Examining teachers’ views on the applicability of cooperative learning in the 9th-grade English curriculum

Abstract

This study investigates English teachers’ views on the applicability of the cooperative learning approach in the 9th-grade English curriculum, responding to the need for further research on its implementation at the secondary education level. The study was conducted with 132 English teachers working in five central districts of Antalya during the 2024–2025 academic year. This study was conducted using a descriptive survey model and represents a quantitative study supported by qualitative data. Quantitative data were collected through a scale developed to determine teachers’ views and were analyzed using descriptive statistics and independent samples t-tests. To support and enrich the quantitative results, qualitative data obtained from an open-ended question were analyzed using deductive content analysis. The results indicate that teachers rated the applicability of cooperative learning above average across all sub-dimensions (skills, learning domains, activities, interdisciplinary integration, and assessment and evaluation). Female teachers reported significantly higher scores than male teachers in the dimensions of skills, learning domains, and assessment and evaluation, whereas no significant differences were found in the dimensions of activities and interdisciplinary integration. Professional experience was found to influence applicability in certain dimensions, with less experienced teachers reporting higher scores. The effect of in-service training was found to be limited, while regular engagement with English language teaching publications was associated only with the learning domains dimension. However, effect sizes for demographic variables were generally small. Qualitative results revealed that cooperative learning offers notable strengths in terms of social interaction, peer learning, and the development of language skills. Nevertheless, factors such as content overload, time constraints, crowded classrooms, and misalignment in assessment practices were identified as key constraints limiting its effective implementation.