Implementing Innovative Lean Educational Method to Enhance English Language Achievement

Abstract

Purpose: To our knowledge, the present study is the first experimental example of the application of innovative Lean Educational Method (LEM) in middle school English classes in Turkey. How to learn and teach foreign languages has become the preoccupation of teachers, researchers, educational authorities, parents, and students. All of the stakeholders in the education processes want to satisfy the learning needs of the students ideally. As a result of the relevant efforts, many teaching methods emerged in the field of English Language Teaching (ELT). In this regard, this study primarily aims to introduce LEM and present its efficiency through an experiment. Methods: To question the effects of LEM in English lessons, this experimental study was conducted. A control group (40 students), and an experimental group (40 students) were chosen through random cluster sampling in a public middle school. The experimentation process continued for 19 weeks. Statistical analyses of the collected data were conducted using descriptive statistics and the variance analyses carried out using one-way ANOVA. Findings : The findings showed that there was a statistically significant difference between the experimental and control groups (control group’s pre-test mean=8.9, sd=3.801 / post-test mean=8.775, sd=4.293; experimental group’s pre-test mean=8.45, sd=4.437 / post-test mean=13.375, sd=3.998). Variance analyses of the pre-test and the post-test showed a statistically significant difference in the dependent variable (F=27.197, p<.05). Implications for Research and Practice: The results showed that the implementation of LEM in middle school contexts is quite possible. LEM has the potential to bring many innovations to ELT and it also increases the foreign language achievement in nation-wide public exams. LEM can be applied in other educational contexts such as; primary schools, high schools and universities.