Controversies and Possibilities of Teaching and Learning EIL Approach: A Case Study in Indonesia

Abstract

This study investigated the potentials and obstacles to learn and teach English as an international language (EIL) approach in one of senior high schools, in Tebing Tinggi. Indonesia. EIL is embracing the language variations among nations included native and nonnative English language. In our increasingly diverse communities, this approach is a talkback to the monolingual focus in ELT pedagogy and pay much attention to multilingual in the local and global communities and also situated English language education in global/local multilingualism. There were 6 English teachers and two classes (grade 1 and grade 2 which were approximately 60 students) in senior high school were interviewed designed to gain an understanding of both English teachers and students’ perspectives on English as international language (EIL) to get deep information about their tensions, conflicts, struggle, and challenges EIL teachers and students may experience before and after teaching and learning of EIL approach in five meetings. From this result, we could see there were some fertilities and infertilities that we got from implementing and acknowledging this approach. The fertilities that we cultivated were the students learned these topics as knowledge, embracing bright future of learning English, getting to know foreigners and countries, good experience with international friends, learn about their own country (transforming, reflecting themselves as Indonesia, proud to be Indonesia), well understanding the function of English, and fulfil the students’ needs. The other side, the infertilities of implementing EIL approach were they had deficit perspective toward themselves; they did not know about Englishes since it was never taught by their English teachers, bad environment from their community, their preferences and saw Englishes as an error and wrong perception about Englishes, and facilitation and resources as well. From the teachers’ perspective, there were also controversial and possibilities of teaching EIL in this school. They welcomed to the nature of English and getting to know EIL approach, well understanding of English as a tool for students’ future, and willing to pursue English teaching effectively. But, they concerned to the students’ problems, teaching beliefs, preferences, lack of understanding of English variation diversity, curriculum and textbooks. Those problems made them afraid to make any risk, little faith to apply EIL, and created two different worlds of English standard and nonstandard English. By seeing those results bear fruitful pedagogical implications for learning and teaching English, they are meta-awareness; broaden exposure of English learning and teaching, and open English pedagogy.