English Language Education in Algeria: Hostage of an Exam-Centric Education System

Autor/inn/en	Bemmoussat, Nabil Djawad; Bouyakoub, Naima
Titel	English Language Education in Algeria: Hostage of an Exam-Centric Education System
Quelle	In: Arab World English Journal, 10 (2019) 3, S.202-219 (18 Seiten) PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei Verfügbarkeit
Zusatzinformation	ORCID (Bemmoussat, Nabil Djawad) ORCID (Bouyakoub, Naima)
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	2229-9327
Schlagwörter	Foreign Countries; Second Language Learning; Second Language Instruction; English (Second Language); Teaching Methods; Universities; Secondary School Students; Course Descriptions; Comparative Analysis; Grammar; Vocabulary Development; Language Tests; Remedial Instruction; Scores; Educational Quality; Standardized Tests; College Admission; Algeria + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Ausland; Zweitsprachenerwerb; Fremdsprachenunterricht; English as second language; English; Second Language; Englisch als Zweitsprache; Teaching method; Lehrmethode; Unterrichtsmethode; University; Universität; Sekundarschüler; Kursstrukturplan; Grammatik; Wortschatzarbeit; Language test; Sprachtest; Förderkurs; Quality of education; Bildungsqualität; Standadised tests; Standardisierter Test; Hochschulzugang; Hochschulzulassung; Zulassung; Algerien
Abstract	The present research paper is a plea for a reform policy of English Language Education in Algerian secondary-school education. It attempts to redraw the boundaries of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) from a teaching-testing perspective based on two fundamental questions: the 'what-to-teach' and the 'what-to-test', which represent the rationale of Algerian EFL classrooms. It also expands into a discussion of the discrepancies existing between stated objectives and classroom practice. This deviation from the prescribed syllabus is dictated by the Baccalaureate exam, a standardized test "par excellence" and the 'entry visa' to university. The study was carried out with a sample population composed of twenty-eight male and female students from the English Department of the University of Tlemcen, Algeria during the first term of the academic year 2018-2019. The data collected tools employed in this pilot experimental study, a pre-unit test (a pretest), remedial activities, and a post-test, were conducted on the sample at the end of the experiment. The research paper culminates with a formulation of initial pedagogical steps that are likely to develop students' communicative abilities within an exam-centric education system characterized by a grammar-focused and vocabulary-building test-oriented teaching. Hence, to negotiate a balanced approach that would accommodate both effective teaching and efficient testing. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Arab World English Journal. 10602 Davlee Lane, Richmond, Texas, 77407. e-mail: editor@awej.org; e-mail: info@ASELS.org; Web site: https://awej.org/
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01