English Education Policy Research Articles

Empty Britain? Hegemony and ambiguity in British education policy

The role of schools in developing a sense of common British identity has taken centre stage in the face of ‘racialised’ accounts of violence during the twenty first century. In this paper, we argue that certain British education policy documents can be understood as hegemonic interventions seeking to resolve ambiguities surrounding constructions of British identity. We do so by examining the Department for Education (DfE) ‘Fundamental British Values’ (FBV) guidance within the context of its relationship to the Prevent Duty anti-terrorism programme as well as the ‘Political impartiality in schools’ guidance released by the DfE in 2022. Utilising Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) and applying Laclau and Mouffe (2014/1985) conception of hegemony with Hall’s (2021/2000) claim that ‘Britishness’ is an empty signifier, this paper argues that the ambiguities of ‘Britishness’ present a number of opportunities for power to be exercised and consolidated. Finally, we explore the possible implications for demands to ‘decolonise the curriculum’ within schools’ existing duties and propose possible structural limits placed upon these demands by said duties.

Evolution of English language education policies in the Chinese mainland in the 21st century: A corpus-based analysis of official language policy documents

This study analyzes the evolution of China's official English language education policy from 2000 to 2021 using a self-constructed language policy database. Conducting a descriptive and corpus analysis of the database, this study identifies three stages (2000–2006, 2007–2017, 2018–2021) and describes policy changes by using three aspects of Cooper's (1989) accounting scheme as an analytic framework. Result shows that the dominant actors shifted from the Central Government to local governments. In relation to targets, the focus on different levels of school education varied, while attention to outside school education remained relatively stable. As for means, while opportunity- and incentive-oriented means were widely used through all stages, dual means (bilingual programs) were relatively less common in the third stage. With these findings, this study presents new information about developments in English language education in the Chinese Mainland. The combination of quantitative and qualitative methods may also bring insights for future research.

Changes in English Education Policies in Chinese Higher Education Institutions 1979-1999

The policy of reform and opening up in 1978 expanded exchanges between China and foreign countries, and the importance of English became increasingly prominent. The Ministry of Education decided to change the English education policy to develop English talents that meet the needs of society. This paper reviews the changes in China's education policy from 1979 to 1999. The main arguments of this paper are: 1) the communicative approach to English has been implemented; 2) the proportion of content reflecting communicative purposes in textbooks has increased; 3)a few universities have begun to propose a model for training complex English talents. Therefore, the contribution of this paper is to provide a reference for future education policy reform.

“Contemporary standard” English policy and pseudo‐diversity among inner and outer circle assistant language teachers in Japan

AbstractAssistant language teachers (ALTs) in the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) program are composed of 90% of Inner Circle ALTs and 10% of rigorously screened Outer Circle JET ALTs, who are hired under the Education Ministry's “contemporary standard” (i.e., American) English policy. Although silent regarding the disproportion, the Ministry and affiliated entities have been celebrating the program's “multinational diversity.” Stimulated by this inconsistency and aiming to discover other cases, this study collects policy statements on the role of inner/outer circle JET ALTs and non‐JET ALTs. It examines the level of consistencies between policymakers’ explicit and implicit authorization (e.g., the Ministry's articulate demand for more non‐JET ALTs, relative to their unspoken acknowledgment of those ALTs’ deviation from the standard English policy). Factors behind the Ministry's double standards of JET ALT‐based standard English and unbranded English policies are discussed. Implications for Global Englishes research in light of Asia's Inner Circle‐oriented English education policy and its discrimination against Outer Circle teachers from/in Asian neighboring countries are also presented.

From a Foreign Language to own Language: Resolving Conflicts Over English Education in Japan

ABSTRACT There have been controversies over Japan’s English education policy. The proponents argue that strengthening English is necessary for remaining economically competitive and catching up with neighboring countries. This article surveys non-academic Japanese-language books to understand various views on the English policy in Japan. The opposition to the policy came from both the right and the left sides of the Japanese political spectrum. While the former views English as a threat to the uniqueness of Japanese culture, the latter accuses the policy of being neoliberal. The author also observed that most of the arguments manifested a monolingual view of language, which reduces the relationship between languages to be a zero-sum game. The article ends by suggesting that, through adopting a multilingual view of language which regards English as a repertoire of Japanese linguistic behavior, many of the conflicts surrounding the English education policy in Japan can be resolved.

