A study of english language curriculum implementation in 6th, 7th and 8th grades of public primary schools through teachers and students perceptions

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Tezin Türü: Doktora

Tezin Yürütüldüğü Kurum: Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi, Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü, Eğitim Bilimleri Bölümü, Türkiye

Tezin Onay Tarihi: 2007

Öğrenci: ASLI ERSEN YANIK

Danışman: ALİ YILDIRIM

Özet:

This study aimed to investigate how English language curriculum of the sixth, seventh and eighth grades of public primary schools was implemented by teachers and how it was experienced by students. The major areas of investigation were the teachers’ and students’ perceptions of the curriculum goals and content, instructional strategies, evaluation and assessment procedures, learner attitudes and the problems encountered during the curriculum implementation. Through a questionnaire for teachers and students, the data collected were from 368 teachers and 1235 students randomly selected from the 21 cities and 42 towns of the seven regions of Turkey. The results revealed that the implementation process of the English language curriculum showed differences in relation to the facilities of schools and classrooms, teacher and student characteristics and perceptions. Majority of the curriculum goals were attained at a moderate level and there were some problems with the selection and ordering of curriculum content. Various types of teacher-centered and learner-centered instructional strategies were implemented depending on the language skill to be taught and learned, and the students had positive attitudes towards most of these instructional strategies. The main problems encountered in the implementation process resulted from the lack of materials and resources, the course-book, the learners, the classroom environment and the curriculum. These problems influenced the attainment of goals, classroom practices and the assessment procedures. v Teachers’ perceptions of curriculum goals and content differed in relation to school location, age, teaching experience and educational background. Students’ perceptions of the curriculum differed in relation to their grade levels, gender, parents’ educational and English level and previous English grade. English language curriculum, English language teaching, curriculum implementation, teacher perceptions, student perceptions, primary school.