Ismael Louber | Gulf University for Science and Technology (original) (raw)

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Thesis Chapters by Ismael Louber

The global spread of English and the role played by TEFL in this phenomenon is a subject of debat... more The global spread of English and the role played by TEFL in this phenomenon is a subject of debate among EFL educators and researchers; this study provides new insights into this complex situation in relation to the Islamic faith in a way that has not yet been addressed in the literature. There has been an increased interest among researchers concerning the relationship between faith and ELT; however, to this date, no empirical studies have been conducted with regards TEFL and Islam. The study is, therefore, providing rich insights into this area. In doing so, in light of the wider socio-political, ideological or religious issues connected to the spread of English, the study draws on the experiences of nine Western Muslim EFL teachers in the KSA by qualitatively investigating their views on TEFL and the global spread of English in the KSA with particular reference to their Islamic faith and its relationship with their profession
The study also addresses how Islam relates to the perception of these processes and how it affects their professional practice. The study is, therefore, particularly significant as it can play a role in encouraging Muslim EFL teachers to relate the macro-level theoretical discourses and educational policies to the micro-level of classroom practice and contribute to the ongoing debate concerning the role played by TEFL in the KSA. The study also has the potential to raise awareness among Muslim educators in the KSA and other Muslim countries of the wider complex processes intertwined with the global spread of English and its impact on EFL education. This investigation has also shed light on a number of ethical questions in relation to how Western Muslims who have travelled to the KSA perceive the relationship between their faith and their role as EFL teachers, which may open new ways for Muslim professionals to combine their faith with their profession.
In-depth interviews were conducted with the participants and the data provided new insights into the perceptions of TEFL and the global spread of English. The participants not only described the global spread of English and TEFL as value-laden, politically and ideologically driven, but also as a facilitator in terms of communication and cross-cultural understanding and as a necessary tool to acquire in today’s world. The data collected also showed that the relationship between Islam and TEFL was not described in dichotomous terms, which meant that this conception was the result of the participants’ personal understandings of their faith. The findings also emphasised on the preponderant role of the participants’ Islamic faith on their personal and professional lives. The study’s main contribution relates to two essential notions that have been debated among applied linguists: ownership and appropriation of the English language. The research showed that Western Muslim EFL teachers appropriate and claim ownership of the English language in a way that has not yet been addressed in the literature. Finally, the study shows that language teaching issues are inextricably intertwined with broader issues such as religion, culture or politics and suggests that the links between Islam, politics and language need to be explicitly addressed within the ELT arena

Papers by Ismael Louber

There has been an increased interest among researchers concerning the relationship between fait... more There has been an increased interest among researchers concerning the relationship between faith and Engl­ish ­language
teaching (ELT) in the context of the g­lobal­ spread of Engl­ish;
however, to this date, very few studies have focused on ELT and
Islam. Considering the wider sociop­itical­, ideol­ogical­ or re­ligious issues connected to the gl­oba­l spread of Engl­ish, this
study draws on the experiences of five Musl­im native Engl­ish speaking teachers (MNESTs) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
(KSA) by qual­itative­ly investigating their representations of
Is­lam and ELT. Based on a non-real­ist ana­lysis of metaphors,
the study exp­lores the participants’ wor­dviews and positional­ities as MNESTs in the KSA, thereby exp­loring how Is­lam impacts
their professional ­practice. The study conc­udes that ELT is
inextricab­ly intertwined with broader issues such as re­ligion,
and argues that these l­inks need to be expl­icitl­y addressed in
the fie­ld.

International Journal of Teacher Education and Professional Development, 2019

Teacher supervision plays a significant role in teacher education in general and in professional ... more Teacher supervision plays a significant role in teacher education in general and in professional development in particular. Whilst supervision occurs at several levels and in different contexts, it plays a particularly important role in pre-service teacher training. Nonetheless, it still retains an important place in in-service teacher education. This article critically reviews the main supervisory models and approaches with particular respect to language teacher education. For many English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers, the notion of supervision can be a source of concern; therefore, this paper attempts to shed light on the various approaches and theories that have shaped the field of teacher supervision in general education and in EFL in particular. Finally, the article offers additional insights to practitioners into a different perspective on supervision from a post-method outlook with the idea of epistemology of practice as a central notion.

