Whose English should be talked and taught? Views from international English teachers in Thai higher education

Abstract

This qualitative study aimed to explore the perceptions of 12 international English teachers (from the UK, the USA, Australia, Indonesia, and the Philippines at four universities in Thailand) towards World Englishes (WE), Thai English (TE), and the feasibility of incorporating WE into English language teaching (ELT) classrooms. Based on semi-structured interviews and qualitative content analysis, findings revealed that the participants demonstrated positive views and did not deny the existence of WE and TE, although their rules, vocabularies, pronunciations, and accents diverge from British English (BrE) and American English (AmE). Furthermore, the participants regarded different English varieties as symbols and representations that reflect users’ cultural and national identities. For implementations in ELT, while the majority disapproved, valued unequally, marginalized, and questioned the legitimacy of WE, others viewed that allowing learners to experience English diversity would be a sound preparation for changes in English linguistic landscapes and the realistic use of today’s English.