An Analysis of Children’s Right to Participation at Primary Schools in Turkey: A Case Study

Abstract

This research attempted to explore to what level children’s right to participation was realized at a primary school which is highly qualified in terms of children’s rights in Turkey. The study was designed as a case study. The study group of the research was chosen via critical case sampling. The data were gathered through observations, interviews and document analysis. The data were analyzed by conducting content and descriptive analysis. In the research, children’s right to participation related 15 different contexts, of which three were laws, were determined at the primary school which is highly qualified in terms of children’s rights. It was revealed that the realization level of children’s right to participation changed in different classrooms based on teachers’ attitudes and beliefs. The results of the research demonstrated that there was a difference in children’s right to participation at the primary school which is highly qualified in terms of children’s rights ranging from the level at which children were not involved to the level at which children participated in decision-making processes.