Teacher as change agent: attitude change toward varieties of English through teaching English as an international language

Abstract

Despite the accumulated body of research on both second-language learners’ attitudes toward varieties of English and teaching English as an international language (TEIL), little research considers exactly how these attitudinal changes take place through TEIL. To address this gap, a Critical Extracurricular Project (CEP) instructional intervention was implemented for five weeks with Korean university students (N = 17) who participated in the Busan International Film Festival, interviewed diverse English users, produced a video, and submitted a written report. Data were collected through reflective essay, semi-structured interview, and in-class observation. Learning tasks and instructional support supplemented by a teacher were significant sources of influence on the participants’ attitudinal changes toward varieties of English. This suggests language teachers, as significant change agents who design and implement TEIL (e.g. CEP), play a critical role in shaping students’ English as an international language experiences and bringing about attitude change toward varieties of English.