1

Introduction

A growing interest has been directed recently towards the global development of

English Language Teaching (ELT henceforth). Jabeur (1999) argues that ``to elude

impetuosity…the development of new English training tracks in view of the existing

favorable policy guidelines must be based on…scientific considerations”. In other words,

attention has been directed recently towards the different mechanisms and factors that

define and influence ELT institutions. Clearly, there is a need for a research to inform the

theory and pedagogy of ELT institutions.

Previous educational research focused on ELT in the Public Sector. The results

have added to our knowledge. However, there is a lack of information on the Tunisian

ELT private sector. Jabeur (1999) argues that ``there is an urgent need…to upgrade the

quality and the cost-effectiveness of the ELT service.‟‟ In addition, Daoud (1999) states

that ``private English language instruction, although substantial given the unprecedented

public demand for English in recent years, is not taken into account in the official

curriculum”.

The present study seeks to investigate how the BC managers improve the quality

of English courses and its ELT programme to prepare students and professionals and to

have better work opportunities and work more effectively.

The study consists of three chapters. The first chapter reviews the relevant

literature on ELT, provides information on ELT at the international level and in Tunisia.

Second, it describes ELT in the Tunisian private sector and introduces the components of

2

ELT management. The second chapter deals methodology. It describes setting,

informants, data collection and analysis. Finally, the third chapter discusses the results of

the investigation.

3

Chapter One

Literature Review

This chapter reviews ELT as an overall framework. First, it focuses on the nature

of ELT, and present on ELT at the international and local levels. Second, it reviews ELT,

in the Tunisian private sector, at management in terms of its mission, teachers, courses,

finance, marketing and infrastructure.

1.1. English Language Teaching

1.1.1. Defining ELT

ELT comprises a wide range of divisions. Hutchinson and Waters (1987)

represent ELT in terms of a tree that comprises three main branches: English as a Mother

Tongue, English as a Foreign Language and English as a Second Language. As opposed

to English as a Mother Tongue, Teaching English for non-native speakers is usually

referred to Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL or EFL), or Teaching English

as a Second Language (ESL). The term TESOL (teaching English to speakers of other

languages) is used in American English to include both TEFL and TESL. British English

uses ELT because TESOL has a different, more specific meaning. Some ELT centers in

non-English-speaking regions divide it into: English for Specific Purposes (ESP) and

General English as the two main subdivisions of EFL. Furthermore, ELT is considered as

an umbrella term to many English Teaching and Learning branches: EAL (English as an

4

additional language), ESD (English as a second dialect), EIL (English as an international

language), ELF (English as a lingua franca), ESP (English for Specific Purposes), and

EAP (English for academic purposes). Some terms that refer to English learners are ELL

(English language learner), LEP (limited English proficiency) and CLD (culturally and

linguistically diverse). The diversity of these branches is due to the divergence of the

learners‟ needs, and the English language situation in the target country.

ELT is not merely a matter of training students in a particular set of skills. Rather,

the occupation of ELT is profoundly characterized by principals and values. Such values

are complex and characterized by dilemmas and conflict. Hutchinson and Waters (1987)

argue that ELT is not a matter of teaching a special variety of English, for instance being

an EST (English for science and technology) learner does not imply the use of a special

form or a special lexis or grammar of the language. Though there are some features

typically linked to a particular context of use and which, therefore, meet the learners‟

needs. But these differences do not suppose that the process of learning should be any

different for the learners of one branch than for learners of another one. For instance, ESP

learners and General English learners have different objectives, and are exposed to

different contexts; yet they are taught in the same way. In other words, ELT underlies

English use in terms of methodology, underlying structure and the range of proficiency

and abilities. In this regard, Daoud (2001) asserts:

`` ESP must be seen as an approach not a product. ESP is not a particular

kind of language or methodology, nor does it consist of a particular type of

teaching material.”

5

1.1.2. ELT in the International Context

Globalization denotes the modern trend towards a greater interdependency of

economies and societies around the world. This new phenomenon would lead to a

functional language that everybody understands; a common language that ensure its

growth and helps the newcomers to control any target situation in order to satisfy their

communicative needs. The most suitable and adaptable vehicular language today which

meets these requirements is English. Kathleen and Kenji (1999) state that ``it is the most

widely used by non-native speakers, making the teaching of English as a Foreign

Language a very important endeavor.‟‟ English is for most people the language that

should be taught or learned since it has become the language of politics, economy, wars,

exploration of space, technology, the use of nuclear power, news, the Internet, and so on.

The Economist in its article „The triumph of English‟ (2001) highlights this tendency:

”IT IS everywhere. Some 380m people speak it as their first language and

perhaps two-thirds as many again as their second. A billion are learning it,

about a third of the world's population are in some sense exposed to it and

by 2050, it is predicted, half the world will be more or less proficient in it.

It is the language of globalization…”

English has always been a very dynamic language. An article in the Wall

Street Journal (1993) cited in Jabeur (1999) supported that ``English is not the language

of American and British natives only. It is our language too‟‟. English has always been

subject to a great deal of external and internal influences that have pushed its

development forward. Baldauf and Gernudd(1983) and Swales(1985) have shown that

6

the proportion of academic articles written in the area of science, technology, and

economics has been increasing rapidly; and it is estimated that of the several million

articles published every year at least half are published in English(Swales, 1987). Many

ELT centers originated from the growth of ELT worldwide. The British Council, for

instance, stated in its Annual Report for 1987/8 that it was running 50 Direct Teaching

Centers in 31 countries and was planning further centers in 3 more countries. It also

reported that over 40 per cent of its revenue was derived from English language services.

