The Struggle for Balance: Policy Borrowing and Continuous Reform in the Practice of English Language Teaching in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Countries

Abstract

As Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries contend with issues of identity, language loss, and the attrition of local culture and tradition, English is a requirement in most educational settings. While Arabic is still the primary language of personal and social communication, English is the lingua franca in many educational, economic, and technical interactions in much of the Arab world, particularly in the GCC. Therefore, even though the region’s native language is Arabic, English language education is a dominant feature in both the K-12 and tertiary education systems despite the noticeable differences in how education ministries articulate and implement English language education in curriculum and policy. This chapter examines the political, cultural, and social influence that English language education has had in the GCC by exploring the historical context of English language education in the region, current policy developments, and the role English language education plays, not only in the lives of students but also in shaping the future of the individual countries in the GCC and the region as a whole.

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