This paper is a critical analysis of curriculum with a discussion of its main tenets and exploration of issues within the literature. The focus is on curriculum in English as a Second Language (ESL) using critical applied linguistics as a framework. The ideas explored in the paper are synthesized and applied to ESL curriculum in the United Arab…

This paper attempts to present a critical review of the current state of English language education in schools in India in view of the prevalent pedagogical policies and practices. Different types of schools in the different school systems and typologies of teaching situations, the diverse nature of curriculum, syllabi, materials development, and…

The need to incorporate a foreign-language component in international business curricula is examined. The value of foreign language is analyzed from the perspectives of international business executives, managers, and other employees, national commissions on education, and academic administrators and faculty. It is concluded that language study…

Discussion of the English language needs of the Arab world looks at two general kinds of needs: societal and educational-cultural. Some major needs analysis studies conducted in the Arab world, particularly that of the Gulf region, are reviewed. The need for comprehensive research in this area, for the purpose of curriculum design, is emphasized.…

A discussion of the senior high school curriculum in Nigeria focuses on the role of English, considered an important language for educated individuals. An overview of the structure of the secondary curriculum is offered, and the sociolinguistic and pedagogical significance of English in the society is examined briefly. The senior high school…

Considers the rationale and possible design for a university-level general language education curriculum in South African universities. Suggested components include language awareness (metalinguistics), cultural context, knowledge about language acquisition, and language learning strategies. Identifies practical, implementation issues of such a…

The rationale for and design of an English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) course that integrates language instruction and cultural awareness of English-speaking communities are explained. It is argued that this approach offers the best opportunity for achieving a genuinely communicative approach to school-based language learning. In the first section,…

A study investigated the content of commonly-used English-as-a-Second-Language textbooks used in Japanese nursing education and compared this information with the expressed language needs of nursing students. Seven English textbooks analyzed, all aimed at nursing students, presented instrumental language based on a situational approach to English…

Three papers address issues in course evaluation and assessment of student performance in language awareness programs. The first paper concentrates on the formative evaluation of a course, during its design phase or in progress. It focuses on self-evaluation and two features of course design considered essential to course integrity: explicitness…

The incorporation of multicultural content in to English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) and English-as-a-Foreign-Language (EFL) instruction is discussed. First, the international role of English is examined, and the sociopolitical nature of language is reviewed. Cultural components of language learning are noted in the areas of discourse,…