An investigation of secondary education english language teachers' fidelity of curriculum implementation

The aim of this study was to investigate the fidelity of 2018 secondary school English curriculum implementation and affecting factors, through the views of the teachers. Employing embedded single case study design that is one of the qualitative research, the present study was carried out with seven English language teachers and sixteen 9th-12th grade students of Anatolian High School and Anatolian Imam Hatip High School in Muradiye district of Van province that were determined by using maximum variation sampling method. Data collected through a semi-structured individual interview form was analyzed through content analysis and also descriptive analysis was used in the analysis of the data obtained from the observations carried out through the in-class observation form. According to the findings, the majority of the teachers were of the opinion that the basic components of the curriculum were suitable for fidelity of implementation except for learning outcomes. However, the results obtained from the class observations indicated that in terms of key components for measuring fidelity of implementation (i.e., adherence, dose, quality of program delivery and participant responsiveness) teachers could not implement the 2018 secondary school English curriculum with a sufficient level of fidelity, except for content and teaching-learning process. Additionally, the results revealed that student characteristics was the most frequently emphasized factor affecting fidelity of implementation; program characteristics, organizational characteristics, teacher characteristics and teacher education were also affecting factors emphasized by the teachers. In the light of the results obtained from the research, the recommendations to increase the fidelity of curriculum implementation were suggested.