The mediating role of curriculum literacy in the relationship between teachers' agency levels and curriculum adaptation patterns (The case of Afyonkarahisar sample)

The aim of this study is the mediating role of curriculum literacy in the relationship between teachers' agency levels and curriculum adaptation patterns. Curriculum adaptation practices carried out by teachers during instructional processes are not only content-related but also shaped by pedagogical reflexes, contextual requirements, and professional competencies. In this context, teacher agency represents the power of pedagogical decision-making, while curriculum literacy refers to the ability to comprehend, interpret, and apply the curriculum effectively. This research investigates how these two constructs relate to adaptation patterns, particularly focusing on their direct and indirect effects. In this correlational research study, the sample consisted of 412 teachers working in Afyonkarahisar, Türkiye during the 2023–2024 academic year. Data were collected through the Teacher Agency Scale, the Curriculum Literacy Scale, and the Curriculum Adaptation Patterns Scale. The data were analyzed using correlation and mediation analysis. The findings revealed that teacher agency had a significant effect on "extending" adaptation pattern, with curriculum literacy serving as a significant mediator in this relationship. Similarly, curriculum literacy mediated the relationship between teacher agency and "omitting" adaptation pattern. However, no mediating effect was observed in the relationship between teacher agency and "replacing or revising" adaptation pattern. This suggests that replacing or revising behaviors may be shaped by more complex, contextual, and experience-based variables beyond individual competence and curriculum knowledge. These results indicate that curriculum adaptation processes have a multilayered structure and that supporting teacher training with pedagogical flexibility and adaptive practice skills, in addition to curriculum literacy, is essential.