English Learning in a Saudi Arabian Context - Coursework Example

English Learning in a Saudi Arabian Context Student’s Name University English Learning in a Saudi Arabian Context Chapter One Background Information Introduction The history of Saudi Arabia is tied to its cultural, social, economic and religious practices. Saudi Arabia was established in 1902 as a Kingdom by King Abdul Aziz Bin Saud. Thus far, it has become one of the most developed nations in the Middle East. The government, religion and setting of Saudi Arabia is based on Muslim rules. Arabic is the sacred language that the Quran is a written in. The Quran is the main source of legal guidance. Consequently, Islam is the official religion in the nation with Arabic as the official language. According to a survey done by the Saudi Arabian information source in 2010, there are approximately 25.8 million people inhabiting the country – a number that has likely grown in the last two years. The kingdom is has one of the fastest growth rates in the world. The economy of the Kingdom is highly dependent on oil production since it s home to a third of the oil reserves in the world. The kingdom is placed at a vast and vantage area in the Middle East. It covers a large area in the Arabian Peninsula totaling to approximately four fifth of the Peninsula or 2,250,000 million sq. km. It is bordered by the Red Sea, the Arabian Gulf, Qatar, man, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Iraq, Kuwait and Yemen. Context Islam is a fundamental part of the foundation and context of education in Saudi Arabia. All that takes place within the education system is meant to emphasize and socialize an individual into the Islamic culture and community. Islam is the heart of all activities in Saudi Arabia. Education has had very high priority in the Kingdom since it was established. Education began in the early years of the 1930s and since then, it has been expanding to meet increasing demand. The Kingdom has managed to meet this demand. The first attempts at formal education were made in Ottoman schools. Education in the kingdom is free at all the different levels including tertiary (Haugen, 2001). In order to meet the education demand, the government allocates a quarter of its total budget to education. General education is divided into four parts including preschool, primary, intermediate and secondary school. The schooling system is based on Islamic tenets including the separation of males and females. There is more emphasis placed on Islamic subjects since they are the center of the curriculum. Consequently, Arabic is the official language of instruction for all subjects and courses taken in the nation. Saudi Arabia is the only country in the entire world with a complete single sex schooling system. The curriculum in Saudi Arabia reflects the religious and cultural specifications of the region. Consequently, there is segregation based on gender is meant to socialize individuals as specified by Islamic teachings. Owing to the strict curriculum that has been developed for use in the lower education levels there is complete uniformity in the education system where private, pubic, boy and girl schools all use the same curriculum, textbooks and syllabus. The government provides the books and other material used in schools. All the education policies in the region are controlled solely by the government through the council of ministers (Abd-el Wassie, 1970). The education system has been undergone astonishing modifications over the years to transform into one of the few systems that educated over eighty percent of its population. From the founding of the Kingdom in 1932, education has always been given a forefront in planning and financing by the state. Being that the nation has a highly developed education system; it also needs good administration. The Saudi Arabian education system has two main administration ministries which are the ministry of education and the ministry of higher education. Ministry of Higher Education The ministry of higher education has the role of supervising all every aspect that pertains to higher education in Saudi Arabia. It was established in 1975 but before that, issues to do with Higher Education were taken care of by the Ministry of Education. This ministry is also charged with international academic relations, abroad educational offices and scholarships. Saudi Arabia has 21universities that are well established. The students who go to the university have the option of either getting a Bachelor degree in sciences after five years or obtain a social sciences or arts Bachelor’s degree after four years. The instructors and teachers at the university mainly come from Teacher’s colleges and Universities. Ministry of education The ministry was established in 1954 and is responsible for girls’ and boys’ schooling. In addition, it is responsible for teacher training centers, adult education, special needs and junior colleges. Overall, the ministry is in charge of forty two educational districts within the Kingdom. The districts are under the jurisdiction of district officers who link the local schools to the Ministry of education. On their part, the ministry provides school buildings and organizes for maintenance and construction work. In addition, it provides equipment to the schools such as textbooks. Its most vital role is that it is responsible for the educational, policies in the Kingdom. The education system in Saudi Arabia is taking significant and effective steps to prepare students to deal with the globalized world. The objective is to ensure that the students can deal positively and effectively with economic and global challenges while also reminding them to maintain the principles and values that are specified by the Saudi culture. The Saudi system is an example of a nation that strives to maintain their cultural identity in a fast globalizing world while also remaining relevant and useful to the global economy and job market. In addition, the nation also aims to ensure that the citizens within it all have something to offer if it came a time when they needed to work. In order to ensure that the students are equipped with enough skills when they get to work, English is taught in academic institutions. Knowledge of the context within which English as a foreign language occurs is instrumental in understanding the nature of its manifestation. Teaching and learning English in Saudi Arabia English as a foreign language in the kingdom has been recognized as a useful skill in occupational and social fronts. It is essential to learn where, when and why English is being given a priority as well as the uses of the language. Even though Arabic still remains the national or official language in the nation, English is vital in business and social fronts (Karmani, 2005). Non-Arabic speakers in the region use