Similarly, AMIDEAST is expanding its study abroad programs in the Arab World in

Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco and Tunisia.

1.1.3. ELT at the Tunisian Context

The Tunisian context is characterized by a dynamic and a complex language

situation. After the native language of everyday‟s communication, Tunisian Arabic (TA),

Modern Standard Arabic (MSA), generally used in official discourse, media, schools, and

French, the second language, used both in and out the school setting for both official and

informal situations, came English the Foreign language that is taught and used only in

classroom settings. ELT has been the subject of debate since Independence and continues

to influence the future of the country both at the educational and professional level.

Clearly, in the Tunisian local context, ELT has undergone great change. The

number of hours allotted to teach the language in the curriculum and the limits on the

numbers of students per class allow better results in communicative skills development.

In addition, the syllabi are more streamlined and profession-oriented. In other words, the

importance that Tunisia attributes to ELT is assumed to gain positive outcomes, given

7

that globalization is a contagious phenomenon. Crystal (2003) suggests that `` All the

evidence suggests that the position of English as a global language is going to become

stronger.”

An article entitled „English for the future‟ also proves the ongoing ELT projects.

In fact, the Tunisian Ministry of Education and vocational training with a collaboration of

the British Council signed recently a Memorandum of understanding to prepare for

planning ELT reform in Tunisia. The project aims at designing and introducing new

English language materials and test books for primary and secondary education. The

Tunisian Minister highlighted the country's focus on improving education and asserted

that: "Since its Independence, Tunisia has decided not to invest in arms but to invest

instead in education”. Accordingly, the budget for the Ministry of Education is one fifth

of the whole state budget. He also noted that it is time “to go further and work more on

quality”. Besides, Lord Kinnock, the Chair of the British Council, and former Leader of

the Labor Party, noted that:

“Our commitment to Tunisia, to education specifically, and within that to

English language teaching and training is very strong indeed and we would

like to do much more of it”

The project also aims to focus on training Tunisian teachers of English to reach a

certain level of expertise, especially since there has been an increase in the number of

English language teachers and students. As a result, the Tunisian President Ben Ali had

decided to introduce English teaching for sixth year primary school children, which was

revolutionary in Tunisia where people have been accustomed to French. So “the new

8

teachers will need more training” explained Mr. Hatem Ben Salem, Minister of

Education. Accordingly, the project initiative has begun by assessing the current situation

of ELT in Tunisia before planning to set out a clear feasible strategy. The British Council

Director, Peter Skelton, stated:

"Just over a year ago we had a three person scoping mission -

distinguished consultants from the UK - who worked with a team from the

Ministry and looked at the whole situation of ELT, root and branch…The

team produced a very weighty report…which will be the basis for work on

the way forward”

The British Council Director added that the project could last as long as eight

years “as it is one of the biggest investments the British Council has made anywhere.”

However, the success of ELT in Tunisia and the spread of English as the current

international and prevailing language are called into question. The growing popularity of

foreign languages, English in particular, demands new ways of teaching and additional

resources in terms of teaching staff, equipment and materials. ELT is certainly not given

the sustained attention it deserves. Daoud (1999) confirms the worrying tendency towards

ELT in Tunisia, and claims:

„„Several fundamental conditions for successful curriculum development

innovation remain unmet…If we are interested in innovation in ELT in

Tunisia, we must recognize that effective curriculum design requires an

9

adequate policy and resources, careful planning, professional

implementation and objective evaluation.‟‟

A part from strengths in policy statement about the need for English, more and

better pre-service training courses and the development of coordinated programs, the

weaknesses are largely numerous and more serious. Daoud (1999) listed a review of

weaknesses that should be taken into account mainly: the lack of a clear ELT policy, the

lack of coordination between the basic/secondary, vocational and higher-education ELT

programs, limited involvement of ELT professionals and other stakeholders in ELT, and

insufficient time allotted to ELT on the timetable. As opposed to the public sector, the

Tunisian private sector is not taken into account by the Tunisian Ministry of Education

when it comes to ELT curriculum and program implementation. However, Huberman

(1973) asserts that because of “the unprecedented public demand for English instruction

in the private sector, we seem to have reached the „early majority stage‟ on Huberman‟s

innovation adoption curve.‟‟

1.1.4. Dimensions of ELT

Apart from being an approach to language teaching, ELT has different dimensions

that should be planned and organized to fulfill the prescribed goals. Administration,

teachers as well as learners are the three substantial dimensions that are reflected upon

distinctively in every ELT Center. The learner is essentially the target element which the

ELT centers are established for and for whom the language courses are promoted. The

teacher, on the other hand, is the one who enables the learner to learn how to think in

English and help him use the language accurately and smoothly. For the administration,

10

the role is rather generative. Its role consists of creating the rules and planning for both

the learning process and the teaching program. This study, henceforth, tackle the

administrative dimension which occupies the pyramidal peak. In addition, the

administration is fundamentally based on various aspects that greatly influence the ELT

process mainly: mission, teachers and staff, courses, infrastructure, marketing, and

finances.

1.2.ELT in the Tunisian Private Sector

The participation of private foreign centers in international projects has an

enormous impact on teaching and learning the target language, especially in helping

students improve their proficiency. Hopefully, in Tunisia, the projects related to different

ELT private centers and the development of systems for the assessment of language

proficiency for learners, especially beginners, are having a positive impact on ELT public

educational sector. Similarly, Daoud (1999) shares these particular concerns. Because of

the changing nature of ELT, the private ELT centers are exerting great influence over the

learners and are welcoming more and more people who approve their efforts in helping

the new comers to step up and improve their English. According to the directors of the

British Council, AMIDEAST and IBLV, these private ELT institutions admitted a

student population of about 8,000 until 1999 (Daoud, 2001).

In this regard, the focus on ELT administration is essential. Administration plays

a primary role in improving ELT process acting as both the agent of change, by virtue of

the role of its members as managers and professional instructional leaders, and target of

change. Thus, the administrative department in the Tunisian private centers should be

11

perceived from different angles. The policy decisions in terms of mission, infrastructure

and provision, curriculum, teachers and administrative staff, and marketing along with

the finance are prominent divisions in achieving the prescribed ELT goals.

1.2.1. Mission

Educational institutions in the Tunisian private sector have more or less the same

mission. If the term is perceived from a holistic dimension, the mission of every

institution is to encourage students to improve and perform better in order to succeed.

However, Kotler (1991) argues that “a mission statement is a statement of the

organization‟s purpose, what it wants to accomplish in the larger environment”.

According to Simpson and McConocha (1991), the mission of an educational

organization should be related to people‟s needs instead of just products. Needs are more

enduring.

Obviously, the educational mission differs from one institute to another in terms

of curriculum emphasis and specialization which depends on institutional variables such

as students, community needs, and so on. The mission of the Bourguiba Institute of

Modern Languages (IBLV), founded in 1964, is to teach modern languages, and conduct

applied research in methodologies for teaching modern languages to adults aiming at

learning or improving their proficiency in a foreign language. By the same token,

AMIDEAST has the mission of helping to develop mutual understanding through

programs for Americans to study in the Middle East and North Africa and interact with

the peoples and cultures of the region.

For the British Council, the UK's international cultural organization, the mission

consists in various aspects mainly teaching English, providing the latest information

12

about the UK and promoting British education and training. In terms of ELT mission,

many BC learners highlighted the lack of consistency in the way English is taught. A

student in the British Council asserted that „„it is rather an attempt to interact and

socialize with British teachers in a limited amount of time,…their mission is to teach us

English, we do learn some vocabulary and some rules of grammar but as we leave the

center, we have only few words in mind to keep as a background knowledge.‟‟ Many

questions arise concerning the effectiveness and reliability of ELT in the British Council

given that it is a Quasi-Autonomous Non-Governmental Charity Organization and a non-

departmental public body.

1.2.2. Teaching staff

Traditionally, the teacher in any educational establishment is considered the most

important character that represents the institution notably on the parents‟ behalf. It is also

the one judged behind the success or failure of the learner, as the utmost influential figure

in the learning process and learners‟ motivation. The modern teacher is no longer the

passive one who applies theories; instead, he has become the theorizer in practice.

Dunkin and Biddle (1974) constructed a model for research on teaching based on

Mitzel‟s assumptions (1960). They posited four classes of variables, mainly: presage

variables (teachers‟ characteristics, experience, training…), context variables (properties

of the institution and community and of the classroom), and product variables (immediate

and long-term effects of teaching on learners). In this regard, the first step, before

teaching, comprises the qualification of the teacher, the experience made before hand

with the language, and the pre or in-service training. The increasing demand for

13

competent users of English in the era of globalization has had a significant impact on

ELT in Tunisia. Within the private ELT centers, AMIDEAST and IBLV are distinctively

different in term of recruitment. At IBLV teachers are reputed as highly qualified, though

non-native speakers of the language. This situation is estimated a risky prospect for the

learners exposed to a non-native accent. On the other hand, in AMIDEAST, the teacher‟s

qualification and experience with the language do not have apparent persecution over

learning the English language as they are native speakers.

The British Council, like AMIDEAST, ensures the availability of well qualified

British teachers to guarantee the success of its students and provide them with an English

accent. The British Council web-site states that: „„we have a reputation across the world

for delivering an excellent standard of English language teaching, and for employing the

best teachers in their field.‟‟

Equally important, the staffs in all service organizations have been emphasized.

Employees are encouraged to adopt a philosophy that the service should be delivered as

though the provider were at the receiving end. This philosophy is particularly important

in services such as education, where all the staff come into daily contact with the

students. In educational institutions, the service is, therefore, the people who deliver it.

Though, many teaching and non-teaching staff in private education do not accept the fact

of providing a service, associating the notion of „service‟ with „serving‟, such planning

involves an examination of the recruitment, for it is much easier to recruit staff with this

philosophy than to develop it later. For IBLV, for instance, the number of administrative

staff exceeds those of AMIDEAST; yet, they need more people as technicians in

multimedia and managers. IBLV is more conducted to rely on the administrative staff for

14

different tasks. However, AMIDEAST does not consider it essential to have a great

number of staff. If they could manage to share teaching with non-teaching duties, the

most important principal is to focus on the quality of the service and maintain the basis of

the philosophy already mentioned.

Within the British Council, the situation is not so much different from the

AMIDEAST‟s perception of staff duties. It is stated at the British Council teachers‟

recruitment website that: „„it would be beneficial if you have proven experience in

delivering tailor made courses to clients in the government/public/corporate sector and

work experience in fields such as marketing, HR, administration, management, policy

and law.‟‟ Thus, the nature of the task is not important given that the recruited staff could

be both teaching and non-teaching staff; more important are the qualifications, the

experience and the quality of the service delivered.”