International Journal of Bias, Identity and Diversities in Education, 2019

There has been much debate about the issue of English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) and the pl... more There has been much debate about the issue of English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) and the place of English in the context of international education in general and in the Arabian/Persian Gulf region in particular. This study explores the use of EMI in an undergraduate engineering programme in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Using a qualitative approach to data collection by means of open-ended questionnaires and semi-structured interviews, this study explores the views of Arab expatriate teachers of scientific subjects, Saudi engineering students and preparatory year EFL non-Arab expatriate teachers on the use of EMI in their institution. The study sheds light on a certain gap in terms of actual classroom practices, between EMI as an official language policy and Arabic as de facto medium of instruction. Furthermore, the findings of the study suggest that the implementation of EMI may pose several challenges to both teachers and students.

Research Anthology on Empowering Marginalized Communities and Mitigating Racism and Discrimination

While the field of TESOL/TEFL claims to be inclusive given that it is composed of a myriad of soc... more While the field of TESOL/TEFL claims to be inclusive given that it is composed of a myriad of sociocultural backgrounds and environments, racial discrimination is a common phenomenon, especially in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Nonetheless, this issue has not been given enough attention by researchers, in that particular region at least. This article reports the findings of a small-scale qualitative study conducted in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia drawing upon the experiences of six non-Saudi male English as a Foreign Language (EFL) lecturers. Open-ended questionnaires and interviews were used to collect data to explore the relationship between teachers' construction of their ethnic and racial identities and issues of discrimination within their professional environment. The study explored the participants' construction of their ethnic and cultural identity and its possible relation to discriminatory practices in their professional environment. The research showed how certain d...

International Journal of Bias, Identity and Diversities in Education (IJBIDE), 2017

While the field of TESOL/TEFL claims to be inclusive given that it is composed of a myriad of soc... more While the field of TESOL/TEFL claims to be inclusive given that it is composed of a myriad of sociocultural backgrounds and environments, racial discrimination is a common phenomenon, especially in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Nonetheless, this issue has not been given enough attention by researchers, in that particular region at least. This article reports the findings of a small-scale qualitative study conducted in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia drawing upon the experiences of six non-Saudi male English as a Foreign Language (EFL) lecturers. Open-ended questionnaires and interviews were used to collect data to explore the relationship between teachers' construction of their ethnic and racial identities and issues of discrimination within their professional environment. The study explored the participants' construction of their ethnic and cultural identity and its possible relation to discriminatory practices in their professional environment. The research showed how certain discriminatory practices affected how the participants projected their ethnic and cultural identity in their professional context.

The global spread of English and the role played by TEFL in this phenomenon is a subject of debat... more The global spread of English and the role played by TEFL in this phenomenon is a subject of debate among EFL educators and researchers; this study provides new insights into this complex situation in relation to the Islamic faith in a way that has not yet been addressed in the literature. There has been an increased interest among researchers concerning the relationship between faith and ELT; however, to this date, no empirical studies have been conducted with regards TEFL and Islam. The study is, therefore, providing rich insights into this area. In doing so, in light of the wider socio-political, ideological or religious issues connected to the spread of English, the study draws on the experiences of nine Western Muslim EFL teachers in the KSA by qualitatively investigating their views on TEFL and the global spread of English in the KSA with particular reference to their Islamic faith and its relationship with their profession
The study also addresses how Islam relates to the perception of these processes and how it affects their professional practice. The study is, therefore, particularly significant as it can play a role in encouraging Muslim EFL teachers to relate the macro-level theoretical discourses and educational policies to the micro-level of classroom practice and contribute to the ongoing debate concerning the role played by TEFL in the KSA. The study also has the potential to raise awareness among Muslim educators in the KSA and other Muslim countries of the wider complex processes intertwined with the global spread of English and its impact on EFL education. This investigation has also shed light on a number of ethical questions in relation to how Western Muslims who have travelled to the KSA perceive the relationship between their faith and their role as EFL teachers, which may open new ways for Muslim professionals to combine their faith with their profession.
In-depth interviews were conducted with the participants and the data provided new insights into the perceptions of TEFL and the global spread of English. The participants not only described the global spread of English and TEFL as value-laden, politically and ideologically driven, but also as a facilitator in terms of communication and cross-cultural understanding and as a necessary tool to acquire in today’s world. The data collected also showed that the relationship between Islam and TEFL was not described in dichotomous terms, which meant that this conception was the result of the participants’ personal understandings of their faith. The findings also emphasised on the preponderant role of the participants’ Islamic faith on their personal and professional lives. The study’s main contribution relates to two essential notions that have been debated among applied linguists: ownership and appropriation of the English language. The research showed that Western Muslim EFL teachers appropriate and claim ownership of the English language in a way that has not yet been addressed in the literature. Finally, the study shows that language teaching issues are inextricably intertwined with broader issues such as religion, culture or politics and suggests that the links between Islam, politics and language need to be explicitly addressed within the ELT arena

