Transcending Anglocentric Ideologies of English Language Teaching in Asia: Global Englishes-Informed Policy and Practice

Abstract

The global spread of English is now well documented with over two billion speakers, the majority of whom are L2 users of the language. This global role of English has been particularly relevant to the Asian region, first through its use as a colonial and post-colonial language and, later, through its role as a regional lingua franca. The global reach of English and the accompanying diversity of users have had a profound effect on how we understand English and, in turn, how we teach and learn it. This is studied through the field of Global Englishes, an umbrella term covering the areas of World Englishes (WE), English as a lingua franca (ELF), and English as an international language (EIL). This chapter outlines the core features of English in Asia, particularly focusing on its use as a medium for intercultural communication as part of a multilingual repertoire of resources. It explores the educational consequences of the growth of English at policy level and in practice at all levels of education. Yet, there is still an underlying colonial and Anglocentric ideology of English that underpins many approaches to English education in the region. This ideology results in tensions between the more normative Anglocentric teaching practices typically adopted and the diverse, multilingual, and intercultural reality of English use. Contemporary approaches to teaching English are outlined that recognize its variable use as a multilingua franca to prepare learners for English used in intercultural communication far removed from the norms of its Anglophone origins.KeywordsGlobal EnglishesEnglish as a lingua francaEnglish language teaching (ELT)English medium education (EMI)Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL)