The English Problem, Power and Paradox: Egyptian Teachers Navigating Neocolonial Policies in Cairo’s International Schools

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Friday 7:45 am - Gold 1
  In Roundtable Session: Beyond Neutrality: Decolonizing English Language Teacher Education

Abstract

This study examines how and why middle-class Egyptian teachers in international schools adhere to neocolonialism through English-only policies and western curricular frameworks. Using a case study approach, it analyzes reflections from ten interviews and five professional development discussions with five teachers at three international schools in Cairo. Findings showed that teachers adhere to neocolonialism in different ways and for different reasons: 1) The necessity of global exposure through English 2) a perception of English as the “professional” language above Arabic, reflecting colonial language hierarchies 3) the belief that English-only instruction is the best way to develop students’ proficiency. This research explores pressing issues in international schools in an under-researched context from a postcolonial perspective, contributing new insights to existing literature.

Author

• Alia Shalaby, Pennsylvania State University