1.2.3. Courses

The lesson is the core and the basic part when learning the language. Daoud

(1999) points out that: “curriculum planning, which includes needs analysis, the

specification of program goals, objectives and methodology, and the production of a

syllabus, is conventional.‟‟ Obviously,curriculum development and the decision to design

and implemnt a languaguage syllabus are a part of the administrative responsabilities and

constraints. ELT private courses seem to differ from the public educational curriculum as

they are more focused in terms of learners‟ needs. In terms of the IBLV pedagogical

approach, the teaching is learner-based. All the needs, whether individual or collective,

are taken into account. The course focuses on the progressive acquisition of linguistic

15

knowledge. On the other hand, an article in the AMIDEAST web-site confirms that: “The

ELT Program is AMIDEAST Tunisia's largest, most popular service.” Over 900

AMIDEAST students are currently enrolled in each of the 40–48 hour ELT sessions for

adults and university students. Many tailored courses are also developed and conducted

for a growing number of organizations that require special ELT sessions for their

employees.

Concerning the British Council, the curriculum description in terms of approach,

methodology and syllabus is rather a confidential aspect of ELT that is practiced only in

the classroom setting between the teacher and the learner. However, the range of courses

is clearly cited for the learners in order to allow them mach their needs with the range of

courses provided. The two main types include General English and specialized skills

training for people who need English for work.

1.2.4. Finance

Battenburg (1997) asserts that “Foreign aid to Tunisia illustrates the relative

importance which certain governments place on influencing language policy decisions

and planning initiatives.” In 1996, a financial contribution estimated as 600,000 dollars

by the US government and about 400,000 dollars by the British government allotted to

ELT, education, and culture, comparing to approximately 20 million dollars by the

French government. In other words, the American and British governments are seriously

taking into account the importance of spreading the language. Through helping foreign

countries financially at the educational level, the success of their plan would be

eventually beneficial for both sides in order to enhance the phenomenon of globalization.

16

In contrast, for the private Tunisian ELT centers, where American and British

educational managers run ELT planning and policies directly in the local context, the

budget is not assisted by any governmental funds. All the ELT private centers are

financially independent as it is for IBLV and AMIDEAST. However, the British Council

is not an independent organization. It is a Quasi-Autonomous Non-Governmental

Organization; a public corporation incorporated by royal charter, and is registered as a

charity in England. For instance, from its total income of £551m in 2007, the British

Council received £195m of grants from the British government. The rest was earned

through charging for teaching English to individuals and organizations, examinations and

commercial consultancy.

1.2.5. Marketing

Marketing is a vital means by which learners are first made aware of the

opportunities available to them, and then helped to make full use of the services thus

provided. Similarly, any equal opportunity policy must have a marketing dimension. It is

a necessary element of the management of educational institutions. In this regard it is

asserted that a more systematic approach to the marketing of education provision is an

inevitable response to demographic change and to government policies which increase

competition in the public sector; Ernst (2007).

In the ELT Tunisian private sector, marketing plays a crucial role in an attempt to

attract more learners. Although more efforts should be undertaken within IBLV and

AMIDEAST, the British Council, however, is more geared towards developing

educational marketing strategies. For instance, the IBLV needs to improve and work

17

more on its Web site; new learners are notably more attracted by other private ELT web

sites. The same case is considered when it comes to AMIDEAST. According to many

learners, the Web site gives a first impression, and has a great repercussion on their

choice of the ELT center.

The British Council has been more systematic in considering the positive effect of

marketing. The British Council spends more on advertising in order to attract more

learners and preserve their brand image. Apart from the external and internal physical

maintenance, The British Council focuses on other major points mainly, high fees,

competent teachers, a better range of courses and valuable certificates. Ernst and Young

(2007) argue that: „„They are…primarily the courses on offer to students…Decisions

about the range of courses and the quality of the curriculum are marketing decisions‟‟

Thus, in estimating private English courses and marketing, there are considered in

relation to each other when planning effective ELT program.

1.2.6. Infrastructure

This dimension, that is more likely to be neglected, is considered as an essential

part of „„the marketing mix‟‟. It includes all those features of a school or any educational

establishment which influence the accessibility and availability of the educational

service. The infrastructure is commonly concerned with the location of the institution, its

appearance as well as the facilities on offer. Thus, the educational managers‟ role is to

maintain an internal physical appearance that makes a positive first impression of the

institution. The concept of „infrastructure‟ in the private educational sector especially in

ELT centers is perceived in a rather different way from the traditional view in which it

18

has been usually considered. Recently, private Tunisian universities combine expensive

facilities along with the specialist staff able to make use of them for educational

purposes, while resources on this scale are not available to most public sector educational

institutions.

Some private centers similarly spend more generously on classroom facilities,

computer suites and internet access in attempting to attract more learners. In this regard,

AMIDEAST tried to reduce the cost of the facilities provided for the learners especially

within web-based tools and high speed internet service by collaborating with

communication Enterprises such as Siemens. Ugur Usumi, the IT Director, maintains that

“this ability to communicate more easily has increased our efficiency and enabled us to

exchange information...Our teams work better as a result.” By contrast, though the IBLV

is more deemed with the classroom facilities to raise learners‟ motivation during the

lesson: audio-visual materials (DVD, TV, Sets, Videos, PCs…), large classrooms for a

limited number of students it also includes two language laboratories, multimedia lab and

library.

