N°021_Vol.4_04

Introduction: Language teaching has very often been modelled and carried out through the use of various methods, beliefs, ideologies or principles (Bernstein et al., 2023; Gilakjani & Sabouri, 2017; Richards & Rodgers, 2001). Depending on the trend in language teaching, a specific approach and or method is used to reach the teaching objective. Researches have been undertaken, and symposiums, summits and conferences are being organised all over the world to identify the most appropriate approach that suits well the challenges language teaching and learning is facing (Virtual English Language Teaching Summit 2023 International Conference).   

One of “the most widely referred” book that deals with approaches and methods in language teaching and learning is Richards and Rodgers’ (2001). According to these scholars, “the history of language teaching has been characterized by a search for more effective ways of teaching second or foreign languages” (Richards & Rodgers, 2001, p. viii). Richards and Rodges believe that many language knowledge issues have been discussed for more than a century for, “the teaching profession is continually exploring new options for addressing these and other basic issues and the effectiveness of different instructional strategies and methods in the classroom” (p. viii). Through their investigation, different reforms (methods and approaches) that have taken place in language teaching have been highlighted because teaching and learning is evolving.

In line with reflections about changes in the educational domain, the Togolese educational system has witnessed various reforms, plans and policies from independence to date. These changes aimed to improve the quality of the teaching and learning activities and to ensure that the programmes better meet the needs of learners by preparing them to participate in the future development of their community. Among the innovative actions are the Education reform (1975), The National Action Plan for Education for All (1991), The Etats Généraux de l’Education (May 1992), The National Action Plan for Education for All (August 2005), The Education Sector Plan 2010-2020, The Education Sector Plan 2014-2025, and The Education Sector Plan 2020-2030. All these plans and reforms intended to improve the whole educational system. However, no matter the educational system, the success of a plan or reform depends mainly on the teaching method and the classroom practices.

With regard to the above plans and reforms, the teaching and learning system in Togo moved from the Objective-Based learning or Outcome-Based education to the Competency-Based Approach. Indeed, the government of Togo (West Africa) through the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education introduced the Competency-Based Approach (CBA) that is supposed to focus on what learners can do with language in a real-life situation as opposed to the Objective-Based Approach that develops a full set of hierarchical objectives and effective test bank items according to these objectives, teaches and assesses the course according to the lesson objectives, and performs post-course follow-ups. The CBA is thus adopted for the teaching and learning of every core subject at the primary and secondary education level in Togo.

Though Competency-based Approach is said to be a valuable vehicle through which a system can impart its learners with skills, knowledge and values that will help them fit in the global village which is characterized by advancing technology (UNESCO, 2015), it raises the issue of the universal use of this approach in the Togolese educational system. In other words, this study aims at finding out how universal is this approach in the teaching of different subjects (mathematics, history and geography, physics, French, English, science and technology), different language skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing) and to learners from different cultures, age groups, capacity of understanding, and learning styles with which they enter classrooms. The objective of this study is therefore to investigate the universality of the Competency-based Approach especially in the teaching of English as a foreign language in Togo. As Imperial (2025) calls for rethinking of global Englishes because “the global English language education market is still deeply entrenched in colonial and racial capitalism” (p. 328), this study calls for the rethinking of the use of approaches in English language teaching.  The main research question is to what extent is the Competency-Based Approach universal and contextually appropriate for the teaching of English as a Foreign Language in Togo? Three specific questions arise from this question. 1. How is the Competency-Based Approach implemented in English as a Foreign Language classroom in Togo? 2. What challenges do teachers and learners encounter in implementing the Competency-Based Approach in EFL teaching in Togo? 3. Do teachers and learners perceive the Competency-Based Approach as equally appropriate for different categories of EFL learners in Togo? From these questions, three main hypotheses are formulated. Firstly, the Competency-Based Approach is not universally applicable in Togolese EFL classrooms because its effectiveness and appropriateness vary according to learners’ sociocultural backgrounds, age, language proficiency, cognitive abilities, and learning styles. Secondly, there is no significant relationship between the extent to which teachers implement CBA principles and learners’ communicative competence in English. Thirdly the effectiveness of CBA differs significantly across learners with different levels of English proficiency. This study is structured into three main sections. The first section presents the different approaches used in language teaching. After this presentation, it discusses the methodology. Finally, it presents the results of the collected data, analyses them and discusses them.