Abstract
Currently, the role of English language has changed from being a language used among native English speakers (NESs) to being a language spoken by people of various backgrounds or known as English as a lingua franca (ELF). This phenomenon has affected different aspects of global English usage and users across the world. However, in Thailand, this issue does not seem to be taken into account with regard to English language teaching (ELT) and learning practices as different ELT stakeholders continue to conform to traditional teaching methods related to NESs. This action is reflected in an English language ideology called ‘native speakerism’ which has long been entrenched in Thai society. It has repeatedly caused different problems for both Thai teachers and students of English language until the present day. This review article aims to demonstrate the impacts of the native speakerism ideology on Thai teachers and students of English language in the period of English as a global lingua franca. The article begins with an explanation of how the changes of role and status of English challenge traditional perspectives of English language and how the ELT industry around the world, including in Thailand, should adapt to such changes. Then, the article gives brief conceptualizations of native speakerism and its effects on English teachers and students. Finally, it moves on to discuss the native speakerism ideology in Thailand and reports different negative effects of native speakerism on Thai teachers and students of English language.
Highlights
1.1 Changes of Role and Status of English Language and Their Effects on English Usage, Teaching, and LearningCurrently, the language in use, known as English, is different from that learned from books or in classrooms
As it seems difficult to eliminate the native speakerism ideology which has long been entrenched in Thai society from Thai English language teaching (ELT) practices, the present article aims to raise this issue for discussion, as well as to revisit its negative effects on Thailand’s English language education, especially in the present period when Thai people use English as a lingua franca or ELF with other groups of non-native English speakers (NNESs) more than as a foreign language (EFL) with native English speakers (NESs) (Ambele & Boonsuk, 2020; Baker, 2012; Baker & Jarunthawatchai, 2017; Kongkerd, 2013; Nomnian, 2014)
This article aimed to revisit the effects of the native speakerism ideology on Thai teachers and students of English language in the period of English as a global lingua franca
Summary
1.1 Changes of Role and Status of English Language and Their Effects on English Usage, Teaching, and Learning. There has been a change to the long-established truth concerning the number of dominant English speakers, as non-native English speakers (NNESs) have outstripped native English speakers (NESs) by around four to one at present (Braine & Selvi, 2018) This change has prompted many scholars to advocate re-nationalizing the ownership of English and other related issues including identity (Norton, 1997, 2018), standard language ideology (Tahmasbi, Hashemifardnia, & Namaziandost, 2019; Widdowson, 1994), and the dichotomy of NESs and NNESs (Higgins, 2003; Holliday, 2013), which have long influenced how English is used by different groups of speakers around the world. There has been a shift in the role of English from it being a language mainly used among particular groups of NESs (or between NESs and NNESs) to being an international lingua franca ( ELF) mostly spoken among NNESs themselves (Jenkins, 2006) This ELF phenomenon has posed many challenges to traditional perspectives of English language including World Englishes (WEs) (Note 1) (Kachru, 1992). This includes Bowles (2016) who recommended focusing on numerous features that are related to ELF communication (such as pragmatics, comprehensibility, and cultural sensitivity), as such features are crucial for enhancing learners’ consciousness of the complex procedure of communication involved in English multicultural connections
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