In seeking to ensure learners satisfaction, the British Council educational

managers recognize the importance of the infrastructure and the need to provide

appropriate spaces for both staff and students. The facilities provided in this private

center varies in a sense that they drive the learner to learn the language on his own, for

instance the availability of a library for both junior and adults, a TV with English-

speaking channels only, DVDs, videos and attractive magazines in English, etc. All these

extra-curricular facilities encourage learners and provide them with a performing learning

context.

19

The purpose of the present study is to investigate the administration profile of

ELT institution, in the Tunisian private sector, focusing on the specific context of the

British Council. It is guided by the following research question:

R. Q.: How does the British Council‟s administration contribute in improving ELT

system in Tunisia?

20

Chapter Two

Research Methodology

The purpose of the study is to begin to describe ELT in the British Council

Tunisia as a model of Tunisian Private Centers. It accounts for the administrative

dimension in dealing with the management of ELT as an overall objective. This chapter

presents the methodology used in order to answer the aforementioned research question.

It also describes the setting, the informants, the research instrument as well as the data

collection, and analysis procedures.

2.1.Setting

The research is conducted in the British Council within the administrative

department in charge of ELT policy and planning. The British Council is a Quasi-

Autonomous Non-Governmental Organization, founded in 1934 and based in the United

Kingdom. It is a non-departmental public body; a public corporation incorporated by

Royal charter, and is registered as a charity in England. It was granted a Royal charter by

King George VI in 1940. Its current director is Lord Kinnock, the former leader of the

UK Labor Party. Its main objective is to promote teaching and learning English and

establish mutually beneficial educational relationships between the UK and other

countries. There are 70 British Council Teaching Centers in 53 countries. Its overseas

21

network extends to 233 locations in 107 countries and territories. It taught 1,189,000

class hours to 300,000 learners in 2006/07.

2.2. Informants

The informants are British and Tunisian males and females. They are members of

the BC administrative staff. The interviewee, M. Andy Milner, is a native speaker of the

target language and a member of the administrative staff at the British Council working

as the Assistant Teaching Centre Manager. Apart from the interview, I was helped by the

customer service assistants, and the customer service manager.

2.3. Data Collection

The data were collected by means of an interview (Appendix A). I also used

official documents provided by the British Council official Web site on the ongoing ELT

operations in this private center. I also had informal discussions with the customer service

assistants.

The interview is a useful instrument in collecting data. It is an important

questioning technique to understand and reveal reactions during interpersonal interaction.

The interview provides both verbal and non verbal response by the interviewee. To

succeed in interviews, one must understand the emotional labor needed to "manage their

feelings" as they "create a publicly observable facial and bodily display." This is

particularly true when recruiters use open-ended interviews that are not constrained to a

narrow set of questions …” Hoffmann (2008). In other words, the interview is better than

a questionnaire in developing accurate qualitative data through face to face interaction.

22

In this study, the structured interview was developed and elaborated. It is divided

into eight parts: history, mission, infrastructure, teachers, staff, courses, finance and

marketing. Within each part three to sixteen open-ended questions are given to the

interviewee. The interview is written in English, given that the interviewee is a native

speaker of the language. I relied on official documents and data to seek answers to the

questions not answered during the interview.

2.4.Procedure

The interview is suggested to the Assistant Teaching Centre Manager of the

British Council in charge of the ELT Administration department. The interview is first

introduced and clarifications about the research study are presented. Also information

about the purpose of the study is explained and emphasis about the confidentiality of the

information that would be given is highlighted. The subject is also encouraged to

comment upon any question and omit any answer that seems unquestionable. The

interview takes approximately 15 minutes.

2.5.Piloting

The interview was piloted before its conduction and execution. A sample of two

people, a fourth year English student from ISLT and a manager of a British agency were

selected for the piloting. According to the results, the type and number of questions as

well the organization of the interview were revised and amended.

23

2.6.Data analysis

By focusing on the various functions of the BC administration, it was possible

to depict the important steps that made this center a successful ELT example. Instead of

resorting to analogy and contrast between the public and private educational institutions,

a descriptive perspective only is adopted in this paper in order to uncover different

variables and analyze the advantages and disadvantages of the system at the

administrative level within the BC. The study would focus on comments on each part

distinctively. The analysis of the qualitative data includes first the responses from the

structured interview (Appendix B) and the data collected from different official

documents in order to complete all the stated questions in the interview. The qualitative

data are conducted with reference to the research question and supported by referential

sources.

24

Chapter Three

Results and Discussion

This chapter describes and discusses the research findings. The chapter deals with

the results relating to the eight parts of the interview and discusses the reported results

and comments on the findings. Finally, it concludes by pointing to limitations and

suggested recommendations.

3.1. Result and discussion

3.1.1. British Council mission

Concerning BC ELT mission, the results show that the aim is to work with

partners throughout Tunisia to provide learning opportunities and creative ideas from the

UK and build lasting relationships between the UK and Tunisia. The Assistant Teaching

Centre Manager of the British Council in charge of the ELT Administration Department

confirms that the British Council primary aim is to enhance Britain‟s reputation as a

valued partner through the development of educational and cultural links with Tunisia.

The increasing interest in English amongst Tunisians reflects a perception that the

country‟s future success in the international arena demands greater interaction with and

access to the Anglophone world. The Assistant Teaching Centre Manager asserts: “Our

activities in Tunisia are a direct response to need.” And adds: „„‟we‟ act as a partner in

25

tackling key Tunisian reform agendas through the management of applied research links

and governance reform.”

