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1. English Language Teaching in Iran and the World (Syllabus)

   University of Guilan

   Language Teaching in Iran and the World

   Program: 1st Term, 2026–2027
   Class: Saturdays, 10:30–12:00
   Instructor: A. Mahdavi-Zafarghandi
   Office: Language and Literature Department, Faculty of Humanities
   Office Hours: By appointment
   Email: mahdavi1339@gmail.com

   Course Description and Goal

   This course examines the development, current state, and major issues of language teaching in Iran in relation to practices and developments in other parts of the world. It introduces students to major approaches, policies, teacher education, curriculum and materials development, needs analysis, and emerging issues in language teaching. Particular emphasis is placed on critical and comparative analysis of language teaching practices in different contexts.

   Learning Outcomes

   By the end of the course, students will be able to:

   1. Describe major developments and current issues in language teaching in Iran and internationally.
   2. Explain and critically discuss major approaches and methods of language teaching.
   3. Examine language-teaching policies, teacher education, curricula, and materials in different contexts.
   4. Discuss the roles of culture, localization, and contextual factors in language teaching.
   5. Compare language-teaching practices in Iran with those in other countries.
   6. Identify, evaluate, and discuss relevant research and scholarly literature.
   7. Develop and present a critical analysis of a contemporary issue in language teaching.
   8. Conduct a small-scale scholarly inquiry and report its findings in an academic paper.

   Major Course Topics

   1. History and Development of Language Teaching in Iran
   2. Language Education Policy: Official and Non-official Languages in Iran
   3. English Language Teaching in Iran
   4. Language Teacher Education and Professional Development
   5. Needs Analysis in Language Teaching
   6. ESP and EST in Iran
   7. Curriculum and Materials Development, Selection, and Evaluation
   8. Localization, Culture, and Context in Language Teaching
   9. Language Teaching Methods and Current Issues
   10. Language Teaching in Asia
   11. Language Teaching in the Middle East and the Islamic World
   12. Language Teaching in Other International Contexts
   13. Comparative Perspectives on Language Teaching in Iran and the World

   Course Format

   The course is conducted primarily as a seminar. Each session combines a brief introduction by the instructor with discussion of readings, current issues, and selected examples from Iran and other contexts. Students will also give individual or group presentations on topics agreed upon with the instructor.

   Assessment

   Assessment	Weight
   Class Presentations and Participation	10%
   Mid-Term Examination	20%
   Critical Review Paper	10%
   Research Paper	20%
   Final Examination	40%
   Total	100%

   Course Schedule

   Week	Topic
   1	Introduction: Language Teaching in Iran and the World
   2	History and Development of English Language Teaching in Iran
   3	Language Education Policy: Official and Non-official Languages
   4	Needs Analysis in Language Teaching
   5	Language Teacher Education and Professional Development
   6	ESP and EST in Iran
   7	Localization, Culture, and Context in Language Teaching
   8	Curriculum and Materials Development and Evaluation
   9	Mid-Term Examination
   10	Language Teaching Methods and Current Issues
   11	Language Teaching in Asia
   12	Language Teaching in the Middle East and the Islamic World
   13	Language Teaching in Other International Contexts
   14	Comparative Perspectives: Iran and Other Countries
   15	Student Presentations and Research Discussion
   16	Review and Final Examination Preparation

   Attendance:

   Attendance at every class is expected. If you know you are going to be absent, be sure to inform me beforehand.

   Prolonged absence will require a note from a healthcare provider. Failure to provide this documentation can result in a lower course mark. Any penalties imposed for excessive absences are at the discretion of the instructor.

   Evaluation:

   All assignments will be marked. For late assignments, a deduction of ½ point will be made for each 3 day period in which an assignment is handed in past the due date.

   Academic Integrity:

   Plagiarism

   Plagiarism is considered to be the most serious academic offence that a student can commit. Regardless of whether or not it was committed intentionally, plagiarism has serious academic consequences and can unfortunately result in your failure in this course. Plagiarism involves the improper use of somebody else's words or ideas in one's work. It is your responsibility to make sure you fully understand what plagiarism is. Many students who think they understand plagiarism do in fact commit what is called "reckless plagiarism."

