Establishing a National Standard and English Language Curriculum Change in Kenya

Abstract

The paper revisits the debate on the new forms of English and proposes a curricular reform that would make the teaching of English in Africa effective and profitable. The discussion is based on sample texts from Kenyan users of English and relates the linguistic form to the sociocultural contexts in which the language is used. The paper argues for the identification and codification of a local standard English anchored on the performance of 'educated and articulate' Kenyans and not on the nativespeaker model. The paper then recommends a curriculum reform that focuses on language use and function and that situates language teaching in the social–cultural and historical context of the learners and teachers. Doing this would make English language learning and teaching relevant to the aspirations of the people. Finally, the paper also argues that multiple standards of English around the world will not necessarily foster intercultural misunderstanding, but on the contrary, it would enhance mutual respect and increase intercultural interaction.