3.1.2. British Council teaching staff

The BC has 70 British Council Teaching Centers in 53 countries. It taught

1,189,000 class hours to 300,000 learners in 2006/07. In its examination centers, the

British Council administers 1.5 million UK examinations to over one million candidates

each year. It is also working with the UK's award bodies to extend the range of

professional qualifications available overseas. The Council also oversees British schools

operating internationally through bodies such as COBIS, NABSS, and the European

Council of International Schools.

In the local context, the number of teachers in the British Council does not

exceed seventeen. The Assistant Teaching Centre Manager of the British Council asserts

that „„at the moment” the number of teachers is adequate and that there is no need to

recruit more teachers. In addition, the teachers are mainly British. Similarly, the British

Council recruits teachers of other nationalities, including Tunisians, on condition that

they meet the established requirements. In terms of recruitment, the British Council

sustains typical norms and international standards in order to allow for equal

opportunities, in addition to the required experience that is imperative for the new

teachers before entering to the British Council. The second step is essentially the in-

service training. It introduces the teacher to the British Council setting and rules before

initiating the courses. The teachers are constantly inspected during the courses, mainly by

26

„„the managers and by peers”. Apart from teaching in the classroom, the teachers have

also administrative duties such as course administration, planning, assessment,

certification, academic meetings and performance management.

3.1.3. British Council Courses

The British Council curriculum is based on the communicative approach. This

teaching method ensures that the courses are adapted to the communicative needs of the

learners in the workplace and beyond. The effectiveness and validity of the courses are

evaluated by teachers as well as students mainly through the results and re-registrations

of the students, and by using satisfaction surveys, focus-groups and questionnaires. The

smoothness of the strategies used to evaluate the courses enables the ELT process to

satisfy the needs and wants of the learner. The textbooks are brought from Cambridge in

order to maintain the international TEFL standards that are exclusive to the British

Council curriculum. The books and teaching materials are selected under specific criteria,

mainly content, methodology, appropriateness, publisher, online and ICT support and

level of instruction. Thus, the teaching materials are appropriately designed on the basis

of the communicative approach.

3.1.4. British Council Finance

Concerning finance, no comments are given and no question is answered. The

argument provided by the Assistant Teaching Centre Manager of the British Council is

that the financial rubric is considered a confidential subject. For this reason, I could not

obtain any official information on the issue.

27

3.1.5. British Council Marketing

The marketing rubric is also considered a confidential subject. There was no

comment by the Assistant Teaching Centre Manager of the British Council regarding the

Marketing section.

3.1.6. British Council Infrastructure

As for the infrastructure, the Assistant Teaching Centre Manager of the British

Council confirmed that they have “thirteen” classes and the number of students per class

does not exceed eighteen. Many facilities are provided, mainly a library, Internet-based

space, a TV space which also contains DVDs and Videos, only in English. The Assistant

Teaching Centre Manager of the British Council asserts that there is a “Knowledge and

information Center and self-access” for all BC students. These extra-curricular materials

allow the learner to discover the language from a different perspective.

3.2. Limitations of the study

The study mainly suffers from a lack of data sources. All the efforts made to do

the interview were fruitless. The Assistant Teaching Centre Manager of the British

Council in change of the ELT Administration Department refused to answer the questions

through a face to face interview. The interview was then sent by an electronic mail, to

maximize the chances of obtaining the highest number of answers to the interview

questions. Many reasons lie behind the BC refusal to give an interview. At first, the

Assistant Teaching Centre Manager, Andrew Milner asserted:

28

“We would be happy to provide you with further information on these

areas. But I am not convinced that an interview with you…will be helpful

to your areas of research.‟‟

The second reason, according to the Assistant Teaching Centre Manager is:

`` We are unable to satisfy your request to collect quantitative data via

questionnaires about our teaching centre administration…the information

that you seek is actually commercial in confidence… It would contravene

our data protection policy”.

In other words, the reason is not the uselessness of the interview but rather the

confidentiality of the needed information. I sent a second email, insisting on the urgent

need for an interview to carry on the research study. Similarly, the answer by the

Assistant Teaching Centre Manager was: “the nature of your research…about

administration, marketing, finance and more…this information is commercially sensitive

and I am not at liberty to disclose it.” A third mail was sent and the answer was: “…as I

stated in my email, I am not able to give you an interview…We will try to send you some

general information…” All the attempts failed. Later, he sent a general information

document on 14th April 09.

3.3. Recommendations

This study has identified important aspects of BC ELT administration. The

study results remain incomplete in terms of evaluation and program implementation.

29

There is a need to use other research instruments such as questionnaires or more survey

documents.

In addition, a need for analogy and contrast, either with other private ELT

institutes/centers (i.e. with the IBLV and/or with the AMIDEAST) or with the public

sector, is important for improving ELT in Tunisia. A second relevant point is that many

extra-curricular activities, not mentioned in the study, should be highlighted for further

research if the aim is to look closer into the British Council not only from an educational

perspective but as a dynamic organization which initiates projects with the Tunisian

Ministry of Education to improve ELT in the public sector.

30

Conclusion

This study dealt with BC ELT as a model among the Tunisian private centers, in

particular, the BC ELT management. The BC‟s administration contributes enormously in

improving the ELT operations within the Tunisian educational system. Based on the

findings, it is unquestionable that the ELT pedagogy in the private sector is taken as a

serious matter in our country. Accordingly, the BC aims at developing the educational

links with Tunisia, in order to enhance the relationship between the two countries and

allow Tunisia for a smoother access to the Anglophone world and the international arena.

