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Dr. Arif Al-Ahdal Assistant Professor of English (Applied Linguistics) Qassim University Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
March, 2015
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Contents Preface
2
Acknowledgments
3
Introduction
5
Chapter 1
7
English education and the Arab world Chapter 2
22
Needs, barriers and remedies Chapter 3
42
INSET: An ongoing learning process Chapter 4
62
INSET: An effective support system for ELT Chapter 5
68
:K\,16(7ZKHQWHDFKHUVDUHDOUHDG\µWUDLQHG¶ Chapter 6
79
Designing a syllabus for INSET Chapter 7
92
Principles and tenets Chapter 8
111
Training teachers for today and tomorrow: A case for INSET Chapter 9
130
When facts meet hypotheses Chapter 10
144
The proposed syllabus for INSET Appendix
150
References
238
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Preface The difference between education and training lies solely in the coercion which training claims as its right. Training is forcible education. Education is free. Tolstoy 1862 Almost one hundred and fifty years on, the aim of this book is simple: it wants to remove the distinction between education and training of teachers. Further, it wants to make learning possible with fun for no real education can take place without enjoyment. Yet another thing that it wants to do is to give a direction to policy makers to make change possible for nothing is as permanent as change itself, least of all in education. When I embarked upon this difficult project in the Name of Allah, I had envisaged a book that could answer the needs of English teachers. I am happy to reveal to my readers that by the time I arrived at actually preparing an INSET syllabus for EFL teachers, I realized that the broad layout can be of immense use in other academic subjects as well. My glee was the same as that of the little ER\ZKRVHWVRXWWRORRNIRUDFXFNRR¶VQHVWDQGHQGVXSGLVFRYHULQJRQH that has tiny chics too. I am already feeling rewarded for my effort! I have a word for EFL teachers though: Only you can bring about a change in the EFL situation especially in the Arab world. But for that to happen, you have to be the change you want to bring about. Learning and education are two ongoing processes and teachers know this fact better than others. I am sure there will be times when you would not feel motivated to attend that INSET waiting round the corner. Think of your learners at such times as that singular thought will be the strongest inspiration for you as it has been for me all these years, think of the difference you can make to their lives and the difference they can make to their nation enriched with your experience.
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Acknowledgments
It would not be an exaggeration if I say that producing this book has been like realising a long-cherished dream for me. But there are very few fortunate ones whose dreams come true. Ten fingers would really fall short to count all those caring friends, relatives and colleagues who helped me in WKHLU RZQ VSHFLDO ZD\V $OODK¶V JUDFH DQG P\ GHDU SDUHQWV¶ FRQVWDQW prayers were always there to keep me working on this difficult project. The faith of my dear wife and three little lovely kids Abdul Hameed, Nooran and Ruba in my capability to bring this about were a source of inspiration and strength. My teacher-figure Prof. Praveen Sharda of Panjab University, India deserves a special word of mention for her constant support and encouragement. My colleagues at the University especially our respected Dean Dr. Nassir Al-Sa'egh, former Dean Prof. Abdullah Alkhalaf and brotherly friend Dr. Fahad Alfallaj always had a word of hope even in the darkest moments of doubt. I sincerely thank them for their good wishes. The smiles, prayers, good wishes and genuine concern of many nears and dears could not have been acknowledged here for want of space. Thank you, all. My publishers have been exceptional in showing interest in the idea and patiently waiting as I requested them to extend the deadline to make changes in the content. Finally I thank all my readers who have valued my work by referring to it in the good of the learners. Arif Ahmed Mohammed Hassan Al-Ahdal February 20, 2015 Methnab, Qassim, KSA
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Introduction The idea of in service education for teachers has been a subject of discussion as an important step to enable teachers to renew their subject and pedagogical knowledge as well as to break their isolation from developments in the field and the learners¶ needs. Concerns for the teacher as a professional who is also the most significant link in the chain leading to curriculum redesign worked for me as the overarching aims for the design of the INSET syllabus that I have provided here. With timely support from a responsive government, INSET can present a plethora of opportunities and avenues for the continued professional development of WHDFKHUV , FDOO LW µFRQWLQXHG¶ EHFDXVH WHDFKHU DQG GHYHORSPHQW DUH synonyms: even when teachers are not involved in any INSET programme they are growing as they respond to the dynamic teaching situations. The past few decades have seen a veritable explosion of knowledge all over the world. However, another explosion that has silently occurred is in the means of acquiring knowledge and the advancement in teaching-learning techniques. New devices, mass media, electronic and computer assisted learning and ICT have revolutionised the teaching-learning process. In a rapidly changing knowledge society teachers who are not comfortable with these will not be able to produce the desired results. Hence the need for INSETs. Teachers like any other professional, can best learn the professional competencies and skills only in a particular context. This context is subject to frequent change. Preparing them to adjust to the new social and educational contexts and demands is also an aim of this book. However, as adults, teachers are critical observers of such programmes and how far they stand to benefit from them is a function of their assessment of its quality: both in terms of content and the ability to address their needs. At the same WLPH LW LV WUXH WKDW D WHDFKHU FDQQRW EH µGHYHORSHG¶ WKURXJK TXLFN IL[ strategies and activities, without developing an accompanying framework based on sound learning theory. Over-training, routinised or superficial training can defeat the purpose of INSET by causing training fatigue. We have to guard against these dangers. ϱ
Pre-service and in-service training of teachers are like two sides of a coin. Given the rate of change, even those who have had the advantage of acquiring the most sophisticated education will become outdated and anachronistic within a short span of time. One drawback that plagues preservice programmes is their total ignorance of the realities of institutions. 7KHVHJDSVEHFRPHREYLRXVZKHQWKHµWUDLQHG¶WHDFKHUVDUH LQGXFWHGLQWR the schools. An in-service syllabus of development as designed here bridges this gap and meets the demands of the changing educational scenario, its contexts and concerns. In short, its two mottos are µ/LIH/RQJ /HDUQLQJ¶and µ/HDUQLQJWR/HDUQ¶. The book follows a simple and user friendly design. It begins with laying out the realities of English education in the Arab world. The reader may wonder, Why only the Arab world. My answer is, nowhere is the English teacher as lost as in this part of the world. The reason behind this is the status accorded to English: Foreign Language. I have been fortunate to have had a varied teaching experience: as an EFL teacher in Yemen and Saudi Arabia, and as an ESL teacher in India. My exposure to the language learning situation in the latter enabled me to evaluate the EFL situation in the former. One conclusion I arrived at was the urgent need to re-train teachers through INSET in EFL situations. From there I move on to enunciate upon the problems faced by these programmes. I have also related INSET to ELT before discussing the various aspects of syllabus design and presenting a syllabus for INSETs in the Arabian nations.
