Critical Reflections on the Revised Curriculum of ELT at Bachelor-degree Level on Two Planes of Intention and enactment: A Documentary Analysis

When curricula being enacted are exposed to systematic scrutiny, they unveil their strengths and weaknesses to curriculum planners. With this in mind, the present qualitative documentary analysis has aimed at uncovering any possible limitation of the revised curriculum of ELT at bachelor-degree level having been announced as required to take effect since the outset of 1400 in all Iranian universities (save Farhangian University having already developed its own curriculum). The research has examined existing policy documents on the level of intended curriculum in the form of a Ministry of Science, Research and Technology text lacking in sequencing of subjects, as well as that of the curriculum being enacted in the form of sequenced charts of subjects by the university departments. Close reading of the Ministry document showed, from the perspective of intention, the curriculum contains shortcomings such as having unnecessary multiple and at times inaccurate equivalents for identical concepts in the title of subjects, paying undue attention to the dynamic nature of ELT both nationally and internationally, which is evident in the form of exclusion of a set of content and competencies required of teachers to perform at their best, and being blind to the cognitive difficulty of other subjects. Additionally, a reflection on the sequencing of the courses revealed weaknesses, including lack of attention to issues of course requirement and inappropriate sequencing of subjects in terms of time and content. In line with the findings, suggestions for redressing such imbalance and improving the quality of the curriculum are given.