ADVANCED 1

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 non-western 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.