Evaluation of New English Language Teaching Programs of First and Second Grades of Iranian High Schools

Document Type : research article

Authors

1 Faculty member and associate professor of University of Tehran

2 PhD candidate

Abstract

Considering the importance of English language teaching programs at Iranian high schools, the present study scrutinizes different stake holders' evaluation regarding the efficacy of the English language program, at first and second grades of Iranian high schools by using CIPP model of evaluation. Participants include students, teachers, language policy makers and text-book developers from five provinces of Iran. The data was obtained from questionnaires, interview, observation, and the investigation of different documents and policies of Ministry of Education and course books. The context findings reveal that most of the classes do not have basic facilities. Some classes are overcrowded and heterogeneous. Also time allocation is Inadequate. Regarding the input, the program has a well establish policies in an objective dimension however it is vital to inform to English teachers. In process aspect of the evaluation the majority of stakeholders believed that new series of books in first and second grades are well designed. At the end based on the findings some suggestions are offered.

Keywords


References
انگلیسی (1) پایه هفتم دوره اول متوسطه (1392). دفتر تألیف کتاب‌های درسی ابتدایی و متوسطه نظری-سازمان پژوهش و برنامه‌ریزی آموزشی، وزارت آموزش و پرورش جمهوری اسلامی ایران.
انگلیسی (2) پایه هشتم دوره اول متوسطه (1392). دفتر تألیف کتاب‌های درسی ابتدایی و متوسطه نظری-سازمان پژوهش و برنامه‌ریزی آموزشی، وزارت آموزش و پرورش جمهوری اسلامی ایران.
برنامه درسی ملی جمهوری اسلامی ایران (1389)، تهران: سازمان پژوهش و برنامه‌ریزی آموزشی.
سند تحول بنیادین آموزش و پرورش (1390). تهران: شورای ملی آموزش و پرورش.
علوی مقدم و خیرآبادی (1391). بررسی انتقادی برنامه درسی ملی در حوزه آموزش زبان‌های خارجه. فصلنامه مطالعات برنامه درسی ایران. سال هفتم، شماره 25- صفحات 27-44
Al-Darwish, S. (2006). An investigation of teachers’ perceptions of the English language curriculum in Kuwaiti elementary schools. Doctoral dissertation, University of Denver, the USA.
Bagheri, H. (1995). A profile for teaching and teaching English in pre-university schools of Sistan-and- Baluchestan: Problems and solutions. Master’s Thesis, Shiraz University,Shiraz.
Brown, J. D. (1995). The elements of language curriculum. A systematic Approach to Program Development. Boston: Heinle & Heinle Publishers.
Ediger, M. (2006). Organizing the curriculum. New Delhi: Discovery Publishing House.
Farhady, H. (2000). Evaluating students’ language achievement at junior high schools in Iran. Research report delivered to the Ministry of Education.
Foroozandeh,E. (2011).History of High School English Course Books in Iran: 1318-1389 (1939-2010), Roshd Foreign Language Teaching journal, 26 (1) 57-69.
Ghorbani,M. (2009). ELT in Iranian high schools in Iran, Malaysia and Japan: Reflections on English Language Teaching, Vol. 8, (2), 131–139
Gredler, M. E. (1996). Program evaluation. NJ: Prentice Hall.
Hosseini, S.M.H. (2007). ELT in higher education in Iran and India: A critical view. Language in India. 7: 1-11. Retrieved from http://www.languageinindia.com/dec 2007/eltinindiaandiran.pdf
Jahangard, A. (2007). Evaluation of EFL materials taught at Iranian public high schools. The Asian EFL Journal. 9 (2):130-150.
Kiyani, G.R., Mirhosseini,A. and Navidinia, H. (2011) Foreign Language Education Policies in Iran:- Pivotal Macro Considerations, Journal of English Language Teaching and Learning, 222.
Luk, N. (2006). Cornerstones of Turkish education from the Ottoman to the postrepublic Turkey: A history of English language teaching in Turkey. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, the USA.
McDonough, J. and Shaw, C. (1998). Materials and methods in ELT. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers Inc.
Nunan, D. (1993). Task-based syllabus design: selecting, grading and sequencing tasks. In G. Crookes and S.M. Gass (Eds.). Tasks in a pedagogical context. Cleveland, UK: Multilingual Matters.
Ornstein, Allan C., and Hunkins Francis P. (2004).Curriculum: Foundations, principles and issues. Englawood Cliffs, NJ, Prentice Hall.
Rashidi, N. (1995). Teaching and learning English in Guidance and high School in Kordestan: Problems and suggested solutions. Master’s Thesis, Shiraz University, Shiraz.
Richards, J. C., and Rodgers, T.S. (1990). Approaches and methods in language teaching. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Ringsted, C., Schroeder, T.V., Henriksen, J., Ramsing, B., Lyngdorf, P., Jonsson, V.,and Scherpbier, A. (2001). Medical students’ experience in practical skills is far from stakeholders’ expectations. Medical Teacher, 23 (4), 412-416.
Stufflebeam, D. L. (1983). The CIPP model for program evaluation. Boston: Kluwer-Nijhoff
Stufflebeam, D. L., and Shinkfield, A. J. (1985). Systematic evaluation. Boston: Kluwe-Nijhoff.
Tabatabaei and Pourakbari (2012). An Investigation into the Problems of Teaching and Learning English in the Isfahan Province High Schools, Iran. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, Vol. 3, (1), 102-111.
Worthen R., and Sanders, R. (1998). Educational evaluation: Alternative approaches and practical guidelines. New York: Longman.