Curriculum innovation in Turkish primary education

Abstract

This paper describes how Turkish teachers of English in state primary education approach the implementation of a Communicative‐Oriented Curriculum innovation and factors that impact on teachers' classroom practices. Using multidimensional research procedures, including a questionnaire, observations and teacher interviews, a picture has been developed of teachers' instructional practices and factors influencing their classroom practices. The findings revealed a gap between curriculum objectives and teachers' implementation of the innovation. Factors that were identified as having a significant impact on teachers' classroom application of the communicative teaching include teachers' understanding of the curriculum innovation, their previous training, insufficient instructional support, limited instructional time, large class size and lack of resources. It is suggested that a greater level of support in the form of in‐service training and resource provision be given to teachers to ensure more effective implementation of the curriculum initiative.

Keywords:

• communicative‐oriented
• interpretation‐oriented teachers
• primary education
• teaching English to young learners (TEYLs) in Turkey
• transmission‐oriented teachers

Acknowledgements

The author wishes to thank all teachers who voluntarily participated in this study.