Examining the applicability of the cooperative learning approach in 9th-grade English curriculum

This study examined teachers' views on the applicability of the cooperative learning approach in the 9th-grade English curriculum. Conducted during the 2024-2025 academic year, the research involved 132 English teachers working in five central districts of Antalya. This study is a quantitatively dominant research designed within the framework of the explanatory survey model. Quantitative data were analyzed using t-tests and descriptive statistics, while qualitative data were examined through descriptive analysis to complement and support the quantitative findings. The results revealed that cooperative learning was rated above average in all dimensions: skills, learning areas, activities, aasociation and evaluation. Female teachers scored significantly higher than male teachers in the skills, learning areas, and evaluation dimensions, whereas no significant differences were observed in the activities and correlation dimensions. Teaching experience influenced the applicability of cooperative learning in skills, activities, and evaluation dimensions, with teachers who had less than 10 years of experience showing higher scores. In-service training was found to significantly impact only the skills dimension, while regular publication monitoring affected only the learning areas dimension. No significant differences were found across any dimensions based on the teachers' graduation institutions. The study concludes that aligning curriculum content with the cooperative learning approach and providing supportive measures, such as professional development and resource allocation, can enhance the approach's applicability. Furthermore, it offers recommendations for curriculum developers, educators, and researchers to foster the integration of cooperative learning into teaching practices effectively.