The evaluation of the updated 5th grade English language curriculum (2017) with educational criticism model: A case study

The aim of the study is to evaluate the updated 5th grade English language curriculum with educational criticism model. The study was carried out with 3 English language teachers and 64 students at a state secondary school in İskendrun, Hatay in the spring term of 2017-2018 academic year. It is a qualitative study patterned by a case study. Data were collected via classroom observations, focus group interviews with 5th grade students and semi-structured interviews with English language teachers. In the analysis of data, descriptive analysis method was used. When the findings of the study were presented, four steps of educational criticism model were used; "description", "interpretation", "evaluation" and "thematics". According to the results of the study, the decreasing number of the learning outcomes in the updated curriculum was a positive change in terms of curriculum implementation. In the curriculum, there are learning outcomes related to listening, speaking and reading skills and learning outcomes related to writing skill. Yet, the activities related to writing skill were applied in the classrom. The most underlined skill in the curriculum is listening skill. However; the activities related to listening skill were not be able to be applied in the classrom due to the technological impossibilities. The mostly gained learning outcomes related to skills were thought to belong to reding skill. It was concluded that the content was not complex, was up to date and responsive to the students' needs and interests. According to another result, the communicative method, which was emphasized strongly in the curriculum, wasn't applied effectively. Among the reasons for these results were insufficient course hours, crowded classrooms and inappropriate teaching materials. It was concluded that one of the reasons why the curriculum was updated was the integration of the value education to the curriculum. According to the results, the implementation of the value education in the curriculum was totally left to the techers. This kind of integration did not make any difference in practice among teachers. It was concluded previous practices were proceeded. Likewise, key competencies, which were added to the curriculum for the first time, were not understood clearly by the teachers. It was concluded that the suggested assessment and evaluation approaches and classroom practices were in harmony. It was concluded that traditional and alternatine assessment and evaluation approaches were used. However; self-assessment part of the evalution was concluded to be neglected. The students and the teachers had positive opinions about the updated curriculum and it was concluded that the curriculum was implementable. Some implications of the study are: When the curriculum is updated, all the variables that are important in implementing it should be taken into account. The elective English language courses should be compulsory. The teachers, who are the main implementers of the curriculum should be given qualitative in-service training regularly.