The Ruskin Speech and Great Debate in English education, 1976–1979: A study of motivation

AbstractJames Callaghan's speech at Ruskin College, Oxford in October 1976 is widely considered a pivotal moment in modern English educational policy. Whilst it is not our intention to challenge this fundamental point, the paper will critically interrogate some long‐held assumptions about the motivation that led Callaghan to deliver his speech at Ruskin College. Specifically, the paper will argue that the Ruskin Speech, which spawned a subsequent great debate on education, was motivated by a desire to protect and support comprehensive education, rather than generate more fundamental and radical educational reform away from those principles. Where successive governments have referred back to the ideals espoused by the speech as justification for subsequent educational transformation away from comprehensive ideals, this has only served to imbue the Ruskin Speech and Great Debate with motivations that were not shared at the time by Callaghan and his Labour government.

Problematizing Human Capital Development in English Language Education in Bangladesh

This article draws on a framework based on Bernstein’s three-message systems of schooling and Ball’s notion of policy cycle to examine how the human capital development goal incorporated into the Bangladesh secondary English curriculum has been translated into pedagogy and assessment practices. Data were collected from classroom observations and teacher and principal interviews and document analysis. Findings indicate that while the curriculum has emphasized human capital development as an important English language education policy goal, pedagogy and assessment appear to be pursuing divergent goals and are mediated by local structures shaped by the colonial past and the current political economic context. The article highlights how human capital development is inadequate for substantive pedagogical and assessment practices and contributes to comparative education policy enactment studies by revealing how neoliberally oriented global education policy trends of human capital development unfold locally in schooling contexts in developing societies, namely, Bangladesh.

Spaces for music in English state secondary schools and the crisis of democracy, 1976–1982

ABSTRACT This article examines documentation from a previously unpublished architectural survey of English comprehensive secondary school music classrooms, conducted between 1976 and 1978 by a team of Department of Education and Science architects led by David and Mary Medd on behalf of a Schools Council music curriculum research project directed by John Paynter. Close readings of the results of the survey and the circumstances leading to its eventual withdrawal guide an examination of the ways foundational child-centred music curriculum research and early musical postmodernism were articulated in relation to the crisis of deindustrialisation and the first experiments in economic austerity. The conclusion examines the later appropriation and transformation of Paynter’s ideas in English music education policy, and argues that music critics and historians are wrong to denounce the postmodern aesthetics of progressive pedagogies as ‘neoliberal culture’, as neoliberal policy’s actual investments have been in an anti-democratic apparatus of canon and competition.

A Critical Overview of English Language Education Policy in Turkey

The present chapter which sets a critical perspective delves into the English language education (ELE) policy in Turkey in the light of the innovations that have been proposed by the ministry of education (MoNE) at macro level. The study covers a wide range of topics that shed light into the following issues: history of ELE in Turkey, factors affecting ELE namely; geographical and social dimensions, globalization and internationalization. Moreover, the innovations that have been proposed for ELE and their reflections in practice are also discussed from a critical stance. As a final issue, the problems that have been experienced as a result of the implementation of innovations and possible solutions that might help overcome those hardships are explained from a critical point of view.

2007 개정 교육과정 이후 한국의 영어교육 변화: 동아일보 기사를 중심으로

This study investigated the transition of English education after the 2007 revised curriculum in South Korea. This research focused on Dong-A Ilbo newspaper articles across three major political regimes: Presidents Lee Myung-bak, Park Geun-hye, and Moon Jae-in from March 2007 to June 2022. The research questions are 1) what are the prominent themes in English education in the three political regimes? and 2) what are the implications of these changes to the current English education in South Korea? A total of 522 newspaper articles were categorized into five major themes: 1) Experience of English education, 2) English education policy and its perception, 3) English instructors in and out of school, 4) English education curricula, and 5) English for the entrance exams in South Korea. Regarding political regimes, Lee Myung-bak administration emphasized English education by introducing English village, Jeju Global Education City, and the National English Ability Test (NEAT). Park Geun-hye administration applied criterion-referenced English test in the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT). Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, significant changes in English education during Moon Jae-in administration are not identified except for AI-appled online distance learning. This paper concludes with educational implications for future research.

