TITLE:
A Critical Examination of EFL Teaching Policies and Practices in Developing Countries: A Case Study of Benin
AUTHORS:
Pédro Marius Egounleti, Assogba Evariste Kottin, Ulrich Orlando Sèna Hindeme
KEYWORDS:
EFL Teaching Policies, Developing Countries, Communicative Language Teaching Practice, Context-Sensitive Approaches, Language Policy
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Access Library Journal,
Vol.13 No.8,
August
18,
2026
ABSTRACT: This study presents a critical examination of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teaching policies and practices in developing countries, with a specific focus on Benin. Through a qualitative case study approach, this research investigates the complex interplay between policy, practice, and context in Benin’s EFL classrooms, revealing the disjuncture between espoused policies and actual practices, and highlighting the challenges of implementing Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) in a context marked by cultural, linguistic, and socio-economic complexities. The findings underscore the imperative of context-sensitive approaches to language policy and practice, emphasizing the importance of teacher agency, local knowledge, and community engagement in shaping effective EFL teaching and learning.