Teachers speak out on the use of the English curriculum in southwestern Puerto Rico

Abstract

Teaching English as a Second Language in Puerto Rico has been a topic of debate since the occupation of the United States. Due to constant political change, the English curriculum for secondary schools in Puerto Rico has undergone many modifications. This three-part study analyzes the new Curricular Framework to determine its effectiveness for teachers in southwestern Puerto Rico. The first part of the study, to analyze the curriculum, used George Posner’s Analyzing the Curriculum. The findings from the analysis were then compared with 30 teacher questionnaires as well as in-depth interviews with five high school English teachers from southwestern Puerto Rico. There were three major findings: problems with teacher training/supervision; problems with textbooks / materials; and teacher burnout. The thesis concludes in an argument for a local curriculum that would provide stability for teachers and meet the local needs of high school students in southwestern Puerto Rico.