Critical review of ESL curriculum: Practical application to the UAE context

Abstract

This paper is a critical analysis of curriculum with a discussion of its main tenets and exploration of issues within the literature. The focus is on curriculum in English as a Second Language (ESL) using critical applied linguistics as a framework. The ideas explored in the paper are synthesized and applied to ESL curriculum in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and includes a discussion on the feasibility and challenges of introducing a critical stance on curriculum in this context.