BEGINNER

Throughout his 45 years of experience of teaching English

in the Arab world, Francis Andrew has consistently

noticed that many ELT materials are heavily culturally

weighted to such an extent that it is often difficult for nonwestern

learners of English to relate to the contents of such

materials presented to them. This inability to understand and

relate to textbooks which are biased towards western culture

and traditions severely hampers English language learning in

conservative societies, Notwithstanding the realisation of this

drawback,, the author is cognizant of two crucial factors which

are, the need of the culture through which language is acquired,,

and that different societies relate to western culture in different

ways and at various levels. Progress in English has successfully

navigated between Scylla and Charybdis in presenting the

English language student with texts which are not devoid of

the culture within which the English is inevitably embedded,

yet is not so thickly over-layered as to be incomprehensible

to the average learner. The author trusts that you will find

Progress in English pedagogically fruitful and at the same time

culturally enriching.