A Comparative Analysis of English Language Teaching in Three Different Educational Systems: A Paradigm Shift towards Critical Language Education through Nativised Teaching

Reviewing the existing themes on English language education in Iran, this study sought to examine English language teaching in three educational systems: public schools, private language institutes, and universities. We used systematic literature review method. Data consisted of journal articles published from 2010 to 2023. The thematic synthesis process using the MAXQDA software was utilised to analyse articles. Four themes were extracted: a reductionist approach to language teaching in schools, a modernist orientation to teaching English in institutes, a shift towards critical language teaching in universities, and a call for localisation and Islamisation of English language teaching. Findings showed that teaching English in Iranian schools has failed, which resulted in the popularity of language institutes, although the native speaker ideology promoted in institutes led to unequal Englishes ideologically intertwined with a colonial enterprise. Findings revealed that there is a need for a shift towards critical language education through nativised teaching. That is, it was revealed that there is a dire need for English language material developers in Iran to prepare localised and nativised materials considering Iranian-Islamic identities.