A MISMATCH OF IDEALS: THE AILS OF ENGLISH EDUCATION POLICY IN SOUTH KOREA

Despite several modifications in English education policy over many years in South Korea, there seems to be no discernable improvement in language ability. This problem has been investigated empirically by researchers domestically and internationally, with no consensus as to the underlying issue. This paper attempts to pivot the discussion to a more philosophical position by approaching the issue from a policy viewpoint. The overall aims of education, foreign language learning aims, as well as South Korea’s relationship with English education is examined. The fundamental concern is the mismatch between how society views English to how English education policy is enacted. Specific suggestions are then made regarding the ways in which policy makers can adjust their approaches to meet the needs of societal expectations of English proficiency. It is hoped that from a narrowing of insight from the macro-view of education at large to the specific problem in Korea will lead to changes in policy for the better.

Micro Language Planning for Sustainable Early English Language Education: A Case Study on Chinese Educators’ Agency

In language education research, micro-level language policy and planning (LPP) primarily concerns local actors’ decision making on matters in relation to language(s) and its users. Despite a growing body of literature focusing on micro-level language planning in educational settings, there is a scarcity of research examining early childhood education settings as the micro-level LPP context for young English language learners. By adopting a qualitative case study approach and drawing on an ecological approach to LPP, the present study examined the educators’ enactment of agency in micro-planning the English language education policy (LEP) in one Chinese kindergarten and the associated factors shaping their agency. Deploying a grounded theory analytical method, this study revealed that the sustainable implementation of the kindergarten English LEP depended on the principal, native English-speaking teachers, and the Chinese assistant teachers’ different degrees of agency. Additionally, the research findings indicated an array of contextual and individual factors nested in a hierarchical structure that facilitated, guided, and constrained the educators’ agency in a role-and circumstance-dependent manner. This study contributes to the pertinent literature by casting nuanced light on the different educators’ contributions to the micro-level LPP against a national policy that does not endorse early-year English language education.

Illegal school exclusion in English education policy

ABSTRACT This article draws upon legislation, policy, guidance and recently published research in order to explore why illegal exclusion, sometimes known as off rolling, is an under-researched area of education, and what the most significant barriers are to gaining a clearer understanding of the scale of, and reasons behind, the practice. In doing so, the article draws attention to policy obfuscation, inconsistent definitions and a desire to ‘name and shame’ offending schools. Furthermore, the contention is that school exclusion policy and safeguarding policy are not aligned, which means that many children, particularly those who are statistically more vulnerable to exclusion are denied their right to both education and to be kept safe from harm. I conclude by arguing that a shift in priorities, away from punishment and towards upholding safeguarding legislation, is required.

‘초등영어교육’ 학술지 연구 동향 토픽모델링

This study aims to analyze the research trend in Primary English Education from Volumes 1 to 27, focusing on its relation with the English education policies to examine the relationship between academic research and education policy. To this end, English abstracts of the entire research in the journal corresponding to the investigation period were collected as digital texts, preprocessed, and analyzed by LDA topic modeling using the R program. The results revealed that research topics such as teacher education and teaching methods were constantly investigated. It also confirmed that the English education policies at a particular time had a direct impact on the research trend (e.g., immersion program and TEE policy) or the concepts derived from the specific policies had an indirect impact on the research (e.g., teacher and learner variables). In addition, this study found that researchers were steadily interested in literacy education, learner assessment, and textbook analysis regardless of the policies, as the topics are significantly related to teaching and learning. Finally, the implications for the necessity of simultaneous interaction with research and policy were discussed based on the findings.

The Genealogy of ‘Cultural Literacy’

ABSTRACT The British government's current educational policy for England draws on E.D. Hirsch's writings on 'cultural literacy'. This paper aims to uncover the roots of Hirsch’s influential views through a genealogical critique. Hirsch admired the Scottish Enlightenment educator Hugh Blair as a model architect of a hegemonic culture to unite disparate members of a nation. Following Hirsch, the government Department for Education in England called for ‘shared appreciation of cultural reference points’ and ‘a common stock of knowledge on which all can draw and trade’. Consequently, the literature curriculum in England increasingly disenfranchises a significant component of the population in terms of both gender and cultural heritage. Recent ‘culture wars’ have highlighted the legacy of colonialism and have led educators to decolonise the curriculum and prioritise social justice. Continuing racism within civil society demonstrates the need for a general recognition that cultures are desirably diverse and internally plural.