it as their medium of communication. These people include visitors, tourists, expatriates and people gathered for religious purposes. In Saudi Arabia, it represents the only foreign language is taught and learned within schools. However, English is still given a lower priority with limited input. Accordingly, there are high levels of variability in the motivation to learn English. Public schools offer English lessons only from the intermediate level and students keep studying it for six years into high school. There are four English lessons every week each lasting for 45 minutes. This is not enough to impart English knowledge effectively. Owing to this, there are many challenges and difficulties facing students, and this has prompted the government to introduce English learning earlier in a student’s life. Thus, the 2004/2005 school year saw a new teaching decree where student would begin learning English from sixth grade. Prevalent motivations behind learning English include careers, gaining knowledge and employment opportunities and an influx of non-Saudi nationals and they are all tied to education hence, scientific higher learning institutions in Saudi Arabia use English as the medium of instruction. There are over eight million non-Saudi individuals living in the kingdom. Communication with these individuals is possible because of the availability of English. In consequence of the immigration of workers into the Kingdom, Saudi Arabia has now become a multicultural society. Thus, learning English is essential just to socialize and work within the kingdom. In their careers and functions, individuals are bound to cross paths with those from different cultures and backgrounds. English instruction considers the beliefs and customs of those in the region. Text books and other material for instruction are given to schools by the government. The ministries of education and higher learning send inspectors to the schools occasionally to see if the correct curriculum and syllabus is followed in instruction. Teaching is focused on reading and writing skills thus the lessons involve filling in blanks, composition writing and handwriting. Reading out loud and speaking do not get as much attention. The blackboard has remained as the main instruction mode despite the availability and suggestion of others such as flash cards and tape recorders by the ministry of education. English as a foreign language is popular in many nations because it is an international communication instrument. It was introduced into the Kingdom by oil merchants, foreign companies necessitated the medium as they did business with the Kingdom. Without communication, there would be chaos. The multicultural nature of Saudi Arabia justifies and explains the need for learning a language that will unify different factions. English is the preferable choice because it is already in use as an international medium of communication between different nations. Countries in Africa have incorporated English as part of their curriculum for this same reason. Knowledge of a foreign language also opens up opportunities for the Saudi population who may want to pursue careers in other regions of the world. In addition, it serves to bridge the gap between the regions around Saudi Arabia and other nations that do not speak Arabic (Al-Issa, 2005). A common language also encourages understanding between different cultures and reduces misunderstandings that often result in conflict. Saudi Arabia has become an attractive option for people both internally and externally. Stereotypical conclusions are reducing because of better understanding. Owing to the vast cultural differences between Saudis and other individuals around the world, the English language is a welcome point of familiarity between them and others despite case differences in religion and culture. This understanding is important because Saudi Arabia is a business attraction to the rest of the world, and it is also a religious attraction. It is home to Mecca and Medina – holy places for individuals of Islamic faith. Since it is among the pillars of religion for an individual to make a pilgrimage to these areas at least once in their lifetime, Saudi Arabia is bound to have visitors from around the world hoping to fulfill this duty. These individuals will need accommodation and food among other things. The hospitality industry can only thrive if the clients get what they asked for. Consequently, learning English is essential to all who are involved with the industries and others too because they may interact with these individuals (Al-Issa, 2006). Approximately 11 million individuals go to Saudi Arabia every year to visit the holy places. The necessity of English and its use are highlighted by the fact that prayers are said in English and in Arabic, as well. Most of the businesses in the region have partnerships with organizations in Europe and America (Karmani, 2005). Hence, they use English as their medium of communication (McArthur, 2002). Saudi Arabia has been making a significant effort to avoid using expatriate labor while there are locals without jobs. English was among the major determining factors for hiring expats instead of locals. Now that they are leaning English in school, more locals are getting jobs in the region. The main areas where English is used are healthcare services, the hospitality industry, education and vocational instruction, social relationships, tourism, foreign embassies and the media. These choices highlight the fact that, gaining English-speaking skills is mostly tied together with the educational system further inspiring more Saudis to go to school and get and education. Careers such as media and healthcare are synonymous with learning English. Most of the Saudi populations learn English at school. However, there are some individuals who opt for advanced level in higher learning institutions. Educational institutions are the most efficient places to learn English because they teach the written and spoken word. The acquisition of the language should remain a priority to ensure that Saudi Arabia keeps developing and benefiting from tourism and international business. Challenges Being that English is a second language for Saudis, there are varieties of challenges that are tied to learning it. Knowledge of these challenges is essential in understanding the region and also in developing interventions that can be implemented to lessen the intensity of the challenge. Owing to the cultural and social backgrounds of the students in Saudi Arabia, teachers face challenges as they attempt to teach English to Arab students. they are just like other people arund the world in their attempts to learn a new language. Even though Saudi students are taught English while at school, they do not have basic application skills of the language, and most of them eventually forget it. It is the instructor of English in higher classes who is faced with greater challenges because they have to start everything a fresh even though the students they are teaching have been learning English in their younger years. Consequently, even if they decide to sue the curse book for the specific curriculum for the year, they tend to be ineffective. Thus, the curriculum developed for teaching English is ineffective because the teacher has to make modifications and teach using their own curriculum. Teaching a second language is always a challenge. There problems that students face can be grouped into socio-cultural issues, unfamiliarity with the subject matter, issues with pronunciation, issues in recognition of the alphabet and mother tongue influence. With a Saudi Arabian student, the culture that is the framework of English is different from the culture of his own language (Coffman, 2003). Thus, the student has many vulnerabilities including cultural confusion, alphabet confusion, writing syntax and general behavior. The English culture is not just different from that if people in Saudi Arabia, it is almost completely the opposite of Arab culture. Most of the behaviors and things that are emphasized on one side are completely discouraged on the other. Perhaps the only domains where there is an intersection of English and Arabian culture are education, religion and business. Cultural issues make it harder for Saudis to apply what they have learned in the English language into the real world. This is especially difficult in social interactions where a student may not be aware of what is expected of them (Sridhar, 1996). While gender segregation is a big issue with Saudi Arabians that it is reinforced even in learning institutions, segregation of male and female would be completely unacceptable in the English culture and even illegal. Cultural differences may also result in misunderstandings. For instance, if a male English guest at a hotel decides to greet the Saudi caretaker by the hand, she may decline for cultural reasons while the man may perceive this as being a rude gesture. In addition to cultural confusion, students are likely to face issues when learning the writing syntax of English after they are used to how they write in Arabic (Graddol, 2006). The alphabet is completely different and the writing takes place from right to left as opposed to from left to right. After years of such styles of writing being indoctrinated in them, it is a great challenge for a Saudi to suddenly adopt something different. Thus, teachers have a harder time instructing them, and they have an even harder time grasping what they are taught. Many Arab students learn English as a formality so that they can pass their exams. Even when they do pass the exams, they do so by memorizing the answers needed and reproducing them when asked (Giles & Billings, 2004). Accordingly, they spend hours in class leaning English and come out with nothing and when they go out into the world to start working in fields such as healthcare and hospitality, they are required to reproduce the knowledge as if it were impeccable. This is the point at which they are choosing or pursuing higher learning courses. The teacher has a short period within which she is expected to teach the student how to read, write and speak English competently enough to be an asset in the job market. Because of this pressure, some teachers may not concentrate on practical aspects of teaching, which results in the students failing to gain the knowledge and skills they need. However, a competent teacher would be able to meet this challenge and produce successful English speakers. Teachers of English as a foreign language in countries like Saudi Arabia need to be well equipped in dealing with different challenges from different students. In addition, they need to be patient enough to produce significant results. The English curriculum needs to be customized even more so that it is interesting to the students (Moody, 2007). It should be inclusive of what they treasure the most. Since customs and religion are important in the Kingdom, passages in English textbooks could be inclusive of similar content. References Abd-el Wassie, A. (1970). Education in Saudi Arabia: A history of fifteen years effort to spread education in a developing country, an orthodox diagnosis, and some proposals for a better future. London: Macmillan. Al-Issa, A. S. M. (2005). An ideological discussion of the impact of the NNEST‟s English language knowledge on ESL policy implementation: A special reference to the Omani context. Asian EFL Journal, 7(3). Retrieved from http://www.asian-efl-journal.com/September_05_asmi.php Al-Issa, A. S. M. (2006). The cultural and economic politics of English language teaching in the Sultanate of Oman.Asian EFL Journal, 8(1). Retrieved from http://www.asian-efl-journal.com/March_06_asmi.php Al-Issa, A. S. M. (2007). The implications of implementing a “flexible‟ syllabus for ESL policy in the Sultanate of Oman.RELC Journal 38(2). Retrieved from http:www.rel.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/38/2/199 Coffman, J. (2003). Higher education in the Gulf: Privatization and Americanization. International Higher Education, 33. Retrieved June 11, 2008, from http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/soe/cihe/newsletter/News33/text009.htm Giles, H., & Billings, A. (2004). Language attitudes. In: Davies, A., Elder, E. (Eds.), Handbook of Applied Linguistics. Oxford: Blackwell. Graddol, D. (2006). English next: Why global English may mean the end of ‘English as a foreign language’. London: The British Council. Haugen, E. (2001). The ecology of language', in The Ecolinguistics Reader: Language, Ecology and Environment, eds A. Fill & P. London: Muelhausler, Continuum. Karmani, S. (2005). Petro-linguistics: The emerging nexus between oil, English, and Islam. Journal of Language, Identity, and Education, 4(2), 87-102. McArthur, T. (2002). The Oxford Guide to World English. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Ministry of Planning. (1995). Sixth development plan 1995–2000. Riyadh: Ministry of Planning. Moody, J. (2007). Using the business section of a local newspaper in teaching English for business studies. In N. Kassabgy and A. Elshimi (Eds.), Sustaining excellence in‘communicating across the curriculum’: Cross-institutional experiences and best practices. Cambridge: Cambridge Scholars Publishing, (pp. 51-68). Prokop, M. (2005). The war of ideas: Education in Saudi Arabia. In P. Aarts, & G. Nonneman (Eds.), Saudi Arabia in the balance: Political economy, society, foreign affairs. London: Hurst & Company. Sridhar, K. K. (1996). Societal multilingualism. In S.L. McKay & N.H. Hornberger (Eds.), Sociolinguistics and language teaching. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Read More

