Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Assistant Professor Shahrood University of Technology

Abstract

In this study, we attempt to bring to light various organisational and implementational clashes relevant to the conceptualisation of language policies at national level, and the planning of local practices with regard to degree programmes, language journals and conferences in Iranian higher education. We also prove that in its current status, the ELT syllabus in Iran, both at national and local levels, is a mixture of English Language Teaching, Linguistics, and Applied Linguistics (a hotchpotch), which suffers from ‘regulatory barriers’. The paper asks for an in-depth language policy and planning (LPP) that would clarify the blurred boundaries between ELT, Applied Linguistics, and Linguistics in Iranian higher education. This paper recommends that there should be a change regarding language-in-education policy and planning in Iran; a change that would be able to address both theoretical and applied language problems at national and local levels. The attempt should begin with organising a clear and comprehensive language planning with regard to language programmes.  This would mean carefully determining the scope and boundaries of the fields as ELT, Applied Linguistics, and Linguistics in the higher educational context. The subsequent challenge is to fix the problematic implementation of language programmes at the local level, considering language journals, conferences, and syllabuses. The findings presented in this work are useful for language policymakers to regulate language-in-education policy and planning in Iran.

Keywords

Asl, E. S. (2013). Multilingualism in Iran; unity or pluralism? (A case study in East Azerbaijan Province). Research on Humanities and Social Sciences3(18), 83-89.
Atai, M. R., & Mazlum, F. (2013). English language teaching curriculum in Iran: Planning and practice. The Curriculum Journal24(3), 389-411.
Blommaert, J. (2009). Language policy and national identity. In T. Ricento (Ed.), An introduction to language policy: Theory and method (pp. 238-254). Oxford: Blackwell.
Borjian, M. (2015). Bridge or wall? English language in Iran. In N. Wadham-Smith & D. Whitehead (Eds.), Didgah: New perspectives on UK-Iran cultural relations (pp. 201-222). London: British Council.
De Bot, K. (2015). A history of applied linguistics: From 1980 to the present. London, New York: Routledge.
Canagarajah, S. (2005). Reconstructing local knowledge, reconfiguring language studies. In S. Canagarajah (Ed.), Reclaiming the local in language policy and practice (pp. 3-25). Mahwah, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Catford, J. (1998) Language learning and applied linguistics: A historical sketch. Language Learning, 48(4), 465–96.
Davies, A., & Elder, C. (2004). The handbook of applied linguistics. Oxford: Blackwell.
Farhady, H., Hezaveh, F. S., & Hedayati, H. (2010). Reflections on foreign language education in Iran. TESL-EJ13(4), 1-18.
Grabe, W. (2002). Applied linguistics: An emerging discipline for the twenty-first century. In R. Kaplan (Ed.), The Oxford handbook of applied linguistics (pp. 3–12). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Hinkel, E. (Ed.). (2005). Handbook of research in second language teaching and learning. Mahwah, New Jersey, London: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Hudson, G. (2000). Essential introductory linguistics. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell.
Kaplan, R. (2002). The Oxford handbook of applied linguistics. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Kirkpatrick, R., & Ngoc Bui, T. T. (2016). Introduction: The challenges for English education policies in Asia. In R. Kirkpatrick (Ed.), English language education policy in Asia (pp. 1-24). Switzerland: Springer.
Marszałek-Kowalewska, K. (2011). Iranian language policy: A case of linguistic purism. Investigationes Linguiticae, XXII, 89-103.
Phillipson, R. (2003). English-only Europe?: Challenging language policy. London: Routledge.
Phillipson, R. (2009). Language policy and linguistic imperialism. In T. Ricento (Ed.), An introduction to language policy: Theory and method (pp. 346-361). Oxford: Blackwell.
Rezaei, S., Khatib, M., & Baleghizadeh, S. (2014). Language identity among Iranian English language learners: a nationwide survey. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development35(5), 527-536.
Richards, J. C., & Schmidt, R. W. (2002). Longman dictionary of language teaching and applied linguistics. London, New York: Longman.
Tollefson, J. N. (2009). Critical theory in language policy. In T. Ricento (Ed.), An introduction to language policy: Theory and method (pp. 42-59). Oxford: Blackwell.
Van Dijk, T. A. (2006). Ideology and discourse analysis. Journal of Political Ideologies11(2), 115-140.
Warschauer, M. (2000). The changing global economy and the future of English teaching. TESOL Quarterly34(3), 511-535.