Abstract:

In first and second language and literature teaching, texts are important tools to achieve educational objectives. Courses that use well-structured texts, where there are many good examples of aesthetic use of language and where cultural and contextual clues are presented effectively, can fulfill the aims and objectives of those courses. Thus, the importance of using an effective method to analyze texts for students to understand and interpret texts thoroughly, comes to discussion. At this point, discourse analysis method is offered and was used by the researcher to analyze texts and get deeper meaning. Discourse analysis is actually a research method, it does not provide a particular method; and can be described as a manner of questioning the basic assumptions of research methods.
By using discourse analysis as a teaching method, a student can communicate directly with the author by means of interpreting the text by being aware of, and using correct parameters. This will help them to solve the semantic codes of the text, and to decipher all the structural, formal and stylistic elements of it based on various language uses and thus they can comprehend the text better. They can then enjoy the texts they read and this initiates sense of wonder and willingness to read further.
The aim of this study is to identify the effect of using discourse analysis method on students’ reading comprehension and textual analysis skills. In this study, an authentic test model with a pre-test and post-test control group was used to determine the difference in academic achievement between the experiment group, where the discourse analysis method in literature teaching was applied, and the control group, where traditional teaching methods used. Opinions of the students in experiment group were also investigated.
The sample in the study was consisted of 40 students studying at a secondary school in Erzurum, Turkey. The data from the study was gathered through an achievement test, classroom observation and interview forms developed by the researcher in accordance with quantitative and qualitative research techniques. In order to check the reliability, Cronbach alpha test was used. Data was analyzed by SPSS 11.05 program. Quantitative data were analyzed by Mann-Whitney U Test and; arithmetic mean, standard deviation, frequency, t-test for dependent samples 
and t-test for independent samples were used. Students’ thoughts on the use of discourse analysis method in literature teaching were collected by the use of forms designed by the researcher and analyzed by descriptive statistics.
As a result of this study, it can be concluded that students in experiment group, where the discourse analysis method was used, improved in terms of reading comprehension and textual analysis skills in addition to getting better exam marks. When the process of applying discourse analysis method and its findings were examined, it can be shown that this method helps students also to develop their skills of critical thinking, evaluative thinking, analysis and synthesis and provides environments in which meaningful, effective and permanent learning can be achieved. This can be transferred to and used in other areas. It increases students’ active participation in lessons by making the lesson more enjoyable and supports the personal development of the students by improving their communication skills through the effective language use and awareness of the language in question.

Keywords:

Discourse analysis, language and literature teaching, textual analysis, teaching method.