Introduction

A growing interest has been directed recently towards the global development of English Language Teaching (ELT henceforth). Jabeur (1999) argues that ``to elude impetuositythe development of new English training tracks in view of the existing favorable policy guidelines must be based onscientific considerations .In other words, attention has been directed recently towards the different mechanisms and factors that define and influence ELT institutions. Clearly, there is a need for a research to inform the theory and pedagogy of ELT institutions. Previous educational research focused on ELT in the Public Sector. The results have added to our knowledge. However, there is a lack of information on the Tunisian ELT private sector. Jabeur (1999) argues that ``there is an urgent needto upgrade the quality and the cost-effectiveness of the ELT service. In addition, Daoud (1999) states that ``private English language instruction, although substantial given the unprecedented public demand for English in recent years, is not taken into account in the official curriculum. The present study seeks to investigate how the BC managers improve the quality of English courses and its ELT programme to prepare students and professionals and to have better work opportunities and work more effectively. The study consists of three chapters. The first chapter reviews ELT as an overall framework. First, it focuses on the nature of ELT, at the international and local levels. Second, it reviews BC ELT at management in terms of its mission, teachers and courses.

The second chapter deals methodology. It describes setting, informants, data collection and analysis. Finally, the third chapter discusses the results of the investigation.

Chapter One Literature Review

This chapter reviews the relevant literature on ELT, provides information on ELT in Tunisia. Second, it describes ELT in the Tunisian private sector and introduces the components of ELT management.

1. Defining ELT

ELT comprises a wide range of divisions. Hutchinson and Waters (1987) represent ELT in terms of a tree that comprises three main branches: English as a Mother Tongue, English as a Foreign Language and English as a Second Language. As opposed to English as a Mother Tongue, Teaching English for non-native speakers is usually referred to Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL or EFL), or Teaching English as a Second Language (ESL). The term TESOL (teaching English to speakers of other languages) is used in American English to include both TEFL and TESL. British English uses ELT because TESOL has a different, more specific meaning. Some ELT centers in non-English-speaking regions divide it into: English for Specific Purposes (ESP) and General English as the two main subdivisions of EFL. Furthermore, ELT is considered as an umbrella term to many English Teaching and Learning branches: EAL (English as an additional language), ESD (English as a second dialect), EIL (English as an international

language), ELF (English as a lingua franca), ESP (English for Specific Purposes), and EAP (English for academic purposes). Some terms that refer to English learners are ELL (English language learner), LEP (limited English proficiency) and CLD (culturally and linguistically diverse). The diversity of these branches is due to the divergence of the learners needs, and the English language situation in the target country. ELT is not merely a matter of training students in a particular set of skills. Rather, the occupation of ELT is profoundly characterized by principals and values. Such values are complex and characterized by dilemmas and conflict. Hutchinson and Waters (1987) argue that ELT is not a matter of teaching a special variety of English, for instance being an EST (English for science and technology) learner does not imply use a special form or a special lexis or grammar of the language. Though there are some features typically linked to a particular context of use and which, therefore, meet the learners needs. But these differences do not suppose that the process of learning should be any different for the learners of one branch than for learners of another one. For instance, ESP learners and General English learners have different objectives, and are exposed to different contexts; yet they are taught in the same way. In other words, ELT underlies English use in terms of methodology, underlying structure and the range of proficiency and abilities. In this regard, Daoud (2001) asserts: `` ESP must be seen as an approach not a product. ESP is not a particular kind of language or methodology, nor does it consist of a particular type of teaching material.

1.1.1. ELT in the International Context

Globalization denotes the modern trend towards a greater interdependency of economies and societies around the world. This new phenomenon would lead to a functional language that everybody understands; a common language that ensure its growth and helps the newcomers to control any target situation in order to satisfy their communicative needs. The most suitable and adaptable vehicular language today which meets these requirements is English. Kathleen and Kenji (1999) state that ``it is the most widely used by non-native speakers, making the teaching of English as a Foreign Language a very important endeavor. English is for most people the language that should be taught or learned since it has become the language of politics, economy, wars, exploration of space, technology, the use of nuclear power, news, the Internet, and so on. The Economist in its article The triumph of English (2001) highlights this tendency: IT IS everywhere. Some 380m people speak it as their first language and perhaps two-thirds as many again as their second. A billion are learning it, about a third of the world's population are in some sense exposed to it and by 2050, it is predicted, half the world will be more or less proficient in it. It is the language of globalization English has always been a very dynamic language. An article in the Wall Street Journal (1993) cited in Jabeur (1999) supported that ``English is not the language of American and British natives only. It is our language too. English has always been subject to a great deal of external and internal influences that have pushed its development forward. Baldauf and Gernudd(1983) and Swales(1985) have shown that the proportion of academic articles written in the area of science, technology, and economics has been increasing rapidly; and it is estimated that of the several million

