ESL Classroom: A Conceptual Analysis

Introduction

According to researchers on ESL context, individual teachers bring to the class a teaching philosophy and personal principles which are widely accepted and applied or just those of their own. They serve as a basis for all teacher professional practices from planning and conducting the lesson to assessment and evaluation (Bailley, 1996; Richards, 1998, as cited in Richards, 2001). As demonstrated in the following teaching and learning philosophy, a variety of aspects are taken into account. The first consensus is that learning a language is to be able to use that language, not just to know about it. In addition to the optimization of student exposure to the authentic target language, learners should be encouraged to engage actively

The main sections include the role of the English subject, the objectives, the syllabus and the perspectives and orientations on teaching and learning practices.

In terms of the role, the curriculum defines English as a compulsory subject, which is “instrumental to the access of world science and technology as well as world cultures” (MOET, 2006, p.5). Besides, the English subject is supposed to make a contribution to the promotion of student cognition, and at the same time the establishment and development of student personality in a thorough

Students play an active, creative, and cooperative role in language acquisition process and teachers are only organizers and guides of active learning activities such as group work and pair work. Teaching contents guarantee a high level of communicativeness while catering to the accuracy of the modern language system. The designing of textbooks is based on the contextualization of language points, the authenticity and practicality in communication, the integration among skills and the combination between communication and language competence, the suitability to learner need and comprehensibility. As regards assessment, both formative and summative tests are included and must be strictly based on the curriculum, textbook and standard of knowledge and skills with an equal weight given to four skills and language competence.

In addition to the description above about the curriculum set by MOET, there is a need to mention here the context of my school, especially teaching staff and learners with a view to offering a better insight into the related factors to the larger picture of curriculum in my school