Implicit ELT Policies Embedded in the Professional Practices of Selected Private Language Publishers and Institutes in Iran

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Foreign Languages, Faculty of Literature, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran

2 Associate Professor of Applied Linguistics, Department of English, Faculty of Literature, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran

3 Associate Professor, Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

10.34785/J014.2023.025

Abstract

English language teaching policies have recently become a growing concern in several countries, including Iran. Whereas several studies have noted the role of explicit policy documents and texts, fewer studies have explored the role of implicit ELT policies. This research investigates the implicit ELT policies embedded in professional practices of selected private English language publishers and institutes in Iran. The study’s qualitative data comprised documents and archival information taken from sources such as official websites, social networking accounts, catalogs, and brochures of eight prominent publishers and eight leading English language institutes. Thematic analysis of the data revealed three aspects of the publishers' activities (Nominal features, Supplementary materials, and Practical features) and four main aspects of professional practices of the language institutes (Overcategorizations, Tests, Teachers, and Coursebooks). The findings suggest that the practices of the leading publishers and institutes might act as implicit policies which would most likely provide directions for other publishers and institutes in the country to pursue and adopt. Thereby, it is suggested that instead of following pre-set accepted agendas, the leading publishers and institutes work creatively to analyze local requirements and respond to the needs of Iranian learners to enhance the status of ELT in the country.

Keywords

References

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History

  • Receive Date: 22 May 2022
  • Revise Date: 21 September 2022
  • Accept Date: 28 April 2023

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