articles published every year at least half are published in English(Swales, 1987). Many ELT centers originated from the growth of ELT worldwide. The British Council, for instance, stated in its Annual Report for 1987/8 that it was running 50 Direct Teaching Centers in 31 countries and was planning further centers in 3 more countries. It also reported that over 40 per cent of its revenue was derived from English language services. Similarly, AMIDEAST is expanding its study abroad programs in the Arab World in Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco and Tunisia.

1.1.2. ELT at the Tunisian Context The Tunisian context is characterized by a dynamic and a complex language situation. After the native language of everydays communication, Tunisian Arabic( TA), Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) generally used in official discourse, media, schools and French, the second language, used both in and out the school setting for both official and informal situations, came English the Foreign language that is taught and used only in classroom settings. ELT has been the subject of debate since Independence and continues to influence the future of the country both at the educational and professional level. Clearly, in the Tunisian local context, ELT has undergone great change. The number of hours allotted to teach the language in the curriculum and the limits on the numbers of students per class allow better results in communicative skills development. In addition, the syllabi are more streamlined and profession-oriented. In other words, the importance that Tunisia attributes to ELT is assumed to gain positive outcomes, given that globalization is a contagious phenomenon. Crystal (2003) suggests that `` All the

evidence suggests that the position of English as a global language is going to become stronger. An article entitled English for the future also proves the ongoing ELT projects. In fact, the Tunisian Ministry of Education and vocation training with a collaboration of the British Council signed a Memorandum of understanding to prepare for planning ELT reform in Tunisia. The project aims at designing and introducing new English language materials and test books for primary and secondary education. The Tunisian Minister highlighted the country's focus on improving education and asserted that: "Since its Independence, Tunisia has decided not to invest in arms but to invest instead in education. Accordingly, the budget for the Ministry of Education is one fifth of the whole state budget. He also noted that it is time to go further and work more on quality. Besides, Lord Kinnock, the Chair of the British Council, and former Leader of the Labor Party, noted that: ``Our commitment to Tunisia, to education specifically, and within that to English language teaching and training is very strong indeed and we would like to do much more of it" The project also aims to focus on training Tunisian teachers of English to reach a certain level of expertise, especially since there has been an increase in the number of English language teachers and students. As a result, the Tunisian President Ben Ali had decided to introduce English teaching for sixth year primary school children, which was revolutionary in Tunisia where people have been accustomed to French. So the new teachers will need more training," explained Mr. Hatem Ben Salem, Minister of

Education. Accordingly, the project initiative has begun by assessing the current situation of ELT in Tunisia before planning to set out a clear feasible strategy. The British Council Director, Peter Skelton, stated: "Just over a year ago we had a three person scoping mission distinguished consultants from the UK - who worked with a team from the Ministry and looked at the whole situation of ELT, root and branchThe team produced a very weighty reportwhich will be the basis for work on the way forward The British Council Director added that the project could last as long as eight years as it is one of the biggest investments the British Council has made anywhere. However, the success of ELT in Tunisia and the spread of English as the current international and prevailing language are called into question. The growing popularity of foreign languages, English in particular, demands new ways of teaching and additional resources in terms of teaching staff, equipment and materials. ELT is certainly not given the sustained attention it deserves. Daoud (1999) confirms the worrying tendency towards ELT in Tunisia, and claims: Several fundamental conditions for successful curriculum development innovation remain unmetIf we are interested in innovation in ELT in Tunisia, we must recognize that effective curriculum design requires an adequate policy and resources, careful planning, professional

implementation and objective evaluation.

