Clement Kouam

EFL Teaching and Learning in Cameroon: Decolonizing Francophone Teachers’ Minds

Introduction

Efl teaching and learning in cameroon: decolonizing francophone teachers’ minds . This study examines EFL teaching in Cameroon, advocating decolonizing Francophone teachers' minds from Received Pronunciation to promote Cameroon English for enhanced learning.

Abstract

British Received Pronunciation is the English accent officially recommended for educational practices in Cameroon although research has shown that it is far-fetched even to English language practitioners (Ngefac 2011). While most Anglophone teachers of English now promote the Cameroon English accent in the classroom, Francophone EFL teachers continue to reject it in favour of native varieties. Interestingly, their efforts to sound native instead lead them to hypercorrection. This phenomenon hinders learners’ fluency in English and the English-French bilingualism policy promoted in the country. The study was carried out from Kachru’s (1985) World Englishes framework and Levis’ (2005) Intelligibility Principle. Drawing from an analysis of the curriculum content designed for the training of EFL and ESL professionals and from a careful observation of classroom practices by Anglophone and Francophone teachers, this paper argues that a decolonization of Francophone EFL teachers’ minds and the replacement of Standard British English by mainstream Cameroon English can significantly enhance the EFL teaching/learning process. Key words: Cameroon, Cameroon English, Received Pronunciation, EFL teaching/learning

Review

This paper tackles a highly pertinent and culturally sensitive issue within English as a Foreign Language (EFL) education in Cameroon, specifically addressing the persistent preference for British Received Pronunciation (BRP) among Francophone teachers despite its impracticality and the emergence of Cameroon English (CamE). The authors highlight a critical disconnect between official policy, actual classroom practices, and the linguistic realities of the country. By framing the discussion within Kachru’s World Englishes and Levis’ Intelligibility Principle, the study offers a robust theoretical lens through which to examine the ideological underpinnings of accent choice in EFL instruction. Its central argument for decolonizing Francophone teachers’ perspectives and embracing an indigenized variety of English holds significant implications for educational reform and linguistic empowerment in a bilingual context. The study’s methodology, involving an analysis of curriculum content for EFL/ESL professional training and careful observation of classroom practices across both Anglophone and Francophone teachers, provides a comprehensive empirical base for its claims. This mixed-method approach allows for an examination of both prescribed norms and actual pedagogical realities. The abstract effectively presents the core finding: Francophone teachers' rejection of Cameroon English in pursuit of native accents often leads to hypercorrection, detrimental to learner fluency and the nation's English-French bilingualism policy. The theoretical frameworks employed are well-suited to exploring issues of linguistic prestige, identity, and pedagogical effectiveness in post-colonial contexts, lending strong support to the paper's call for a shift towards mainstream Cameroon English. The implications of this research are substantial, advocating for a significant paradigm shift in EFL teacher training and curriculum development in Cameroon. Moving beyond the aspirational ideal of BRP towards the pragmatic and intelligible reality of Cameroon English could genuinely foster more effective language acquisition and bolster the country's bilingual policy. While the abstract strongly posits the benefits of this "decolonization," future research could further explore the practical strategies for implementing such a shift in teacher education programs and examine potential resistance from various stakeholders. Additionally, investigating learner perceptions of CamE versus native varieties could provide further empirical support for the proposed changes. This paper makes a compelling and timely contribution to the discourse on World Englishes and its application in specific teaching contexts.

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