Integration of English learning strategies and social justice education in the Democratic Republic of Congo: Content analysis of a textbook series

The growing importance of the English language as a means of international communication has prompted Congolese policy makers to emphasize the learning of English as a foreign language (EFL) throughout the national educational system for the past two decades. While the students' interest to learn English is evident, it remains uncertain whether the current objectives as defined by the present curriculum for secondary schools are relevant to their actual needs. At a time when the country is facing an unprecedented political, socio-economic, and educational crisis in its history, there seems to be a discrepancy between the context of learning and the approach used to learn the English language; between the focus on the students' development of language skills and the attention to issues affecting their ordinary lives.; This study examined the content of the Congolese EFL textbook series, Go for English (1993), for evidence of the integration of English learning strategies and social justice issues and its significance for educational practice in Congo. Instruments of analysis were developed following Krippendorff's (1980) description of content analysis methodology. The data collected were coded and categorized in terms of explicit language learning strategies and social justice themes and sub-themes. Using Oxford's (1990) classification system, language strategy units were counted and their frequencies determined.; The findings indicated a preponderance of cognitive, memory, and metacognitive strategies throughout the student's textbooks. Social and compensation strategies were slightly represented whereas no presence of affective strategies was established. Besides, several social justice themes were identified, each illustrated by a set of sub-themes which contributed to shape the concept of social justice as developed in the textbook series. Furthermore, the findings suggested that the strategies used to acquire knowledge and develop the target language skills were useful and appropriate for approaching real life issues in EFL context.; Based upon these findings, recommendations were made to contextualize EFL instruction in Congo. Language learners should be equipped with the tools they need not only to communicate in English but also to question their educational materials and the reality they are exposed to in their textbooks, in the classroom, and beyond.