A part from strengths in policy statement about the need for English, more and better pre-service training courses and the development of coordinated programs, the weaknesses are largely numerous and more serious. Daoud (1999) listed a review of weaknesses that should be taken into account mainly: the lack of a clear ELT policy, the lack of coordination between the basic/secondary, vocational and higher-education ELT programs, limited involvement of ELT professionals and other stakeholders in ELT, and insufficient time allotted to ELT on the timetable. As opposed to the public sector, the Tunisian private sector is not taken into account by the Tunisian Ministry of Education when it comes to ELT curriculum and program implementation. However, Huberman (1973) asserts that because of the unprecedented public demand for English instruction in the private sector, we seem to have reached the early majority stage on Hubermans innovation adoption curve. 1.1.3. Dimensions of ELT Apart from being an approach to language teaching, ELT has different dimensions that should be planned and organized to fulfill the prescribed goals. Administration, teachers as well as learners are the three substantial dimensions that are reflected upon distinctively in every ELT Center. The learner is essentially the target element which the ELT centers are established for and for whom the language courses are promoted. The teacher, on the other hand, is the one who enables the learner to learn how to think in English and help him use the language accurately and smoothly. For the administration, the role is rather generative. Its role consists of creating the rules and planning for both the learning process and the teaching program. This study, henceforth, tackle the administrative dimension which occupies the pyramidal peak. In addition, the

administration is fundamentally based on various aspects that greatly influence the ELT process mainly: mission, teachers and staff, courses, infrastructure, marketing, and finances.

1.2.

ELT in the Tunisian Private Sector The participation of private foreign centers in international projects has an

enormous impact on teaching and learning the target language, especially in helping students improve their proficiency. Hopefully, in Tunisia, the projects related to different ELT private centers and the development of systems for the assessment of language proficiency for learners, especially beginners, are having a positive impact on ELT public educational sector. Similarly, Daoud (1999) shares these particular concerns. Because of the changing nature of ELT, the private ELT centers are exerting great influence over the learners and are welcoming more and more people who approve their efforts in helping the new comers to step up and improve their English. According to the directors of the British Council, AMIDEAST and IBLV, these private ELT institutions admitted a student population of about 8,000 until 1999 (Daoud, 2001). In this regard, the focus on ELT administration is essential. Administration plays a primary role in improving ELT process acting as both the agent of change, by virtue of the role of its members as managers and professional instructional leaders, and target of change. Thus, the administrative department in the Tunisian private centers should be perceived from different angles. The policy decisions in terms of mission, infrastructure and provision, curriculum, teachers and administrative staff, and marketing along with the finance are prominent divisions in achieving the prescribed ELT goals.

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1.2.1. Mission Educational institutions in the Tunisian private sector have more or less the same mission. If the term is perceived from a holistic dimension, the mission of every institution is to encourage students to improve and perform better in order to succeed. However, Kotler (1991) argues that a mission statement is a statement of the organizations purpose, what it wants to accomplish in the larger environment. According to Simpson and McConocha (1991), the mission of an educational organization should be related to peoples needs instead of just products. Needs are more enduring. Obviously, the educational mission differs from one institute to another in terms of curriculum emphasis and specialization which depends on institutional variables such as students, community needs, and so on. The mission of the Bourguiba Institute of Modern Languages (IBLV), founded in 1964, is to teach modern languages, and conduct applied research in methodologies for teaching modern languages to adults aiming at learning or improving their proficiency in a foreign language. By the same token, AMIDEAST has the mission of helping to develop mutual understanding through programs for Americans to study the Middle East and North Africa and interact with the peoples and cultures of the region. For the British Council, the UK's international cultural organization, the mission consists in various aspects mainly teaching English, providing the latest information about the UK and promoting British education and training. In terms of ELT mission, many BC learners highlighted the lack of consistency in the way English is taught, A

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student in the British Council asserted that it is rather an attempt to interact and socialize with British teachers in a limited amount of time,their mission is to teach us English, we do learn some vocabulary and some rules of grammar but as we leave the center, we have only few words in mind to keep as a background knowledge. Many questions arise concerning the effectiveness and reliability of ELT in the British Council given that it is a Quasi-Autonomous Non-Governmental Charity Organization and a nondepartmental public body.

1.2.2. Teaching staff

Traditionally, the teacher in any educational establishment is considered the most important character that represents the institution notably on the parents behalf. It is also the one judged behind the success or failure of the learner, as the utmost influential figure in the learning process and learners motivation. The modern teacher is no longer the passive one who applies theories; instead, he has become the theorizer in practice. Dunkin and Biddle (1974) constructed a model for research on teaching based on Mitzels assumptions (1960). They posited four classes of variables, mainly: presage variables (teachers characteristics, experience, training), context variables (properties of the institution and community and of the classroom), and product variables (immediate and long-term effects of teaching on learners). In this regard, the first step, before teaching, comprises the qualification of the teacher, the experience made before hand with the language, and the pre or in-service training. The increasing demand for competent users of English in the era of globalization has had a significant impact on ELT in Tunisia. Within the private ELT centers, AMIDEAST and IBLV are distinctively

