International Journal of Educational Development 28 (2008) 218–228 Multigrade schooling in Turkey: An overview Naciye Aksoy à Department of Elementary Education, Faculty of Education, Gazi University, K/Blok Z-23 06500 Besevler, Ankara, Turkey Abstract This paper reviews multigrade schooling in Turkey, with an emphasis on its status in the education system, as well as the curriculum practices, teacher training and problems associated with it. It is viewed by the State as an ‘‘inevitable’’ practice that arises through limited number of pupils and classrooms in small and scattered settlement areas where population density is low and is perceived as a system that needs to be abolished. The review concludes, by contrast, that multigrade schooling is advantageous for Turkey as it provides access to at least 5 years of education for thousands of children. r 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Keywords: Multigrade schooling; Multigrade classes; Multigrade teaching; Multigrade teachers; Teacher training; Turkey 1. Introduction Every country has its own unique educational problems. While developed countries are mainly engaged in activities to increase the quality of education, or they practice and seek new techniques and methods of learning and teaching, developing countries struggle to provide equal opportunities for education, trying to increase the rate of participa- tion of all citizens in basic education, which is actually compulsory. To deal with its educational problems, each country works out countrywide or local solutions, depending on the nature of the problem. Multigrade schooling is a widespread practice, especially in the rural areas of developing countries, to provide access for children to universal primary education. There are also multigrade schools in developed countries, not always as a necessity but as a pedagogical choice. Even if they exist as a necessity, factors such as attitudes, perceptions, local conditions and allocated resources are differ- ent from those of developing countries. Therefore, a careful consideration should be given to the comparison of the status of multigrade schools in different countries. Several studies have examined the topic in terms of the conditions under which multigrade schooling arise as a necessity, the conditions required for success, student learning outcomes, teacher training and problems faced by teachers, as well as the perceptions of multigrade schooling. All have compared several examples from different countries (Little, 1995, 2001, 2005; Benveniste and McEwan, 2000; Brich and Lally, 1995; Brunswic and Valerien, 2004; Thomas and Shaw, 1992; Miller, 1990, 1991; Pratt, 1986; Aikman and Pridmore, 2001; Hargreaves et al., 2001). Among the findings of these studies, Little (2005) stresses that assessing the extent of multigrade reality is difficult since many countries do not collect even partial information ARTICLE IN PRESS www.elsevier.com/locate/ijedudev 0738-0593/$ - see front matter r 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.ijedudev.2007.05.002 à Tel.: +90 312 202 82 83. E-mail address: naciye@gazi.edu.tr