Languages reflect the identity, values, and way of life of a society, which makes language teaching a comprehensive process that extends beyond grammar to include the cultural elements of the target language. Integrating cultural content enhances the effectiveness and permanence of language learning. Folklore contributes to this process through its cultural dimension, and folk songs along with their narratives offer strong potential as authentic materials. The pedagogical use of music and narrative is supported by established instructional approaches, and the stories of folk songs aid reading development by combining cultural themes with linguistic structures. This study investigates the applicability of story-based folk songs in improving the reading skills of learners studying Turkish as a foreign language at the C1 level and proposes an original instructional material. It also argues that such songs may function as effective tools for developing advanced language competence by fostering learner motivation and strengthening cultural interaction.
Teaching Turkish as a foreign language, folk songs with stories, cultural transmission, reading skills, authentic text.