Curriculum Implementation Approaches of Secondary School English Teachers: A Case Study

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to identify the curriculum implementation approaches of secondary school English teachers. Design/Methodology/Approach: The study group of this qualitative case study consists of 14 English teachers and students studying in the classes of these teachers. In determination of the study group, maximum variation and criterion sampling was used. The data of the study was obtained by observations, interviews, document review and it was analyzed by qualitative content analysis technique with an interpretive qualitative approach. Findings: Study results indicated that English teachers have basically three different approaches while implementing the curriculum: curriculum fidelity, curriculum adaptation and curriculum design. In each three approaches teachers make student-based and exam-based implementations. However, under the curriculum adaptation approach, the student-based and exam-based adaptations made by teachers during their implementations are philosophically so different from each other that they worth mentioning under a different sub-title as student-based adaptation and exam-based adaptation. Teachers who adopt curriculum fidelity approach tend to apply the curriculum materials without making any change while teachers with curriculum adaptation approach make some adaptations in these materials. In the student-based adaptation approach, teachers make these adaptations by taking student characteristics into account, while in the exam-based approach, the focus of the teachers is to prepare students for national exams or the exam of the course. Teachers with curriculum design approach teach in private schools and do not make use of curriculum materials during their instruction. These teachers have more flexibility in their classroom practices compared to the teachers with curriculum fidelity and adaptation approaches. Highlights: Based on the results of this study, it can be suggested to investigate the effect of teachers’ curriculum implementation approaches on their professional development and on their students’ motivation and academic success.