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.