Ali Al-Issa
Ali Al-Issa has a Master of Arts in Education (TESOL) from University of London & a Ph.D. in Education (Applied Linguistics) from University of Queensland (Australia). He is currently a Full Professor of Critical Applied Linguistics (CALx) at College of Education, Department of Curriculum & Instruction at Sultan Qaboos University, Oman. Ali Al-Issa has published & presented widely about language policy & planning and second language teacher education in Oman. He is also a recipient of several national and international awards and recognitions.
Phone: (+968) 99320225
Address: P.O. Box 3058, Ruwi 112, Sultanate of Oman
Phone: (+968) 99320225
Address: P.O. Box 3058, Ruwi 112, Sultanate of Oman
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language teaching (ELT) instruction time on the national curriculum in the
Sultanate of Oman from an ideological perspective. It triangulates data from
semi-structured interviews made with different agents involved in the Omani
ELT system and representing different social, cultural, and academic
backgrounds, the pertinent literature, the National English Language Policy/
Plan, and other locally produced policy texts. The critical discussion, which aims
at revealing and examining the degree of conflict and harmony, differences and
similarities, and agreements and disagreements embodied in the various
statements, has revealed variable ideologies and paradigms about the instruction
time given to ELTon the national curriculum. The findings in this article have
their direct implications for ELT policy in the Sultanate of Oman and other
similar contexts where English and other equally important languages are
taught as a foreign/second language.
value of English as a global lingua franca to support modernization
and national economic growth. This policy, however, creates difficulties
for many teachers, who find themselves implementing
certain practices that conflict with a vision of English language
teaching (ELT) that accords with humanist values. They find themselves
adopting forms of instruction that reduce English to a
matter of drills and skills. This essay draws on an inquiry that I
facilitated with the help of four Student Teachers during their
practicum. The inquiry involved asking them to keep reflective
journals in an effort to place their teaching in a critical perspective
exposing the contradictory nature of their professional situation.
The journals show their struggle with the ELT status quo at their
cooperating schools, while revealing their commitment to opening
up educational opportunities for their students beyond what the
curriculum prescribes.
This research paper, therefore, critically examines and discusses this state of ideological conflict via triangulating data from semi-structured interviews conducted with different agents involved in the implementation of ELT in Oman, pertinent literature and policy texts and NELP. Such examination and discussion have their implications for second language policy implementation.