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different in term of recruitment. At IBLV teachers are reputed as highly qualified, though non-native speakers of the language. This situation is estimated a risky prospect for the learners exposed to a non-native accent. On the other hand, in AMIDEAST, the teachers qualification and experience with the language do not have apparent persecution over learning the English language as they are native speakers. The British Council, like AMIDEAST, ensures the availability of well qualified British teachers to guarantee the success of its students and provide them with an English accent. The British Council web-site states that: we have a reputation across the world for delivering an excellent standard of English language teaching, and for employing the best teachers in their field. Equally important, the staffs in all service organizations have been emphasized. Employees are encouraged to adopt a philosophy that the service should be delivered as though the provider were at the receiving end. This philosophy is particularly important in services such as education, where all the staff come into daily contact with the students. In educational institutions, the service is, therefore, the people who deliver it. Though, many teaching and non-teaching staff in private education do not accept the fact of providing a service, associating the notion of service with serving, such planning involves an examination of the recruitment, for it is much easier to recruit staff with this philosophy than to develop it later. For IBLV, for instance, the number of administrative staff exceeds those of AMIDEAST; yet, they need more people as technicians in multimedia and managers. IBLV is more conducted to rely on the administrative staff for different tasks. However, AMIDEAST does not consider it essential to have a great number of staff. If they could manage to share teaching with non-teaching duties, the

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most important principal is to focus on the quality of the service and maintain the basis of the philosophy already mentioned. Within the British Council, the situation is not so much different from the AMIDEASTs perception of staff duties. It is stated at the British Council teachers recruitment website that: it would be beneficial if you have proven experience in delivering tailor made courses to clients in the government/public/corporate sector and work experience in fields such as marketing, HR, administration, management, policy and law. Thus, the nature of the task is not important given that the recruited staff could be both teaching and non-teaching staff; more important are the qualifications, the experience and the quality of the service delivered.

1.2.3. Courses The lesson is the core and the basic part when learning the language. Daoud (1999) points out that: curriculum planning, which includes needs analysis, the specification of program goals, objectives and methodology, and the production of a syllabus, is conventional. Obviously,curriculum development and the decision to design and implemnt a languaguage syllabus are a part of the administrative responsabilities and constraints. ELT private courses seem to differ from the public educational curriculum as they are more focused in terms of learners needs. In terms of the IBLV pedagogical approach, the teaching is learner-based. All the needs, whether individual or collective, are taken into account. The course focuses on the progressive acquisition of linguistic knowledge. On the other hand, an article in the AMIDEAST web-site confirms that: The ELT Program is AMIDEAST Tunisia's largest, most popular service. Over 900

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AMIDEAST students are currently enrolled in each of the 4048 hour ELT sessions for adults and university students. Many tailored courses are also developed and conducted for a growing number of organizations that require special ELT sessions for their employees. Concerning the British Council, the curriculum description in terms of approach, methodology and syllabus is rather a confidential aspect of ELT that is practiced only in the classroom setting between the teacher and the learner. However, the range of courses is clearly cited for the learners in order to allow them mach their needs with the range of courses provided. The two main types include General English and specialized skills training for people who need English for work.

1.2.4. Finance Battenburg (1997) asserts that Foreign aid to Tunisia illustrates the relative importance which certain governments place on influencing language policy decisions and planning initiatives. In 1996, a financial contribution estimated as 600,000 dollars by the US government and about 400,000 dollars by the British government allotted to ELT, education, and culture, comparing to approximately 20 million dollars by the French government. In other words, the American and British governments are not seriously taking into account the importance of spreading the language. Through helping foreign countries financially at the educational level, the success of their plan would be eventually beneficial for both sides in order to enhance the phenomenon of globalization. In contrast, for the private Tunisian ELT centers, where American and British educational managers run ELT planning and policies directly in the local context, the

