An evaluation of anatolian high schools' 9th grade EFL curriculum and course materials through the principles of the common european framework of reference for languages

The CEFR has been one of the most debated issues in foreign language teaching in the last decade. It aims to standardize language teaching, learning and assessment across Europe through setting some principles. Therefore, some scholars have been praising the CEFR whereas some harshly criticize it. Nevertheless, The MONE has decided to revise EFL curricula and course materials in accordance with the principles of the CEFR. The current curriculum, prepared in 2011, states that communicative approach and the criteria determined in the CEFR were adopted during the development of the curriculum. Besides, in Turkey?s case, EFL curricula are only maintained with and highly dependent on coursebooks. Therefore, both EFL curricula and the related course materials are worth being evaluated in terms of the principles of the CEFR in order to identify coherence of both documents with the CEFR. In this sense, the aim of this study is to evaluate Anatolian High Schools? 9th grade EFL curriculum and the related coursebook titled New Bridge to Success for Grade 9, through the principles of the CEFR.In parallel to the aim of the study, answers are sought to the following research questions that guided the study;1.What are the principles of the CEFR?2.To what extent does Anatolian High Schools? 9th grade EFL curriculum meet the principles of the CEFR?3.To what extent do the Anatolian High Schools? 9th grade EFL course materials meet the principles of the CEFR?As for the method of the study, document analysis method is employed to seek answers to the research questions set. The CEFR, Anatolian High Schools? 9th grade EFL curriculum, and the related coursebook titled as New Bridge to Success for Grade 9 are the documents analyzed in this study. In order to determine the principles of the CEFR according to which the curriculum and the coursebook examined, the CEFR was exposed to multiple readings by the researcher. As a result of this process, the principles of the CEFR were determined. During the analysis of the curriculum these determined principles of the CEFR are sought. Then, the gains of the curriculum for the five language skills were analyzed through a checklist adopted from the A2 level descriptors of the ELP. In this process, the coursebook was first analyzed in terms of the tasks and their distributions among the five skills were determined. Then, they were analyzed in order to identify whether these tasks were suitable for the A2 level or not. Lastly, the coursebook is analyzed again so as to identify the principles of the CEFR.As a result, nine principles of the CEFR were defined. These defined principles of the CEFR are sought in Anatolian High Schools? curriculum, and the following results are reached;1.In general, the curriculum embraces 7 out of 9 principles of the CEFR which are communicative language teaching, task-based learning, learner-autonomy, learner-centeredness, self-assessment, interculturality and pluriculturalism whereas plurilingualism and the ELP are overlooked in the curriculum. However, these 7 principles are not harmonized equally. Communicative language teaching, task-based learning, learner-autonomy, learner-centeredness are prioritized whereas self-assessment, interculturality and pluriculturalism remain in the background.2.The analysis of the gains for the five language skills shows that there is an unequal distribution in the gains for the five skills. Besides, the results show that 38.29% of the gains are appropriate to the A2 level descriptors.3.The general analysis of the coursebook shows that there is an unequal distribution among tasks. In this sense, the coursebook mainly focuses on teaching grammar rules and vocabulary rather than teaching the five language skills since 30.5% of the tasks in the coursebook are related to grammar rules and vocabulary.4.The detailed analysis of the tasks shows that the coursebook titled as New Bridge to Success for Grade 9 are not appropriate to the A2 level since 168 out of 792 (21.21%) tasks match with the A2 level descriptors.5.Lastly, the analysis of the coursebook in terms of the principles of the CEFR shows that the coursebook does not involve any tasks related to plurilingualism. Besides, it does not support the use of the ELP. It provides a limited number of activities related to interculturality and pluriculturalism.