This paper contributes to recent discussions of levels of agency in Language Policy and Planning (LPP) research. It specifically aims to understand the role and importance of meso-level actors as arbiters of policy implementation. It argues that, whilst understanding of both macro- and micro-agency has grown over the past decade, little is…

There has been a rapid global expansion of English instruction in the early grades in public school curricula. Particularly in so-called developing countries, the increase of and its shift from exclusively private to public education is linked to the idea that acquiring English promotes personal, social, and economic development. The author takes…

Following the trend of much of the Western, non-English speaking world, Colombia has tirelessly strived for spreading English education in an effort to augment economic benefits. This paper aims at providing a critical account of foreign language education policy in Colombia, with special attention to English. It outlines the impact of its…

The national English program in Mexico was formally launched in 2009. The new program supplanted various state programs, and aimed to create a coherent, uniform curriculum that extended English instruction to all public school students across the country. The article describes the development, evolution, and changes as the program was piloted and…

The paper examines the recent national programme of English language instruction in the Mexican public primary schools, called the "Programa Nacional de Inglés en Educación Básica" (PNIEB). The programme, initiated in 2009 by the Ministry of Education as part of the national curriculum, represents the largest expansion of English…

This is a study on high school English as a foreign language Colombian teacher identity. Using an interpretive research approach, I explored the influence of the National Bilingual Programme on the reconstruction of teacher identity. This study focuses on how teachers feel about language requirements associated with a language policy. Three…

The English language is significant to the internationalisation of higher education worldwide. Countries in Asia are proactive in appropriating English for their national interests, while paying attention to associated national cultural identity issues. This article examines the ways in which the role of English is interpreted and justified in…

Bilingual education programs in Nigeria, the Sudan, and the Phillippines are described. Although some approaches differed, educational planners in all three countries felt that they could best introduce children to formal education by using the language which they bring to the classroom for initial instruction. (FG)

Views Nigeria as a valid, representative "African laboratory" for the development of English as a second language. Nigeria has vigorously embarked on national development and modernization programs centered on English and, therefore, is capable of contributing greatly to a valid theory of English as a second language as a branch of…

Outlines the various uses of English, explains the problems of teaching it, and then concludes with suggestions based on situation factors relevant to English language instruction in West Africa. (FB)

States that the major challenge for language educators and educational policymakers is how to implement a national language policy in Australia. Suggests avoiding past mistakes, such as the adoption of a major educational innovation without the concurrent development of the training of personnel, the development of necessary curricular resources…

Australian education was strictly monolingual until 1970 when the implementation of the Commonwealth Child Migrant Education Program provided special English instruction for immigrant students. Immigrants' languages are now offered as school subjects, but the growing awareness of multiculturalism has not affected English as the language of school…

The report provides a detailed overview of implementation of the first stage of Australia's National Policy on Languages (NPL), evaluates the effectiveness of NPL programs, presents a case for NPL extension to a second term, and identifies directions and priorities for NPL program activity until the end of 1994-95. It is argued that the NPL is an…

In June 1972, the Ford Foundation began a survey of English-language instruction in Jordan, including the English program at the University of Jordan. The survey attempted a critical assessment of various aspects of the English program. Part one of this report on the survey describes the aims and dimension of English instruction in Jordan,…

The Australian Language Levels Project (ALL) is involved in the development of the guidelines for curriculum activities in both Languages-other-than-English (LOTE) and English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL), in Australia. The ALL Project developed two kinds frameworks that contain guidelines with a degree of flexibility needed to be adapted to…