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budget is not assisted by any governmental funds. All the ELT private centers are financially independent as it is for IBLV and AMIDEAST. However, the British Council is not an independent organization. It is a Quasi-Autonomous Non-Governmental Organization; a public corporation incorporated by royal charter, and is registered as a charity in England. For instance, from its total income of 551m in 2006/07, the British Council received 195m of grants from the British government. The rest was earned through charging for teaching English to individuals and organizations, examinations and commercial consultancy. 1.2.5. Marketing Marketing is a vital means by which learners are first made aware of the opportunities available to them, and then helped to make full use of the services thus provided. Similarly, any equal opportunity policy must have a marketing dimension. It is a necessary element of the management of educational institutions. In this regard XX (YY) (Marketing Education) asserts that a more systematic approach to the marketing of education provision is an inevitable response to demographic change and to government policies which increase competition in the public sector. In the ELT Tunisian private sector, marketing plays a crucial role in an attempt to attract more learners. Although more efforts should be undertaken within IBLV and AMIDEAST, the British Council, however, is more geared towards developing educational marketing strategies. For instance, the IBLV needs to improve and work more on its Web site; new learners are notably more attracted by other private ELT web sites. The same case is considered when it comes to AMIDEAST. According to many

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learners, the Web site gives a first impression, and has a great repercussion on their choice of the ELT center. The British Council has been more systematic in considering the positive effect of marketing. The British Council spends more on advertising in order to attract more learners and preserve their brand image. Apart from the external and internal physical maintenance, The British Council focuses on other major points mainly, high fees, competent teachers, a better range of courses and valuable certificates. XX(YY) (Marketing Education) argues that: They areprimarily the courses on offer to studentsDecisions about the range of courses and the quality of the curriculum are marketing decisions Thus, in estimating private English courses and marketing, there are considered in relation to each other when planning effective ELT program.

1.2.6. Infrastructure This dimension, that is more likely to be neglected, is considered as an essential part of the marketing mix. It includes all those features of a school or any educational establishment which influence the accessibility and availability of the educational service. The infrastructure is commonly concerned with the location of the institution, its appearance as well as the facilities on offer. Thus, the educational managers role is to maintain an internal physical appearance that makes a positive first impression of the institution. The concept of infrastructure in the private educational sector especially in ELT centers is perceived in a rather different way from the traditional view in which it has been usually considered. Recently, private Tunisian universities combine expensive facilities along with the specialist staff able to make use of them for educational

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purposes, while resources on this scale are not available to most public sector educational institutions. Some private centers similarly spend more generously on classroom facilities, computer suites and internet access in attempting to attract more learners. In this regard, AMIDEAST tried to reduce the cost of the facilities provided for the learners especially within web-based tools and high speed internet service by collaborating with communication Enterprises such as Siemens. Ugur Usumi, there IT Director, maintains that this ability to communicate more easily has increased our efficiency and enabled us to exchange information...Our teams work better as a result. By contrast, though the IBLV is more deemed with the classroom facilities to raise learners motivation during the lesson: audio-visual materials (DVD, TV, Sets, Videos, PCs), large classrooms for a limited number of students it also includes two language laboratories, multimedia lab and library. In seeking to ensure learners satisfaction, the British Council educational managers recognize the importance of the infrastructure and the need to provide appropriate spaces for both staff and students. The facilities provided in this private center varies in a sense that they drive the learner to learn the language on his own, for instance the availability of a library for both junior and adults, a TV with Englishspeaking channels only, DVDs, videos and attractive magazines in English, etc. All these extra-curricular facilities encourage learners and provide them with a performing learning context.

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The purpose of the present study is to investigate the administration profile of ELT institution, in the Tunisian private sector, focusing on the specific context of the British Council. It is guided by the following research question: R. Q.: How does the British Councils administration contribute in improving ELT system in Tunisia?

Chapter Two

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Research Methodology

The purpose of the study is to begin to describe ELT in the British Council Tunisia as a model of Tunisian Private Centers. It accounts for the administrative dimension in dealing with the management of ELT as an overall objective. This chapter presents the methodology used in order to answer the aforementioned research question. It also describes the setting, the informants, the research instrument as well as the data collection, and analysis procedures.

1.2 Setting The research is conducted in the British Council within the administrative department in charge of ELT policy and planning. The British Council is a QuasiAutonomous Non-Governmental Organization, founded in 1934 and based in the United Kingdom. It is a non-departmental public body; a public corporation incorporated by Royal charter, and is registered as a charity in England. It was granted a Royal charter by King George VI in 1940. Its current director is Lord Kinnock, the former leader of the UK Labor Party. Its main objective is to promote teaching and learning English and establish mutually beneficial educational relationships between the UK and other countries. There are 70 British Council Teaching Centers in 53 countries. Its overseas network extends to 233 locations in 107 countries and territories. It taught 1,189,000 class hours to 300,000 learners in 2006/07.

