The Status of Supplementary Readers in Nile Course for the Sudan Syllabus: is it the Emperor in New Clothes?”

Abstract

This study aims at identifying the implied pedagogical philosophy of incorporating Supplementary Readers (SRs) in the ‘Nile Course’ as the core English syllabus of the Sudanese schools during the 1980s and mid 1990s. The study tried to present a critical reading of the significance of teachers’ role and discretion in handling the SRs as prescribed in the curriculum design. And because little is written or known about these SRs, the content analysis approach was adopted to collect the required data from the core texts of Nile Course and the insights elicited from related literature. Findings revealed that the author (Mr. Corbluth: 1979, 1981 & 1982) had designed a general framework of teaching these SRs fitting the Sudanese context; but the principles of his vision had not been adequately outlined in a clear frame regarding the role of teachers and the extent of their discretion which in turn affected the classroom implementation of these SRs. In addition, Corbluth was found to be fully aware of the importance of SRs in fighting the linguistic deterioration at Sudanese schools but had intentionally avoided spelling out the required details for their integration; this was found to be justifiable and was ascribed to many variables. Accordingly, the study’s suggestions were geared to help in revitalizing the role of SRs in teacher training programs and in raising learners’ awareness of the values of extensive/intensive reading as it has a positive effect in eradicating the current English language deterioration within Sudanese schools.