Compatibility of Qur’ānic Pedagogic Principles with the Teaching of English as a Foreign Language

Abstract

Nowadays many effective methods are being used for teaching English as a Foreign language (TEFL) but none of them is without some weaknesses. Therefore, an eclectic approach is preferred. This research undertook pedagogic discourse analysis of the Qur’ān with a view to detect the methods and techniques of teaching given in the Holy Qur’ān and analyze their effectiveness with respect to TEFL. As Qur’ān is believed to be from the all-knowing Creator, the researcher foresaw a possibility of their extension to the teaching of a foreign language. The methods and techniques of teaching adopted by the Holy Qur’ān centuries ago were found to be in accordance with the modern and popular methods of general pedagogy. The research was carried forward with the purpose of judging the compatibility of these pedagogic principles and techniques with the teaching of English as a foreign language. It transpired that the pedagogic principles and techniques, derived from the Holy Qur’ān, are in perfect consonance with the recommended principles, techniques and methods of TEFL. The striking principles and techniques that surfaced were like beginning teaching a new language with nouns, utilizing the mother tongue of the beginner, emphasizing parallel development of all the four language skills, using imagery, discussion, and demonstration, arousing curiosity prior to teaching, maintaining of motivation through appreciation, putting timely questions, adopting narrative technique, developing critical thinking instead of rot memory, reinforcing learning through repetition and revision, sequencing teaching contents according to the difficulty level and by proceeding gradually in degrees.