The schooling system is based on Islamic tenets including the separation of males and females. There is more emphasis placed on Islamic subjects since they are the center of the curriculum. Consequently, Arabic is the official language of instruction for all subjects and courses taken in the nation. Saudi Arabia is the only country in the entire world with a complete single sex schooling system. The curriculum in Saudi Arabia reflects the religious and cultural specifications of the region. Consequently, there is segregation based on gender is meant to socialize individuals as specified by Islamic teachings.

Owing to the strict curriculum that has been developed for use in the lower education levels there is complete uniformity in the education system where private, pubic, boy and girl schools all use the same curriculum, textbooks and syllabus. The government provides the books and other material used in schools. All the education policies in the region are controlled solely by the government through the council of ministers (Abd-el Wassie, 1970). The education system has been undergone astonishing modifications over the years to transform into one of the few systems that educated over eighty percent of its population.

From the founding of the Kingdom in 1932, education has always been given a forefront in planning and financing by the state. Being that the nation has a highly developed education system; it also needs good administration. The Saudi Arabian education system has two main administration ministries which are the ministry of education and the ministry of higher education. Ministry of Higher Education The ministry of higher education has the role of supervising all every aspect that pertains to higher education in Saudi Arabia.

It was established in 1975 but before that, issues to do with Higher Education were taken care of by the Ministry of Education. This ministry is also charged with international academic relations, abroad educational offices and scholarships. Saudi Arabia has 21universities that are well established. The students who go to the university have the option of either getting a Bachelor degree in sciences after five years or obtain a social sciences or arts Bachelor’s degree after four years. The instructors and teachers at the university mainly come from Teacher’s colleges and Universities.

Ministry of education The ministry was established in 1954 and is responsible for girls’ and boys’ schooling. In addition, it is responsible for teacher training centers, adult education, special needs and junior colleges. Overall, the ministry is in charge of forty two educational districts within the Kingdom. The districts are under the jurisdiction of district officers who link the local schools to the Ministry of education. On their part, the ministry provides school buildings and organizes for maintenance and construction work.

In addition, it provides equipment to the schools such as textbooks. Its most vital role is that it is responsible for the educational, policies in the Kingdom. The education system in Saudi Arabia is taking significant and effective steps to prepare students to deal with the globalized world. The objective is to ensure that the students can deal positively and effectively with economic and global challenges while also reminding them to maintain the principles and values that are specified by the Saudi culture.

The Saudi system is an example of a nation that strives to maintain their cultural identity in a fast globalizing world while also remaining relevant and useful to the global economy and job market. In addition, the nation also aims to ensure that the citizens within it all have something to offer if it came a time when they needed to work. In order to ensure that the students are equipped with enough skills when they get to work, English is taught in academic institutions. Knowledge of the context within which English as a foreign language occurs is instrumental in understanding the nature of its manifestation.

Read More