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2.2 Informants The informants are British and Tunisian males and females. They are members of the BC administrative staff. The interviewee, M. Andy Milner, is a native speaker of the target language and a member of the administrative staff at the British Council working as the Assistant Teaching Centre Manager. Apart from the interview, I was helped by the reception staff members and Mr. Rostom, also a member of the administrative staff.

2.3 Data Collection

The data were collected by means of an interview (Appendix A). I also used official documents ( Appendix C) provided by the British Council Administration on the ongoing ELT operations in this private center. I also had to informal discussions with the customer service assistants. The interview is a useful instrument in collecting data. It is an important questioning technique to understand and reveal reactions during interpersonal interaction. The interview provides both verbal and non verbal response by the interviewee. To succeed in interviews, one must understand the emotional labor needed to "manage their feelings" as they "create a publicly observable facial and bodily display." This is particularly true when recruiters use open-ended interviews that are not constrained to a narrow set of questions Hoffmann and Elizabeth, A (2008). In other words, the interview is better than a questionnaire in developing accurate qualitative data though face to face interaction. In this study, the structured interview was developed and elaborated. It is divided into eight parts: history, mission, infrastructure, teachers, staff, courses, finance and marketing. Within each part three to sixteen open-ended questions are given to the
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interviewee. The interview is written in English, given that the interviewee is a native speaker of the language. I relied on official documents and data to seek answers to the questions not answered during the interview. 2.4. Procedure The interview is suggested to the Assistant Teaching Centre Manager of the British Council in charge of the ELT Administration department. The interview is first introduced and clarifications about the research study are presented. Also information about the purpose of the study is explained and emphasis about the confidentiality of the information that would be given is highlighted. The subject is also encouraged to comment upon any question and omit any answer that seems unquestionable. The interview takes approximately 15 minutes.

2.5.

Piloting The interview was piloted before its conduction and execution. A sample of two

people, a fourth year English student from ISLT and a manager of a British agency were selected for the piloting. According to the results, the type and number of questions as well the organization of the interview were revised and amended.

2.6.

Data analysis By focusing on the various functions of the BC administration, it was possible

to depict the important steps that made this center a great and typical example to follow in making ELT. Instead of resorting to analogy and contrast between the public and

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private educational institutions, a descriptive perspective only is adopted in this paper in order to uncover different variables and analyze the advantages and disadvantages of the system at the administrative level within the British Council. The study would focus and comments on part distinctively. The analysis of the qualitative data include first the responses from the structured interview and the data collected from different official documents in order to complete all the stated questions in the interview. The qualitative data are conducted with reference to the research question and supported by referential sources.

Chapter Three Results and Discussion

This chapter describes and discusses the research findings. First, the chapter deals with the results relation to the eight parts of there interview. Second, the chapter discusses the reported results and comments on the findings. Finally, It concludes by pointing to limitations and suggested recommendations.

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3.1. Result 3.1.1. British Council mission Concerning British Council ELT mission, the results show that the aim is to work with partners throughout Tunisia to provide learning opportunities and creative ideas from the UK and build lasting relationships between the UK and Tunisia. the Assistant Teaching Centre Manager of the British Council in charge of the ELT Administration Department confirms that the British Council primary aim is to enhance Britains reputation as a valued partner through the development of educational and cultural links with Tunisia. The increasing interest in English amongst Tunisians reflects a perception that the countrys future success in the international arena demands greater interaction with and access to the Anglophone world. The Assistant Teaching Centre Manager asserts: Our activities in Tunisia are a direct response to need. And adss: we act as a partner in tackling key Tunisian reform agendas through the management of applied research links and governance reform.

3.1.2. British Council Teaching staff The British Council has 70 British Council Teaching Centers in 53 countries. It taught 1,189,000 class hours to 300,000 learners in 2006/07. In its examination centers, the British Council administers 1.5 million UK examinations to over one million candidates each year. It is also working with the UK's award bodies to extend the range of professional qualifications available overseas. The Council also oversees British schools

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operating internationally through bodies such as COBIS, NABSS, and the European Council of International Schools. In the local context, the number of teachers in the British Council does not exceed seventeen. The Assistant Teaching Centre Manager of the British Council asserts that at the moment the number of teachers is adequate and that there is no need to recruit more teachers. In addition, the teachers are mainly British. Similarly, the British Council recruits teachers of other nationalities, including Tunisians, on condition that they meet the established requirements. In terms of recruitment, the British Council sustains typical norms and international standards in order to allow for equal opportunities, in addition to the required experience that is for the new teachers before entering to the British Council. The second step is essentially the in-service training. It introduces the teacher to the British Council setting and rules before initiating the courses. The teachers are constantly inspected during the courses, mainly by the managers and by peers. Apart from teaching in the classroom, the teachers have also administrative duties such as course administration, planning, assessment, certification, academic meetings and performance management.