   Recommended updated references

   Core textbooks and handbooks

   1. Hall, G. (2025). Method and Postmethod in Language Teaching. Routledge.
      This is particularly appropriate for your topics on methods, postmethod, contextualization, and current debates in language teaching.
   2. Cook, V., & Smakman, D. (2025). Second Language Learning and Language Teaching (6th ed.). Routledge.
      A very useful general reference linking SLA, multilingualism, global communication, and language teaching.
   3. Brown, H. D., & Lee, H. (2025). Principles of Language Learning and Teaching: A Course in Second Language Acquisition (7th ed.). Routledge.
      Particularly useful for the theoretical foundations underlying language teaching and learning. The new edition explicitly incorporates globalization and multilingualism.
   4. Russell, V., Murphy-Judy, K., Troyan, F. J., Moeller, A. J., & Hines-Gaither, K. (Eds.). (2025). The Handbook of Research in World Language Instruction. Routledge.
      This is perhaps the best new handbook for the international/comparative dimension of your course. It covers methods, culture, assessment, diversity, technology, online teaching, teacher recruitment, retention, and professional development.
   5. Jiménez Catalán, R. M. (2026). Applied Linguistics in Foreign Language Education. Cambridge University Press.
      This is an especially interesting addition for an M.A. course because it directly connects applied linguistics with language education, including language policy, second/foreign-language teaching, teacher education, and assessment. It was published in September 2026, so it is exceptionally current for your 2026–27 course.

   Iran-specific readings

   Recent Iran-focused research

   • Mirhosseini, S.-A., & Miryouness Haghi, M. (2024). “Official policies of English language education in Iran: ‘policy as discourse’ in national documents.” Asian Englishes, 26(2), 410–427.
   • Mirhosseini, S.-A., & colleagues. Research on English language teacher recruitment and its implementation in Iran. Pedagogy, Culture & Society, 31(1).* This is useful for your teacher-education/teacher-policy topic because it examines discrepancies between official policy and actual recruitment practices.
   • Abedi, F. Y. (2026). “Language policy, equity, and human rights: a case study of multilingual education challenges in Iran.” Human Rights Education Review, 9(1), 154–167. This is particularly relevant to your topic of official and non-official languages in Iran and gives the course a very contemporary multilingualism perspective.
   • For a very recent assessment/teacher-development perspective, a 2026 study of Iranian EFL teachers' professional development and assessment practices can also be assigned as a current reading.

   I

   Core Textbooks and Handbooks

   Brown, H. D., & Lee, H. (2025). Principles of Language Learning and Teaching: A Course in Second Language Acquisition (7th ed.). Routledge.

   Cook, V., & Smakman, D. (2025). Second Language Learning and Language Teaching (6th ed.). Routledge.

   Hall, G. (2025). Method and Postmethod in Language Teaching. Routledge.

   Jiménez Catalán, R. M. (2026). Applied Linguistics in Foreign Language Education. Cambridge University Press.

   Russell, V., Murphy-Judy, K., Troyan, F. J., Moeller, A. J., & Hines-Gaither, K. (Eds.). (2025). The Handbook of Research in World Language Instruction. Routledge.

   Selected Readings on Iran and International Language Education

   Abedi, F. Y. (2026). Language policy, equity, and human rights: A case study of multilingual education challenges in Iran. Human Rights Education Review, 9(1), 154–167.

   Mirhosseini, S.-A., & Miryouness Haghi, M. (2024). Official policies of English language education in Iran: “Policy as discourse” in national documents. Asian Englishes, 26(2), 410–427.

   Additional recent journal articles and book chapters on language education policy, teacher education, materials development, assessment, multilingualism, technology, and language teaching in Iran and other international contexts will be assigned throughout the semester.

   Recommendation: Hall (2025) and Russell et al. (2025) the two principal references, with Jiménez Catalán (2026) as the newer applied-linguistics reference. Then use Brown & Lee (2025) and Cook & Smakman (2025) selectively.

   The 2026 Cambridge book is especially worth including because it is genuinely new for your academic year and its contents map closely onto your course: language policy and planning, second/foreign-language teaching, methodology, language competence, and assessment.

   طرح درس آموزش زبان در ایران و جهان