Pages: 70-89

Abstract

This study is a comparative analysis investigating the degree of correspondence between the new Iranian EFL curriculum and the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) with the aim of further approaching this unifying system of second language teaching throughout the world. In order to delineate the details of an EFL curriculum based on CEFR principles for Iranian public schools, two groups of participants including three of the authors of the new Iranian EFL curriculum and 64 English teachers who worked in junior high schools of 19 districts in Tehran were selected . To collect the required data, written documents, interviews, and a questionnaire were employed. A factor analysis through varimax rotation was conducted to investigate the underlying constructs of the CEFR-based curriculum questionnaire consisting of 45 items. The findings revealed that the new Iranian EFL curriculum has drawn ideas from the CEFR, although its authors have not attempted to adhere closely to the CEFR. It was concluded that the CEFR is used as a reference and not as a framework in Iran. In fact, as the findings of this study showed, the new Iranian EFL curriculum follows most of CEFR principles. The only component that was not linked to CEFR was ‘time’. As the results of this study showed, the time allocated to teaching the materials in this new curriculum was not sufficient for reaching the objectives.