3.1.3. British Council Courses The British Council curriculum is based on the communicative approach. This teaching method ensures that the courses are adapted to the communicative needs of the learners in the workplace and beyond. The effectiveness and validity of the courses are evaluated by teachers as well as students mainly through the results and re-registrations of the students, and by using satisfaction surveys, focus-groups and

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questionnaires. The smoothness of the strategies used to evaluate the courses enables the ELT process to satisfy the needs and wants of the learner Textbooks, are brought from Cambridge in order to maintain the international TEFL standards that are exclusive to the British Council curriculum. The books and teaching materials are selected under specific criteria, mainly content, methodology, appropriateness, publisher, online and ICT support and level. Thus, the teaching materials are appropriately designed to the communicative approach

3.1.4. British Council Finance Concerning finance, no comments are given and no question is answered. The argument provided by the Assistant Teaching Centre Manager of the British Council explains that the financial rubric is considered a confidential subject for this reason, I could not obtain any official information on the 3.1.5. British Council Marketing The marketing rubric is also considered a confidential subject. There was no comment by the Assistant Teaching Centre Manager of the British Council regarding the Marketing section.

3.1.6. British Council Infrastructure As for the infrastructure, the Assistant Teaching Centre Manager of the British Council confirmed that they have thirteen classes, and the number of students does not

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exceed eighteen. Many facilities are provided, mainly a library, Internet-based space, a TV space which also contains a DVDs and Videos, only in English. The Assistant Teaching Centre Manager of the British Council asserts that there is a Knowledge and information Center and self-access for all BC students. These extra-curricular materials allow the learner to discover the language from a different perspective.

2.1. Limitations of the study The study mainly suffers from a lack of data sources. All the efforts made to do the interview were fruitless. The Assistant Teaching Centre Manager of the British Council in change the ELT Administration Department refused to answer the questions through a face to face interview. The interview was by an electronic mail, was to maximize the chances of obtaining the highest number of answers to the interview questions. Many reasons lay behind the refusal to give an interview. At first, the Assistant Teaching Centre Manager, Andrew Milner asserted: We would be happy to provide you with further information on these areas. But I am not convinced that an interview with youwill be helpful to your areas of research. The second reason, according to the Assistant Teaching Centre Manager is: `` We are unable to satisfy your request to collect quantitative data via questionnaires about our teaching centre administrationthe

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information that you seek is actually commercial in confidence It would contravene our data protection policy. In other words, the reason is not the uselessness of the interview but rather the confidentiality of the heeded information. I sent a second email, insisting on the urgent need for an interview to carry on the research study. Similarly, the answer by the Assistant Teaching Centre Manager was: the nature of your researchabout administration, marketing, finance and morethis information is commercially sensitive and I am not at liberty to disclose it. Also another mail was sent and the answer was: as I stated in my email, I am not able to give you an interviewWe will try to send you some general information All the attempts failed. Later, he sent a general information document on 14 th April 09.

2.2. Recommendations This study has identified important aspects of BC ELT. The study results remain incomplete in terms of evaluation and program implementation there is, a need to use other research instruments such as questionnaires or. In addition, a need for analogy and contrast, either with other private ELT institutes/centers (i.e. with the IBLV and/or with the AMIDEAST) or with the public sector, is important for improving ELT in Tunisia. A second relevant point is that many extra-curricular activities, not mentioned in the study, should be highlighted for further research if the aim is to look closer into the British Council not only from an educational

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perspective but as a dynamic organization which initiates projects with the Tunisian Ministry of Education to improve ELT in the public sector.

Conclusion

This study dealt with ELT in the Tunisian private context profiling the British Council Administration. Based on the findings, it is unquestionable that the ELT in the private sector is taken as a serious matter in our country. The very short overview of the system of education in the British Council reveals a well developed system of foreign language teaching in Tunisian private sector at all levels.

