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Learning to Read in the Late Ottoman Empire and the Early Turkish Republic
An exploration of the ways in which children learned and were taught to read, against the background of the transition from Ottoman Empire to Turkish Republic. This study gives us a fresh perspective on the transition from empire to republic by showing us the ways that reading was central to the construction of modernity.
261 pages, Hardcover
First published November 24, 2010
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August 31, 2016
The level of anticipation I felt to read this book was kind of ridiculous. I can imagine other educators feeling the same. The challenge of changing from one alphabet to another and going from approximately 10% literacy in the Ottoman Empire to higher levels of literacy in the Republic is just incredible interesting history.
The author wants the reader to understand that reading promotion and reform began before the Republic and that this growth was a continuum and not entirely the accomplishment of 'just' Republican times, despite what Republic boosterism would have you believe.
Things that fascinated me that helped me understand why Turkey has more of an oral tradition than a written tradition:
-religious instructors used reading to remind them of text and what they already knew, rather than to learn new content.
-the Ottoman alphabet for the Turkish language was based on Arabic. How confusing! Arabic and Persian words existed in Ottoman Turkish as well.
-Turkish students first learned to read the Koran, which is in a language other than their native tongue.
-the purpose of reading was different. It was for saving the soul, not improving the mind.
-children begin learning to read on an auspicious appointed day (a lovely idea).
-printing came to the Ottoman Empire 250 years after the rest of Europe.
This book, paired with Geoffrey Lewis' "The Turkish Language Reform: A Catastrophic Success" will probably sate my curiosity about how alphabet reform and educational traditions changed. Hats off to the Turkish generation who undertook alphabet and governance changes at the exact same time! Wow! What a lot to live through.
The author wants the reader to understand that reading promotion and reform began before the Republic and that this growth was a continuum and not entirely the accomplishment of 'just' Republican times, despite what Republic boosterism would have you believe.
Things that fascinated me that helped me understand why Turkey has more of an oral tradition than a written tradition:
-religious instructors used reading to remind them of text and what they already knew, rather than to learn new content.
-the Ottoman alphabet for the Turkish language was based on Arabic. How confusing! Arabic and Persian words existed in Ottoman Turkish as well.
-Turkish students first learned to read the Koran, which is in a language other than their native tongue.
-the purpose of reading was different. It was for saving the soul, not improving the mind.
-children begin learning to read on an auspicious appointed day (a lovely idea).
-printing came to the Ottoman Empire 250 years after the rest of Europe.
This book, paired with Geoffrey Lewis' "The Turkish Language Reform: A Catastrophic Success" will probably sate my curiosity about how alphabet reform and educational traditions changed. Hats off to the Turkish generation who undertook alphabet and governance changes at the exact same time! Wow! What a lot to live through.
Displaying 1 of 1 review