Mapping students’ opinions on the effectiveness of the layered curriculum in the 9th grade English lesson

Abstract

Considering that each individual has intelligence domain and prefers different learning styles, it is necessary to effectively and efficiently arrange the learning environment in which the language will be taught to meet the individual’s need of language learning. Students’ being active in the learning process and bearing the responsibility of their own learning promote permanent learning. Thus, the effectiveness of the layered curriculum in the 9th English lesson that removes monotony and makes learning enjoyable from the viewpoint of students was the aim to be explored in this paper. Based on the qualitative research method, the study group was 34 ninth grade students in one of the Anatolian High Schools in Siirt in 2016-2017 academic year. The applications were conducted within the scope of the unit-Seven Wonders in the ninth grade Eglish lesson and framework of the layered curriculum. Oral defenses for the activities were required from students and the activities they carried out were photographed. Through these oral defenses, students were monitored whether they really learnt or not, and their opinions about the applications were elicited. These oral defenses were then analyzed through document review in parallel with semi-structured interview forms. As a result of the analysis, themes, categories, and codes were created and then presented to experts for their reliability. The data obatined was shown in tables using frequency and percentage. At the end of the study, it was demonstrated that students regarded layered curriculum as student-centered, and that they revealed it contributed to develeopment of the academic skills like research, presentation, team work, planning, and such language skills as reading, writing, speaking, listening and grammar. Also, it was observed that students chose activities taking into account scuh criterias as being easy, fitting to their skills and being didactic. They revealed that they used research methods while preparing the activities, and that they chose the activities appropriate to their learning styles.