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References
Robert, B., & Kaplan (2002). The Oxford Handbook of Applied Linguistics. Oxford: Oxford University Press

Kitao, S. K. & Kitao, K. (1999). Fundamentals of English Language Teaching. Eichosha Co., Ltd., Tokyo

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Sarcasm, (2001). The triumph of English: A world empire by other means. Retrieved December 29, 2001, from http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-

news/597862/posts. Hutchinson, T., & Waters, A. (1987). English for Specific Purposes: A learning centered approach. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press Lee, J.M. (2007). The Reorganization of The British Council: Management Improvisation and Policy Uncertainty Volume 73, Issue 3, Pages339. Royal Institute of Public Administration Battenburg, J. D. (1997). World Englishes. English vs. French: Language rivalry in Tunisia. Crystal, D. (1997). English as a Global Language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press Simpson, E. K. & McConocha, Diane M. (1991). Making the organizational mission statement work for the supervisor. Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan

to "manage their feelings" as they "create a publicly observable facial and bodily display." This is particularly true when recruiters use open-ended interviews that are not constrained to a narrow set of questions Hoffmann and Elizabeth, A (2008)

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Appendix A Profiling the British Council Administration Interview

Thank you for agreeing to participate in this survey. The following interview is a part of an MA research aiming at investigating the Administrative department in ELT at the Tunisian private sector. The British Council is taken as a referential model in conducting the research study. Your participation in this survey is voluntary. If you

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choose to participate, your personal information will remain strictly confidential and used only for the purpose of this survey.

History

1. When did the British Council establish its Language Teaching Centre in Tunisia? 2. When did you start operating in Tunisia? 3. Do you have regional centers? Mission 4. What is the mission of your Centre in Tunisia? 5. What are your short-term and long-term objectives? 6. Do you think you have succeeded in accomplishing your mission? Infrastructure 1. How many classrooms do you have? Are they enough? 2. How many students do you have in each classroom? 3. What are the study facilities that you provide for your students (laboratory, library, movie theatre)? 4. Do your students have access to the internet in the Centre? 5. Are you planning to extend the number of classrooms? 6. Are you planning to introduce new facilities? Teachers 1. How many teachers do you have? 2. What is the teacher-student ratio? 3. Do you think you have enough teachers? 4. Where do your teachers come from? 5. How do you recruit them? 6. What are the required qualifications? 7. Do you consider any typical standards when recruiting teachers? 8. Do you recruit only experienced teachers? 9. Is there any in-service training for your teachers? 10. Are the teachers inspected during the course? If yes, by whom and how often? 11. Do you recruit Tunisian teachers? If not, why?

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Staff 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. How many non-teaching administrative staff members do you have? What are their positions and duties? Do teachers have administrative duties? If so, which ones? Do you think that you need more administrative staff? What are the required qualifications? Do you recruit Tunisian administrative staff? If not, why?

Courses 1. 2. 3. 4. What are the offered English language courses? Do you organize General English courses or ESP courses? How do you design your curriculum? How do you ensure that your courses are adapted to the communicative needs of your students in the workplace and outside it? 5. Is there any recommended teaching method at the Centre? 6. Do you evaluate the effectiveness of your courses? If so, who does it and how? 7. Do your students evaluate the course? If so, how? 8. Do you carry out students or teachers evaluation of courses? 9. How do you know whether the needs and wants of your students are satisfied after the session? 10. Do you implement any international TEFL standards? 11. Do you use ready-made textbooks or do you build your own teaching materials? 12. How do you choose textbooks? 13. What type of teaching materials do you use? 14. Do you make the books in Tunisia, if not, why? 15. Do you organize extra-curricular activities for your students (excursion, social gatherings, picnics, visits to UK...)? 16. What are your plans for the future? Are you developing new programs?

Finance 1. How much is the annual budget? Has it been growing? 2. Is your Center financially independent? Are you subsidized by the British Government? If so, how much? 3. Do you think that your receipts cover your expenses in terms of teacher salaries, equipments, materials and related services? 4. Some students claim that your fees are high compared to other public and private centers. What do you think? 5. Is your Centre a profitable and viable business?

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Marketing 1. The British Council has a well-established reputation. How did you gain the confidence of many people in Tunisia? 2. What are the privileges that you offer to attract students? 3. Do you have any marketing policy? 4. Who do you think are your major competitor(s)? 5. Do you think that advertising plays an important role in attracting more students? 6. Do you plan to spend more on advertising? 7. What are the major points that you will focus on to preserve your brand image (high fees, competent teachers, valuable certificates.)? 8. Who are your main competitors? 9. Some claim that AMIDEAST is now attracting more learners. What do you think?

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