DOI: 10.17244/eku.1920316 ISSN: 1304-9496

DIFFICULTIES EXPERIENCED BY SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHERS IN TEACHING ABSTRACT CONCEPTS AND SUGGESTED SOLUTIONS: THE CASE OF TOKAT PROVINCE

Samet Özkaya, Gökhan Abanoz
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Since the social studies course includes abstract concepts such as democracy, justice, and freedom, the teaching process involves various challenges. This study aims to determine the difficulties social studies teachers face in teaching abstract concepts and the instructional approaches they adopt to overcome them. The study was conducted using the case study design, one of the qualitative research methods. The study group consisted of 28 social studies teachers working in Tokat province. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings were organized under two main themes. The first theme concerns the difficulties experienced in teaching abstract concepts. Teachers reported that they have difficulty in concretizing concepts, students have trouble relating these concepts to daily life, and students' readiness levels are insufficient. Time constraints, lack of instructional materials, and the exam-oriented system were also identified as factors negatively affecting the process. The second theme focuses on instructional approaches to overcome these difficulties. It was stated that student-centered methods such as drama, case studies, discussions, and the use of visual materials are effective. In conclusion, the study highlights the necessity of planned and interaction-based approaches in the teaching of abstract concepts.

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