Republican Period to the present time. The study also aims to determine how and to what extend punctuation-marks were reflected in schooltextbooks prepared in parallel with the Instruction-Programs of Turkish Course made between 1981 and 2005. The results obtained indicated that from the past to the present, punctuation-marks have undergone significant changes in 2nd step Instruction-programs of ‘Turkish course’ at Elementary-Schools and in school-textbooks. The results also showed that it was not clear until the last Turkish Instruction program which punctuation marks and with which of their features would be taught at which level. Now, it is obvious that in terms of the instruction of the punctuations-marks, the new program is highly descriptive with the provision of a good guidance.