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Policy Implications for Teaching English as an International Language

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Presentation on theme: "Policy Implications for Teaching English as an International Language"— Presentation transcript:

1 Policy Implications for Teaching English as an International Language
Francia Catalina Torres V. LANGUAGE AND GLOBALISATION August 2016

2 Theory of «scientific revolutions»
Khun (1970) Key moments occur in scientific progress at which old theoretical approaches require too many ad- hoc additions and explain new findings. New well based theories are quickly accepted by the scientific community. The number of English learners is increasing and the reasons for learning this language have changed year by year. Consequently, the way it is taught must also change. A new paradigm is necessary to understand how the new way of English will affect the wide variety of stakeholders in the global English enterprise. Rethink the concept of Global English

3 EFL ERA VS. GLOBAL ENGLISH ERA

4 «The Native Speaker Fallacy»
· A comparative fallacy of relating the L2 learner to the native speaker. (Bley-Vroman 1983) · Sridhar and Sridhar (1994) critiques on the traditional SLA research assumptions for bilingual users of English outside the Inner circle countries: 1.The learners target is native like competence ( many English learners do not want a native like target. 2. The input learners have available is extensive and intensive enough for them to acquire a native like competence. (many learners in the outer and expanding circle receive restricted input) 3.The process of acquisition is not studied in reference to the functions that English serves within the local community. ( English serves for different functions for learners, even some of them in the inner circle learn it as a replacement for their first language · Role of learners’ first language: it is studied to analyze how it interferes to learn English, or how it facilitates its acquisition, rather than how it contributes to a multilingual setting.

5 Bilingual teachers of English
Medgyes (1992) Non- native English speaking teachers (non -NESTS) advantages as teachers: Only non-NESTs can serve as imitable models of the successful learner of English Non- NESTS can teach learning strategies more effectively Non- NESTS can provide learners with more information about the English Language Non-NESTs are more able to anticipate language difficulties Non-NESTs can be more empathetic to the needs and problems of their learners Only non-NESTs can benefit from sharing the learners’ mother tongue

6 EFL ESLa ESLb EYL GLOBAL ENGLISH target variety skills teacher skills
native speaker, usually American or British Native speaker, host country; may be non standard Local variety, includes standard and non standard typically claims to use native speaker variety as target Focus on internationally intelligibility rather than a specifi c variety skills Focus on speaking and listening; communicative curriculum All skills, including literacy Young learners may not have L1 literacy skills, so emphasis is on speaking and listening All skills including literacy; translation and interpretation skills, also on intercultural communication strategies teacher skills Language profi cient, trained in methodology Native speaker who understands immigrant’s problems Bilingual teacher in local community Language profi cient including good accent; also needs training in child development; may need security screening Bilingual with subject knowledge and understanding of local exams; or may have wider pastoral role for developing study skills and student support learner motives Mixed; often poor motivation Integrational Usually part of inherited identity so little choice Young learners rarely have clear motive; they may just like the teacher Usually instrumental primary purposes To communicate with native speakers; to satisfy entrance requirements for jobs, universities To function in host country; sometimes to acquire new nationality Communication within local elite; national communication across linguistic boundaries To develop language awareness and prepare for higher levels of profi ciency in later years To get jobs in own country; to communicate with non-native speakers from other countries content/ materials Local government textbook; international publisher Very variable; may include realia and government forms etc Often local text books of a traditional academic kind Activity-based, play, songs, games Content often relates to another curriculum area in CLIL style approac

7 CLIL Advantages and Disadvantages
a means of teaching English through study of a specialist content. High proficiency level is not necessary to start studying. It raises level in communication, culture and content. Disadvantages Teachers must convey not only the subject content and disciplinary language but also the practical problem-solving, negotiations, discussions and classroom management. Close work between English teacher and subject teacher, for planning and assessing. It is difficult to implement unless the subject teachers are themselves bilingual.