The study of the educational system in the British Council revealed a well developed

policy of foreign language teaching in Tunisian private sector at all levels. Actually, in

evaluating the relevance and efficiency of the program, the BC ELT conducts effective

courses. However, the strengths and weaknesses revealed in this study suggest that a

more comprehensive research should be considered. Furthermore, the study also pointed

to major challenges in the field of ELT in order to improve the efficacy of the ELT

system in helping the learner to be more motivated when learning the language.

31

References

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Englishes 16/2; 281-290.

Catharine, M. & Curran, K. (2009). Marketing Education Review. Charlton College of

Business. University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.

Crystal, D. (1997). English as a Global Language. Cambridge: Cambridge University

Press.

Dunkin, M. J., & Biddle, B. J. (1974). The study of teaching. New York: Holt, Rinehart,

and Winston.

Ernst & Young (2007). The New World Order for Higher Education.UK: Ernst & Young

Creative Services.

Hoffmann & Elizabeth, A. (2008). The Emotionally Challenging, Open-Ended Interview.

Business Communication Quarterly 71/3; 387-390.

http://www.britishcouncil.org/teacherrecruitment.htm

http://www.eltworld.net/news/tag/british-council-in-tunisia/

Huberman, A. M. (1973). Understanding Change in Education: An Introduction. Paris:

UNESCO.

Hutchinson, T., & Waters, A. (1987). English for Specific Purposes: A learning centered

approach. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

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Jabeur, M. Manai, A & Bahloul, M. (1999). English in North Africa .TSAS Innovation

Series.

Kitao, S. K. & Kitao, K. (1999). Fundamentals of English Language Teaching. Tokyo:

Eichosha Co., Ltd.

Lee, J.M. (2007). The Reorganization of the British Council. Management Improvisation

and Policy Uncertainty 73/3; 339.

Mitzel, H.E. (1960). Teacher effectiveness. In C.E. Harris (Ed.), Encyclopedia of

Educational Research. New York: Macmillan.

Robert, B., & Kaplan (2002). Teaching English as a Foreign Language. The Oxford

Handbook of Applied Linguistics: Oxford University Press. 13/13; 21.

Sarcasm, (2001). The triumph of English: A world empire by other means. Retrieved

December 29, 2001, from the Economist: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-

news/597862/posts.

Simpson, E. K. & McConocha, Diane M. (1991). Making the Organizational Mission

Statement Work for the Supervisor. Michigan: Gale Group, Farmington Hills.

33

Appendix A

Profiling the British Council Administration Interview

Thank you for agreeing to participate in this survey. The following interview is a

part of an MA research aiming at investigating the Administrative department in ELT at

the Tunisian private sector. The British Council is taken as a referential model in

conducting the research study. Your participation in this survey is voluntary. If you

choose to participate, your personal information will remain strictly confidential and used

only for the purpose of this survey.

History

1. When did the British Council establish its Language Teaching Centre in Tunisia?

2. When did you start operating in Tunisia?

3. Do you have regional centers?

Mission

4. What is the mission of your Centre in Tunisia?

34

5. What are your short-term and long-term objectives?

6. Do you think you have succeeded in accomplishing your mission?

Infrastructure

1. How many classrooms do you have? Are they enough?

2. How many students do you have in each classroom?

3. What are the study facilities that you provide for your students (laboratory,

library, movie theatre)?

4. Do your students have access to the internet in the Centre?

5. Are you planning to extend the number of classrooms?

6. Are you planning to introduce new facilities?

Teachers

1. How many teachers do you have?

2. What is the teacher-student ratio?

3. Do you think you have enough teachers?

4. Where do your teachers come from?

5. How do you recruit them?

6. What are the required qualifications?

7. Do you consider any typical standards when recruiting teachers?

8. Do you recruit only experienced teachers?

9. Is there any in-service training for your teachers?

35

10. Are the teachers inspected during the course? If yes, by whom and how often?

11. Do you recruit Tunisian teachers? If not, why?

Staff

1. How many non-teaching administrative staff members do you have?

2. What are their positions and duties?

3. Do teachers have administrative duties? If so, which ones?

4. Do you think that you need more administrative staff?

5. What are the required qualifications?

6. Do you recruit Tunisian administrative staff? If not, why?

Courses

1. What are the offered English language courses?

2. Do you organize General English courses or ESP courses?

3. How do you design your curriculum?

4. How do you ensure that your courses are adapted to the communicative needs of

your students in the workplace and outside it?

5. Is there any recommended teaching method at the Centre?

6. Do you evaluate the effectiveness of your courses? If so, who does it and how?

7. Do your students evaluate the course? If so, how?

8. Do you carry out students‟ or teachers‟ evaluation of courses?

36

9. How do you know whether the needs and wants of your students are satisfied

after the session?

10. Do you implement any international TEFL standards?

11. Do you use ready-made textbooks or do you build your own teaching materials?

12. How do you choose textbooks?

13. What type of teaching materials do you use?

14. Do you make the books in Tunisia, if not, why?

15. Do you organize extra-curricular activities for your students (excursion, social

gatherings, picnics, visits to UK...)?

16. What are your plans for the future? Are you developing new programs?

Finance

1. How much is the annual budget? Has it been growing?

2. Is your Center financially independent? Are you subsidized by the British

Government? If so, how much?

3. Do you think that your receipts cover your expenses in terms of teacher salaries,

equipments, materials and related services?

4. Some students claim that your fees are high compared to other public and private

centers. What do you think?

5. Is your Centre a profitable and viable business?

37

Marketing

1. The British Council has a well-established reputation. How did you gain the

confidence of many people in Tunisia?

