Adaptation process of English language teachers to curriculum change

The purpose of the research was to investigate the adaptation process of English language teachers to curriculum change. The research, conducted in the mixed-methods sequential explanatory design, firstly identified teachers' adaptation levels to curriculum change; afterwards, elaborately examined adaptation process of the teachers classified under the upper and lower quartile groups in terms of the scores they obtained from Adaptation to Curriculum Change scale. The sample in the quantitative part included 241 English language teachers working at primary, middle and secondary state schools in Trabzon among whom 34 English language teachers participated in the qualitative part of the research. Adaptation to Curriculum Change scale and semi-structured individual interview form which were developed by the researcher were utilized to collect data. Data were collected in 2020-2021 fall and spring semester. The data were analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistics for quantitative data and with content analysis for qualitative data. The results demonstrated that teachers' perceived adaptation level of curriculum change was high. Although adaptation process of the teachers classified in the higher and lower groups showed similarity in the initiation, implementation and continuation stages of change, the teachers in the lower group were revealed to differentiate on the factors such as not analyzing the renewed curriculum and having more negative feelings towards curriculum change. The qualitative results corroborated quantitative results in most cases such as collaboration and awareness of change. The results are expected to contribute for addressing teachers' adaptation level and process of curriculum change in an integrated way.