An Integrative Review of Studies on Teaching English for Art Education Purposes to Ph.D. Students

Abstract

The literature revealed two major gaps: First, no systematic (SR) or integrative reviews (IRs) have examined the teaching of English for Art Education Purposes (EAEP), despite its growing relevance in Saudi higher education. No comprehensive review has synthesized research on reading, vocabulary, translation, electronic searching, research skills, or assessment within art education contexts. Second, no SRs have focused on the longitudinal development of a single scholar’s research program, although such an approach can offer valuable insights into the evolution of EAEP pedagogy, materials design, and instructional innovation over time. To fill these gaps, the present study aimed to conduct an IR of the author’s research on teaching EAEP between 2003 and 2013. The review synthesizes a decade of work on reading, vocabulary, translation, electronic searching, research skills, instructional strategies, technology integration, and assessment in English for art education contexts. Thus, this study provides a unique longitudinal perspective that is absent from existing ESP systematic reviews. This IR synthesized seven EAEP studies derived from a single teaching of the EAEP course in 2004/2005. The corpus was categorized into 5 thematic clusters: (i) Reading in Art Education, (ii) Translation in Art Education, (iii) Electronic Searching & Research Skills, (iv) Technology Integration in EAEP for Art and (v) Assessment in English for Art Education. Findings of this IR showed that EAEP instruction was grounded in a clear needs analysis that shaped all aspects of EAEP course design. Authentic disciplinary materials from art education scholarship played a central role in developing learners’ academic literacy. Reading, vocabulary, translation, electronic searching, and research skills functioned as an integrated system rather than isolated components. Structured scaffolding supported learners’ progression from guided engagement to greater autonomy. The technologies used reflected the limited institutional resources of the early 2000s but still facilitated meaningful engagement with specialized texts. Together, these findings position EAEP as a coherent form of disciplinary literacy and highlight the need for future research that explores diverse contexts and leverages contemporary digital and AI enhanced tools. This IR offers the first comprehensive synthesis of EAEP research and establishes a foundational framework for advancing disciplinary literacy in art education contexts.