2. What are the privileges that you offer to attract students?

3. Do you have any marketing policy?

4. Who do you think are your major competitor(s)?

5. Do you think that advertising plays an important role in attracting more students?

6. Do you plan to spend more on advertising?

7. What are the major points that you will focus on to preserve your brand image

(high fees, competent teachers, valuable certificates….)?

8. Who are your main competitors?

9. Some claim that AMIDEAST is now attracting more learners. What do you think?

38

Appendix B

Information about the British Council

Who we are

We are the UK's international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural

relations and are represented in 110 countries. We connect people worldwide with

learning opportunities and creative ideas from the UK and build lasting relationships

between the UK and other countries.

Our purpose

Our purpose is to build mutually beneficial relationships between people in the UK and

other countries and to increase appreciation of the UK‟s ideas and achievements. Every

year we help to create some form of personal contact with the UK for 16 million people

around the world. Our 129 teaching centres teach over one million classroom hours every

year. We also connect through visits, student exchange programmes, exams, library

services and many arts and cultural events. Our work has a special focus on youth,

connecting young people across all cultures has never been more important and we seek

to create genuine mutual trust and understanding.

In Tunisia

Our centre in Tunis was established in 1962. We aim to work with partners throughout

Tunisia to provide learning opportunities and creative ideas from the UK and to build

lasting relationships between the UK and Tunisia.

39

We opened our centre in Tunisia in 1962, operating from the British Embassy building in

Central Tunis. A teaching centre was opened in 1987 and moved to a separate site in

1989.

Our primary aim in Tunisia is to enhance Britain‟s reputation as a valued partner through

the development of educational and cultural links between both countries. The increasing

interest in English amongst Tunisians reflects a perception that the country‟s future

success in the international arena demands greater interaction with and access to the

Anglophone world. Our activities in Tunisia are a direct response to need.

We act as a partner in tackling key Tunisian reform agendas through the management of

applied research links and governance reform.

Our cultural programme aims to project the UK‟s creativity and cultural diversity, to

challenge outmoded stereotypes of Britain and attract Tunisians to the UK.

Our Knowledge and Information Services provide a gateway to information on UK

educational services and expertise in priority areas of interest to Tunisian contacts.

40

Infrastructure

7. How many classrooms do you have? 13

8. How many students do you have in each classroom? 14 or 18

9. What are the study facilities that you provide for your students (laboratory,

library, movie theatre)? Self-Access / Knowledge and Information Centre

10. Do your students have access to the internet in the Centre? Yes

11. Are you planning to extend the number of classrooms? Possibly

12. Are you planning to introduce new facilities? Possibly

Teachers

12. How many teachers do you have? 17

13. What is the teacher-student ratio? No comment

14. Do you think you have enough teachers? At the moment

15. Where do your teachers come from? Mainly UK, but also other nationalities

16. How do you recruit them? Through our global network and through British

Council recruiting services in the UK

17. What are the required qualifications?

Please refer to this website: http://www.britishcouncil.org/teacherrecruitment.htm

18. Do you consider any typical standards when recruiting teachers? See above

19. Do you recruit only experienced teachers? Yes

20. Is there any in-service training for your teachers? Yes.

21. Are the teachers inspected during the course? If yes, by whom and how often?

By Line Managers and by peers

22. Do you recruit Tunisian teachers? If not, why? Yes. If they meet the

established requirements.

Staff

7. How many non-teaching administrative staff members do you have? No

comment

8. What are their positions and duties? No comment

9. Do teachers have administrative duties? If so, which ones? Course

administration – planning, assessment, certification. Academic meetings.

Performance Management

10. Do you think that you need more administrative staff? No comment

11. What are the required qualifications? No comment

12. Do you recruit Tunisian administrative staff? If not, why? Yes

41

Courses

17. What are the offered English language courses?

18. Do you organize General English courses or ESP courses?

Please refer to our website: http://www.britishcouncil.org/tunisia-english-learn.htm

19. How do you design your curriculum? Communicative Approach

20. How do you ensure that your courses are adapted to the communicative needs of

your students in the workplace and outside it? Communicative Approach

21. Is there any recommended teaching method at the Centre? Communicative

Approach

22. Do you evaluate the effectiveness of your courses? If so, who does it and how?

Satisfaction Surveys. Results. Re-registrations. Students, teachers, management.

Questionnaires, focus-groups,

23. Do your students evaluate the course? If so, how?

Satisfaction Surveys. Results. Re-registrations. Students, teachers, management.

Questionnaires, focus-groups,

24. Do you carry out students‟ or teachers‟ evaluation of courses?

Satisfaction Surveys. Results. Re-registrations. Students, teachers, management.

Questionnaires, focus-groups,

25. How do you know whether the needs and wants of your students are satisfied

after the session?

Satisfaction Surveys. Results. Re-registrations. Students, teachers, management.

Questionnaires, focus-groups,

26. Do you implement any international TEFL standards?

Our own global standards

27. Do you use ready-made textbooks or do you build your own teaching materials?

Both

28. How do you choose textbooks?

Content, Methodology, Appropriateness, Publisher, Online and ICT Support,

Level, Reputation, look, feel, ……..

29. What type of teaching materials do you use?

Material designed to facilitate a communicative approach.

30. Do you make the books in Tunisia, if not, why? No

31. Do you organize extra-curricular activities for your students (excursion, social

gatherings, picnics, visits to UK...)? Not at the moment

32. What are your plans for the future? Are you developing new programs? No

comment

42

Finance

No comment

Marketing

No comment