An Evaluation of Turkish Primary School Teachers’ Practices and Perceptions of Teaching Writing: A Mixed Method Study

The purpose of the current study is to examine the third and fourth-grade teachers’ practices of the teaching of writing and perceptions about writing. Primary school teachers’ views about time devoted to student writing and the teaching of writing, their preparation to teach writing, writing activities assigned to students, their use of evidence-based writing practices, their effectiveness in teaching writing and their attitudes about writing were examined. The study was conducted with 303 classroom teachers from 20 primary schools in Kayseri province. As data collection tools, general information form, writing assignments survey, evidence-based writing practices survey, teacher self-efficacy and attitudes scales, and writing instruction interview form were used. The findings have indicated that the majority of teachers thinks that their personal preparation for the teaching of writing is adequate, nearly half of teachers think that writing education they receive at university is poor and inadequate, and more than half of teacher think that in-service training and courses are poor and inadequate. They have reported that students spent an average of 23 minutes on writing. Furthermore, students have participated less in long and meaningful writing activities and teachers have included the practices of process-based writing and the teaching of writing strategies less. Finally, writing attitude and the teaching of writing self-efficacy have contributed positively to evidence-based writing practices