A Study Of The English Language Teachers Implementation Of Curriculum In Algerian Middle Schools

With the world’s and Algeria’s ever-increasing needs for more talented and competent learners,many experts saw English as a Foreign Language(EFL)curriculum implementation in developing countries as one of the chief ways of actualising progressive results in educational effectiveness.It was hoped that by releasing the EFL curriculum for Algerian middle schools in 2016,the implementation process would assume a pleasing image and hence provide positive outcomes.The EFL curriculum was developed based on the social constructivism theory to offer consistent instruction and encourage learners’ interest and engagement.As a result,a learner-centred approach to teaching was advised for instructors to apply.However,it appears that the EFL curriculum implementation has deviated too far from an out-of-date path,revealing itself to be just non-oriented and facing poor growth.This study aimed at exploring the implementation of the EFL curriculum in Algerian middle schools.More specifically,it sought to examine the activities EFL teachers adopt to implement the curriculum,investigate the difficulties that EFL teachers suffer from while implementing the curriculum,determine the factors that hinder teachers from implementing the EFL curriculum,and contribute to the existing body of knowledge of the EFL curriculum implementation by situating the model of Algeria in the wider global research and theory context.In order to provide the study a road map and achieve these intended aims,the theoretical conceptions of the social constructivism theory was taken into account.Three models of influential factors were also used as the basic theoretical frameworks,including the Fullan model of educational change(2007),Carless model(1999)and Rogan and Grayson model(2003).A mixed-method research design was employed.In particular,the sequential exploratory research design was used.In this regard,two phases were included:Qualitative and quantitative phases.Qualitative,the first phase,included classroom observation and semistructured interviews instruments.Classroom observations were conducted with five EFL teachers;whereas semi-structured interviews were conducted with four EFL inspectors,four school principals,and twelve EFL teachers.The data analyses were based on thematic analysis for interview responses,and Wolcolt’s DAI formula(1994)and categorical aggregation of Stake(1995)for classroom observation data.The second phase,quantitative,comprised a questionnaire developed based on the qualitative phase findings and previous studies.A cross sectional research design was selected to measure the EFL curriculum implementation activities difficulties and influential factors and determine the factor models for each scale according to the EFL context in Algerian middle schools.Also,a correlational design was used to determine the relationships among EFL curriculum implementation domains and figure out the study outcomes accordingly.A final total of 453 EFL teachers participated in this study.70 teachers were involved for a pilot test to confirm the surface validity of the questionnaire.Cronbach’s Alpha,McDonald’s Omega,CR,AVE,EFA,CFA,SEM,and other statistical methods were used for measuring the validation of the questionnaire,and testing the study model by SPSS,Amos,and JASP software in the current research data analysis.The study found that EFL teachers used communication,language teaching strategies,assessment,and learners’involvement to implement the curriculum.The results demonstrated that communication was the first preferred activity used by teachers as its mean value was the highest,followed by language teaching strategies,learners’ involvement,and assessment.The study also showed four main difficulties EFL teachers suffered from in implementing the curriculum:CLIL implementation,CBA implementation,classroom management,and use of English.According to the mean value,CLIL implementation was the most challenging aspect,use of English was the second,classroom management was the third,and CBA implementation was relatively the fourth.Furthermore,the study unveiled that thirteen factors affected the implementation of the EFL curriculum categorised into five main dimensions:First,teachers-related factors involve beliefs towards curriculum,understanding of curriculum,trust in colleagues,and professional integrity.Second,learners-related factors include learners’level in English and motivation.Third,curriculum-related factors comprise time limitation,textbooks contents,and curriculum complexity.Fourth,management-related factors include inspectors’ level large class size,and school principals’ collaboration.Fifth,technology-related factors include the lack of ICT tools.According to the mean scores,learners’ level was the most influential factor,followed by inspectors’ level,teachers’ beliefs,teachers’ understanding and knowledge,trust in teachers,time limitation,large class size,textbooks contents,professional integrity,ICT tools,the complexity of the curriculum,learners’ motivation,and principals’ collaboration.Moreover,the study advocated significant correlations between the four EFL curriculum implementation difficulties and some influential factors,namely between CLIL and learner English level and trust in colleagues,use of English,and teachers beliefs,professional integrity,time limitation,principals’ collaboration,and inspectors’ level,classroom management and teachers beliefs,professional integrity,learners’ English level,curriculum complexity,textbooks contents,large class size,and inspectors’ level,as well as CBA and curriculum complexity,textbooks contents,ICT tools,principals’ collaboration,and trust in colleagues.The study presented some recommendations based on the obtained findings and participants’ suggestions.