Current Issues in the Development of Materials for Learners of English as an International Language (EIL)

Abstract

This chapter refers to recent literature criticising global coursebooks for not catering for the needs of learners of English as a global language. It then goes on to suggest ways in which new materials could meet the needs of learners of English who will be communicating more with other non-native speakers than with native speakers of English. It suggests approaches to selecting content, to using texts and to devising tasks, which would differentiate such materials from those developed to cater for learners of English as a foreign language. In doing so, it stresses the need to make use of authentic texts and authentic tasks and, in particular, to provide motivated exposure to English actually being used for international communication. It also suggests ways in which learners can be helped to increase their pragmatic awareness of how non-native speakers achieve their intended communicative effects when interacting with each other and it suggests ways of providing them with opportunities to improve their ability to achieve communicative intent when interacting with other non-native speakers.