Investigating the Types and Reasons of Materials Adaptation in the Case of Primary Level EFL Teachers in Raprin Area/Kurdistan Region of Iraq

Abstract

EFL teachers revert to adaptation as a strategy to promote and enhance students’ learning
and meet their needs. A few reasons contribute to the adaptation process; the constraints
set by the curriculum, the EFL context, the classroom setting and teachers’ perception.
The present study addresses EFL teachers’ adaptation types and reasons in Raparin Area/
Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The aim of the study is to find out whether EFL teachers utilize
adaptation or not. To this end, the study used two tools of data collection which include
classroom observation and a questionnaire. During the year 2021-2022, 82 EFL classrooms
in Raparin Area were observed. Similarly, a 23 items questionnaire was designed
to collect data which was filled out online via a Google form by 33 EFL teachers. The
analysis of the data revealed teachers use different types of adaptation consciously and
unconsciously, the adaptation is pre-planned and sometimes spontaneous. The results also
showed that the reasons for adaptation include the time constraints set by the curriculum,
the large number of students in a classroom, the culturally inappropriate course-book
content and the national examinations. It is concluded that teachers need to be familiarized
with how to adapt materials.