Evaluation of Literacy Education Based on the Views of School Administrators as a Instructional Leadership: North Cyprus Case

Abstract

The aim of this study is to assess early literacy education as based on the views of school principals. The study, which is based on a case study model in line with qualitative research, was made in North Cyprus in the second semester of the academic year of 2015-2016. The study group comprises 30 school principals who work in primary schools affiliated with the Ministry of National Education and Culture in North Cyprus. The study group are determined in accordance with purposive maximum variation sampling. A written interview form consisting of 4 open-ended questions written by researchers was used as the data collection tool. When the findings of the research were analysed, it is revealed that a suggestion was made for the “establishment of a guidance unit for primary schools” in order for the Ministry of National Education and Culture in North Cyprus to resolve the problems associated with early literacy education. Also, a view on the “rearrangement of class sizes” (by shifting students to schools with less students and increasing the number of classes) by school principals was expressed to resolve the same problem. Another suggestion has been “organizing in-service training sessions which teachers would attend to develop themselves” in order for teachers to resolve the aforementioned problem. Lastly, suggestions involving the parents like “ensuring participation in parent training sessions” and “supporting parent-school cooperation” were made for the solution of the problems in literacy education.