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Chapter 1 English Education and the Arab World Among the Arab nations of the Middle East, Saudi Arabia and Yemen are two of the most populous countries. In fact, many of the Arab countries were under British colonial rule for long durations before they gained complete freedom. However whether to create a cheap work force or as a natural corollary to cultural contact, the expansion of English labelled by OLQJXLVW5REHUW3KLOOLSVRQDVµOLQJXLVWLFLPSHULDOLVP¶ZDVDUHDOLW\LQWKHVH countries. According to Phillipson, linguistic imperialism is the ³GRPLQDQFH DVVHUWHG DQG UHWDLQHG E\ WKH HVWDEOLVKPHQW DQG FRQWLQXRXV reconstitution of structural and cultural inequalities between English and RWKHU ODQJXDJHV´ $V D UHVXOW KLVWRULFDOO\ (QJOLVK DFTXLUHG WKH status of the most dominant and most powerful language in the world. This much for the historical significance of the language.
Linguists and
language researchers today agree that with two thirds of the world populace using English as L2, it clearly qualifies as the mRVWSRSXODUµLQWHUQDWLRQDO ODQJXDJH¶&RQVLGHUDWLRQVRI WUDGHHFRQRP\WHFKQRORJ\DQGLQIDFWRXU very intellectual existence have today brought English to the focus of PRGHUQ VRFLHWLHV &RQYHUVHO\ IRU DQ\ VRFLHW\ WR TXDOLI\ DV µPRGHUQ¶ D minimal level of English proficiency is a prerequisite. It is after all the language of computers and all fields of higher education and research. Looking back, Al Seghayer states that it is believed that the teaching of English as a foreign language was actually introduced into the Saudi Arabian educational system in 1928, a few years after the establishment of the Directorate of Education in 1923. Since then, the education process has undergone several changes and modifications. English currently asserts several functions and enjoys an eminent status in various sectors at all ϳ
levels within Saudi Arabia. This perceived growing position of English is in response to the development of Saudi Arabia in a variety of ways, including the number of the funded social establishments and the rapid changes that the social fabric has witnessed in recent years. There is an expansion of education at all levels; the economy of the country is growing rapidly, as is its industrial and commercial base. The flux of foreign manpower and the ever-evolving attitudes of the Saudi people toward English, as well as the presence of various media sources, cannot all be left out if an accurate picture of the current status of the English language on the soil of Saudi Arabia is to be presented. English has a strong and palpable presence in the Saudi educational system due to a range of considerations. It is the only foreign language taught in Saudi Arabian public schools. English is also taught in private schools, universities, and a variety of several industrial and government institutions. He further states that the status and functions of English are assumed to be VKDSHG E\ DWWLWXGH RI WKH SHRSOH RI 6DXG $UDELD ,Q JHQHUDO 6DXGLV¶ attitudes toward English are highly positive; most Saudi people believe that (QJOLVKLVYLWDOWRWKHFRXQWU\¶VIXWXUHSURVSHULW\DQGWKDWLWLVVLJQLILFDQWO\ needed in various domains. Regardless of such status, functions, and exerted efforts, Saudi English education continues to seriously suffer in all aspects and the outcome has not been satisfying or, to state the least, up to the mark. Specifically, OHDUQHUV¶SURILFLHQF\OHYHOLQ(QJOLVK DVDIRUHLJQ language) remains inadequate and below expectation for various reasons.
In Yemen, though, English education is fairly recent. It came with British colonial rule much like many other countries in the world where they ruled. Till 1962, people were deprived even of basic education in North Yemen which was till then a separate country except in a few pockets. So, a large ϴ
number of them were illiterate! On the other hand, the Southern part of Yemen which was subjugated by Great Britain in 1839 received some formal education. The British set up some schools to educate the people and teach English, apparently to serve their own interest on cost and convenience factors. Resultantly, a substantial number of Yemenis acquired some knowledge of the language and served as interpreters as well as clerks in the British offices opened in Aden then. In a way, to expand the reach and spread the use of English, the British would also send young Yemenis
from elite backgrounds to study English
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