The Search for an Effective Curricular Change Adoption in Foreign Language Education: A Meta-Synthesis

There is a rich body of studies on the implementation problems of curricular changes comprising more student-centred methodologies in English as a foreign language education around the world. Focusing on these global-wide studies within the context of the Ecological System Theory, this meta-synthesis aims to identify the common factors that hinder the curricular change implementation and to reveal the final synthesis that will lead to effective curricular change adoption. Hence, 10 studies from seven country settings (Türkiye, Japan, Colombia, South Korea, China, Vietnam, and Bangladesh) were included in the sample of the study. The analyses uncovered similar factors such as teachers' qualifications at the micro-level, lack of support and infrastructure at the meso-level, and lack of guidance or misalignment between curricular change and high-stakes testing policy at the macro-level for blocking the implementation. The synthesis indicated weaknesses between the systems from macro to micro, which resulted in the lack of interactions, as well as the coordination needed for the curricular change adoption. When they are improved, the connection between the systems will be built and all the needed contexts will be structured for the adoption. Consequently, the implications for the interaction improvement are provided. [This article includes an extended summary in Turkish.]