Teaching EFL to Jordanian Students: New Strategies for Enhancing English Acquisition in a Distinct Middle Eastern Student Population

Ibrahem Bani Abdo, Gerald-Mark Breen

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DOI: 10.4236/ce.2010.11007                

Abstract

For EFL students in Jordan, the acquisition of English is particularly challenging because of the pronounced lin-guistic differences between Arabic and English. This study proposes intersections between communication and language acquisition practices to improve delivery of EFL instruction in Jordan, a country in which English enjoys a somewhat ambiguous status in the public school system, higher education, and business and social interactions. We present the results of a quantitative and qualitative analysis of EFL students in Jordan, an area in which little EFL/ESL research has been previously reported. We examine the current EFL pedagogical framework in Jordanian schools, present a quantitative and qualitative analysis of learners’ attitudes, and present a pedagogy that distinctly addresses the needs of Jordanian EFL learners. We conclude with projections of successful EFL instruction as a resource in political, social, and commercial interactions among Jordan, its neighbors, and the United States.

Keywords

Arabic, Education, English, Jordan, Middle East, Teaching, TESL

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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