Norms and Reference Accents in the International University: Students’ Perspectives on Language Policies Ali Karakas Introduction This study, drawing on my Ph.D. project which looks at Turkish lecturers’ and students’ perceptions of English in English-medium instruction (EMI) universities, aims to provide answers to the following questions: What are the norms and reference accents Turkish EMI universities prefer for language teaching and practices? What attitudes do students hold towards these norms and reference accents? Method Research setting : Three EMI universities in Turkey i.e. Bogazici, Bilkent and METU Participants : 351 undergraduate students & 72 members of academic staff Research tools : Questionnaires, interviews, focus group discussions, and document analysis Data Analysis : Descriptive & inferential statistics on SPSS on quantitative data Qualitative content & discourse analysis Theoretical background 1.Langauge policy Language policy components: practices, beliefs, management (Spolsky, 2004) Policy mechanisms: language tests, rules and regulations, language educational policies (Shohamy, 2006). 2. Language attitude Components: cognitive, affective, conative (Baker, 1992) 3. Language ideology Ideologies of Authenticity & Anonimity (Woolard, 2005). Components: cognitive, effective, programatic, and solidary (Higgs, 1987) Results ShefLingPGC Postgraduate Conference in Linguistics, 5 th – 6 th March 2015, Sheffield, UK Analysis of policy documents University English language entry requirements Institutional test : standard English-oriented TOEFL : American English-oriented IELTS : British English-oriented FCE : American & British English In EAP Speaking skills support courses Students are expected to use grammar correctly use correct pronunciation use correct intonation Aim: to develop further skills in voice production and breath-taking techniques, intonation, emphasis, and articulation required in public speaking Lecturers’ expectations L8: i have no expectation of accent well i expect their accents to be intelligible L5: well it is not about speaking like an American or British, that is, it is all about getting things done, fulfilling the function of communication Students’ perspectives S17: i don’t think familiarity with other accents that much important, i’ve seen italians and others here their accents are awful. standard is better S3: i believe these materials called audio-visuals should be standardized because communication difficulties can arise due to accents Conclusions Normative views Negative attitudes to non-standard accents Maintaining non-native English accents unacceptable S4: it’s good to know other accents they can be fairly useful for students. they won’t feel unfamiliar with these accents when they go abroad. S15: of course it facilitates communication even if people speak English due to their L1 their English sounds different to ears we see this in TV series More than 70% of students consider it important to be aware of the English spoken by non-native speakers to learn about the features of English which can be internationally understood. to know about other native English varietiess, e.g. Canadian, Australian. to know cultural differences in the use of English. Non-normative views Maintaining accents acceptable Familiarity with other accents important 1.High prestigious (native or near native) accents are taken for granted in teaching/using English via policy tools (e.g. tests, materials). 2. Students have ambivalent attitudes towards reference/norm accents and other accents. 3. Factors like language ideology, intercultural communication and familiarity underpin students’ attitudes. S5: … having such expectations is annoying well like a factory where everyone has to produce the standard