8 «World English Project»
A new orthodoxy has emerged, in which learners begin in primary school. They learn the basics of the language and then develop the use of English as a language of study in secondary school. As a consequence of the new orthodoxy, the relationship between age and expected levels of profi ciency in English has dramatically shifted from the traditional EFL model. English learning at basic – and sometimes intermediate levels –is becoming a childhood matter. If this project succeeds, it could generate over 2 billion new speakers of English within a decade.

9 Problems with using the NEST model in SLA Research (McKay)
Quotation Researcher Fossilisation and errors in L2 users’ speech add up to `failure to achieve native- speaker competence` Cook Another problem......the role of the learner’s first language is considered in terms of how it interferes with ....or how it facilitates English SLA .....assumption....is that the input learners have available is extensive and intensive enough for them to acquire native-like competence. *....much SLA research assumes that the ideal motivation entails admiration for the native speakers of the target language and a desire to become a member of their culture. Sridhar and Sridhar The first assumption is that learner’s target is native-like competence. McKay ....the native speaker’s “competence”, “proficiency” or “knowledge of the language” is a necessary point of reference for the second language proficiency concept used in English teaching theory. Stern

10 Prahbu’s teacher’s ‘sense of plausibility’.
The sense of plausibility defines the choice a teacher can do on what is the best method to teach language. This choice is linked to teacher’s experience, the context of the learners’ group and also, the knowledge of other methods to decide what is the most suitable to apply. In Prabhu’s words it is “teachers’ subjective understanding of the teaching they do”. “the best method varies from one teacher to another but only in the sense that it is best for each teacher to operate with his or her own sense of plausibility at any given time”. Prabhu (1990) “there is not one best method, and no one method that is best for a particular context” Prabhu (1990)

11 Teaching goals for EIL Kirkpatrick (2007) McKay (2002)
Students would need to be alerted to which linguistic features cause particular problems of mutual intelligibility To ensure intelligibility among the speakers of English The curriculum would need to focus on how cultures differ and the implications of such differences for cross- cultural communication. To help learners develop strategies to achieve comity (friendly relations) when English is used with speakers from other cultures. To encourage the acquisition of interaction strategies that will promote comity. Students would need to be taught the communicative strategies that aid successful cross- cultural communication. to develop textual competence, in order to access and contribute to the large amount of information that is available in the language.

12 Requirements for ELT teachers and training courses in the future
Requirements for ELT teachers and training courses in the future. Kirkpatrick Be multilingual and multicultural and ideally know the language of their students, and understand the educational, social and cultural context in which they are working. Be able to provide an appropriate and attainable model for their students. if they speak another variety understand that the local variety is well- formed and not inferior to their own. Understand how different varieties of English have developed linguistically and the way in which they differ. Understand how English has developed in specific contexts and how it has spread across the world. Understand the role(s) of English in the community and how these interrelate with other local languages. Be able to evaluate ELT materials critically to ensure that these do not promote a particular variety of English or culture at the expense of others. Be able to evaluate specific needs of their students and teach towards those needs. be prepared to contribute to the extra- curricular life of the institutions in which they are working.

13 10 steps to becoming a global teacher Kip Cates (2004)
Rethink the Role of English Reconsider Your Role as Teacher Rethink Your Classroom Atmosphere Integrate Global Topics Into Your Teaching Make Use of Your International Experience in Class Organize Extra-Curricular Activities Explore Global Education and Related Fields Join a Global Issue Special Interest Group Deepen Your Knowledge through Professional Development

14 References Cates, K. (2004). Becoming a global teacher: Ten steps to an international classroom. The Language Teacher, 28(7), Retrieved from publications.org/tlt/articles/2004/07/cates [Available as E- resource] Graddol, D The Future of English. Retrieved from Graddol, D English Next, British Council. Retrieved from Kirkpatrick, A World Englishes: Implications for International Communication and English Language Teaching Cambridge University Press McKay, SL Teaching English as an International Language, Oxford University Press


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