Implementing Recent Curricular Changes to English Language Instruction in Israel

In 2013, the English curriculum of the Israeli educational system underwent a significant reform, aimed to improve students' achievements in English and close the gaps between students’ achievements in Israel, and students’ achievements in other OCED countries in the subject matter. However, all indicators show that after the implementation of the new program, achievements of most Israeli students' in English, especially those of Israeli Arab students, do not meet expectations. Therefore, we interviewed 10 English teachers working in the Israeli Arabic school system, with at least 13 years seniority, in hope to find out why the new curriculum does not accomplish its goals. The findings of this study reveal that teaching English according to the new curriculum is challenged in several ways, some of which are curriculum related, others relate to the training of the teachers, and other challenges relating to the school, and the students population

Arabic · Curriculum · English language · Linguistics · Mathematics education · Medical education · Pedagogy · Political science · Population · Seniority · Sociology · Subject matter · EFL/ESL Teaching and Learning · Medicine · Multilingual Education and Policy · Psychology · Second Language Learning and Teaching