The Lord Macaulay’s Minute, 1835: Re-examining the British Educational Policy

The Lord Macaulay’s Minute, 1835: Re-examining the British Educational Policy

English language textbooks for improving the cultural competence of EFL learners in Korea

The aim of this study is to understand how English textbooks in Korea reflect English education policies for improving Korean EFL learners’ cultural competence. In order to achieve the purpose of this study, this research adopted the method of analyzing English textbooks because English textbook is an important tool that most specifically reflects the English education policy of a country. This study analyzed 15 English textbooks currently used in S. Korea. This research analyzed nouns/pronouns related to a culture presented in the reading passages and cultural sections included in each lesson, and investigated cultural diversity and national identity included in English language textbooks. As a result, this study could find that South Korea included cultural diversity through English language textbooks so that Korean EFL learners can cultivate cultural competence and promote their cultural pride in western culture in order to realize the goal of strengthening global capabilities.

Changing perceptions of English among Japanese teachers in Brussels

Abstract Study abroad (SA) is regarded as a successful way to develop learners' English skills and intercultural understanding, and has also been incorporated into teacher training programs. Against this backdrop, KLF (English as a lingua franca)-oriented research which investigates Japanese pre-service and practicing teachers' evolving views of English propelled by their SA experiences has started to appear. This study, which is set in a nihonjingakkō in Brussels, sought to contribute to this area of research by examining the principal and English teachers' perception of English and its inÁuence on their pedagogy and school's English education policy. Nihonjingakkō is a full-time day school for children of Japanese expatriates, and Japanese teachers are sent from the government of Japan, teach at the appointed schools for several years, and subsequently return to their work in Japan. The article demonstrates that while the school principal and English language teachers appreciated the diversity of English, the school's English education policy and classroom teaching were shaped by native-speakerism ideology and traditional assumptions of Standard English as the only recognized variety. Based on the study's findings, I make suggestions which can advance integration of KLF into KLT in nihonjingakkō and mainstream schools in Japan.

제 7차 교육과정기의 한국 영어교육: 동아일보 기사 분석을 중심으로

This paper investigates the historical development of English education in South Korea during the Seventh National Curriculum period from 1997 to 2007. By focusing on Dong-An Ilbo newspaper articles published in Korea, the research questions are: 1) how did the sociocultural issues influence English education during this period? and 2) what are the implications of the social issues in this period to the current English education policies in Korea? A total of 446 articles were categorized into five major themes: surging interest in private education, an effort of consolidating public education, implementation of various English tests, overseas employment and emigration, and other factors. It was found that the national interest in English education closely reflected the desire to occupy a better social position in Korea. In this process, instrumental motivation in English education dominated during this period. Such instrumental desire first influenced private English education, and accordingly, public education endeavored to address these changes initiated by the private sector. However, since English education policy lacked systematic preparation, these efforts did not provide intended, positive results. This paper concludes with educational implementation and future research suggestions.

A Synthesis of Research on Policies for Developing Korean Elementary English Teachers’ Expertise

This study, as a secondary research synthesis, focuses on six different education policies proposed with an aim of developing teaching expertise of English teachers in Korean elementary schools: English Program in Korea (EPIK), Teach and Learn in Korea (TaLK), English Conversation Instructor System, Teaching English in English (TEE), English Specialist Teacher System, and Advanced Training for English Teachers. Published papers and unpublished master’s theses and doctoral dissertations regarding those six policies were collected through database searches, from which a total of 165 papers were finally considered for the current research synthesis. Focus Group Interviews were further conducted for an in-depth understanding and interpretation of the research trends and characteristics. The findings of the study showed that the six education policies had been implemented and understood in different ways depending on the actual circumstances of each individual school. Any single policy would not bring about equivalent effects on all educational units, and it thus appears that a concept of “Elementary School English Education Policy Selection System” should be introduced for more effective policy implementation.