The Goals and Focus of the English Language Teaching Program: Section Introduction

Abstract

Contributors in this section discuss what English language curricula need to encompass in response to increasingly complex and challenging teaching contexts. Language curricula need to build on emerging theorizations of English language, which are influenced by a multilingual, translingual turn, to appreciate the significance of making use of multiple linguistic resources in the language learning process. On this view, tailor-made curricula need to be prepared and developed for teaching young language learners. Language curricula should recognize language learners’ multilingual resources and encourage the use of translanguaging as a pedagogical strategy. Language curricula should also promote intercultural competence and critical literacy, while they are expected to provide pedagogical framing and content orientation for English as an additional language/dialect students with the linguistic resources for academic studies in secondary schools and tertiary settings. In addition, language curricula need to be developed to foster workplace-related language skills and competence.