There has been an increased interest among researchers concerning the relationship between fait... more There has been an increased interest among researchers concerning the relationship between faith and Engl­ish ­language
teaching (ELT) in the context of the g­lobal­ spread of Engl­ish;
however, to this date, very few studies have focused on ELT and
Islam. Considering the wider sociop­itical­, ideol­ogical­ or re­ligious issues connected to the gl­oba­l spread of Engl­ish, this
study draws on the experiences of five Musl­im native Engl­ish speaking teachers (MNESTs) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
(KSA) by qual­itative­ly investigating their representations of
Is­lam and ELT. Based on a non-real­ist ana­lysis of metaphors,
the study exp­lores the participants’ wor­dviews and positional­ities as MNESTs in the KSA, thereby exp­loring how Is­lam impacts
their professional ­practice. The study conc­udes that ELT is
inextricab­ly intertwined with broader issues such as re­ligion,
and argues that these l­inks need to be expl­icitl­y addressed in
the fie­ld.

International Journal of Teacher Education and Professional Development, 2019

Teacher supervision plays a significant role in teacher education in general and in professional ... more Teacher supervision plays a significant role in teacher education in general and in professional development in particular. Whilst supervision occurs at several levels and in different contexts, it plays a particularly important role in pre-service teacher training. Nonetheless, it still retains an important place in in-service teacher education. This article critically reviews the main supervisory models and approaches with particular respect to language teacher education. For many English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers, the notion of supervision can be a source of concern; therefore, this paper attempts to shed light on the various approaches and theories that have shaped the field of teacher supervision in general education and in EFL in particular. Finally, the article offers additional insights to practitioners into a different perspective on supervision from a post-method outlook with the idea of epistemology of practice as a central notion.

International Journal of Bias, Identity and Diversities in Education, 2019

There has been much debate about the issue of English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) and the pl... more There has been much debate about the issue of English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) and the place of English in the context of international education in general and in the Arabian/Persian Gulf region in particular. This study explores the use of EMI in an undergraduate engineering programme in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Using a qualitative approach to data collection by means of open-ended questionnaires and semi-structured interviews, this study explores the views of Arab expatriate teachers of scientific subjects, Saudi engineering students and preparatory year EFL non-Arab expatriate teachers on the use of EMI in their institution. The study sheds light on a certain gap in terms of actual classroom practices, between EMI as an official language policy and Arabic as de facto medium of instruction. Furthermore, the findings of the study suggest that the implementation of EMI may pose several challenges to both teachers and students.

Research Anthology on Empowering Marginalized Communities and Mitigating Racism and Discrimination

While the field of TESOL/TEFL claims to be inclusive given that it is composed of a myriad of soc... more While the field of TESOL/TEFL claims to be inclusive given that it is composed of a myriad of sociocultural backgrounds and environments, racial discrimination is a common phenomenon, especially in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Nonetheless, this issue has not been given enough attention by researchers, in that particular region at least. This article reports the findings of a small-scale qualitative study conducted in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia drawing upon the experiences of six non-Saudi male English as a Foreign Language (EFL) lecturers. Open-ended questionnaires and interviews were used to collect data to explore the relationship between teachers' construction of their ethnic and racial identities and issues of discrimination within their professional environment. The study explored the participants' construction of their ethnic and cultural identity and its possible relation to discriminatory practices in their professional environment. The research showed how certain d...

International Journal of Bias, Identity and Diversities in Education (IJBIDE), 2017

While the field of TESOL/TEFL claims to be inclusive given that it is composed of a myriad of soc... more While the field of TESOL/TEFL claims to be inclusive given that it is composed of a myriad of sociocultural backgrounds and environments, racial discrimination is a common phenomenon, especially in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Nonetheless, this issue has not been given enough attention by researchers, in that particular region at least. This article reports the findings of a small-scale qualitative study conducted in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia drawing upon the experiences of six non-Saudi male English as a Foreign Language (EFL) lecturers. Open-ended questionnaires and interviews were used to collect data to explore the relationship between teachers' construction of their ethnic and racial identities and issues of discrimination within their professional environment. The study explored the participants' construction of their ethnic and cultural identity and its possible relation to discriminatory practices in their professional environment. The research showed how certain discriminatory practices affected how the participants projected their ethnic and cultural identity in their professional context.