The sociocultural dimension of TEFL education: The Omani file

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The introduction of English into a country which has had limited contact with the West is a daring venture. How will EFL learners feel about themselves and their traditions? Will they be fearful of becoming Westernised? Would TEFL student teachers in a remote corner of the Arabian Gulf experience a dilemma of conflicting cultural allegiances? This paper describes a case study of the undergraduate TEFL education programme at Sultan Qaboos University in the Sultanate of Oman. Data were gathered about the sociocultural, linguistic and educational backgrounds of the student teachers. By means of a survey and proficiency test, information was solicited about their level of English, their reasons for studying EFL, their views about EFL language learning in Oman, and their perceptions about the importance of various subjects in the TEFL programme. The student teachers indicated that they lacked confidence in their ability to communicate orally in English. They have had very limited contact with native English speakers and are studying the language primarily for pragmatic reasons. Most have a positive attitude towards the use and study of English in Oman and do not appear to be afraid of becoming Westernised. TEFL education programmes will be more relevant and culturally appropriate if efforts such as this are made to understand the sociocultural context of language learning and teaching through the perspective of the student teachers.