Throughout his 45 years of experience of teaching English in the Arab world, Francis Andrew has consistently noticed that many ELT materials are heavily culturally weighted to such an extent that it is often difficult for nonwestern learners of English to relate to the contents of such materials presented to them. This inability to understand and relate to textbooks which are biased towards western culture and traditions severely hampers English language learning in conservative societies, Notwithstanding the realisation of this drawback,, the author is cognizant of two crucial factors which are, the need of the culture through which language is acquired,, and that different societies relate to western culture in different ways and at various levels. Progress in English has successfully navigated between Scylla and Charybdis in presenting the English language student with texts which are not devoid of the culture within which the English is inevitably embedded, yet is not so thickly over-layered as to be incomprehensible to the average learner. The author trusts that you will find Progress in English pedagogically fruitful and at the same time culturally enriching.
