Do the learner-centered approaches increase academic performance? Effect of the layered curriculum on students’ academic achievement in English lesson

Abstract

This study was conducted to demonstrate the effect of the layered curriculum on the academic achievement of the 9th grade students in English lesson. Based on quantitative research method, pretest-posttest matched with control group pattern, one of the quasi-experimental designs, was used in the study. The study group consisted of 67 ninth grade students in Atatürk Anatolian High School, in the city center of Siirt, during 2016-2017 academic year. The applications to be conducted within the scope of the layered curriculum were prepared according to the unit- Seven Wonders. After the unit, in which the activities of the layered currciulum were going to be carried out, was determined, an academic achievement test based on the learning outcomes of the unit was formed. After carrying out the reliability and validity procedures, the academic achievement test was conducted to the experimental and control groups as pretest and posttest. Following the pretest, the students in the experimental group did the activities having been prepared according to the layered curriculum for 6 weeks. The students in the control group, on the other hand, did the activities in their textbooks. At the end of the experimental process, both the experimental and the control group were required to take the academic achievement test as posttest.