Circles Model Research Articles

English in the internationalization of higher education and international student mobility

Abstract In this article, we discuss the significance of English in the internationalization of higher education and international student mobility, using Kachru’s (1985) Three Circles Model of World English. As education is one of the major forms of migration (Liu-Farrer, 2022; Borlongan, 2023) in the so-called ‘age of migration’ (cf. de Haas, Castles, & Miller, 2020), more and more students are motivated to study abroad to complete their tertiary education. First, we discuss motivating factors both for the internationalization of higher education and international student mobility. Second, we point out how English has been playing a very central role in the internationalization of higher education institutions and international student mobility (Philipson, 2010; Jenkins, 2017) among these factors. Then, we present the dynamics of international student mobility by looking at their global flow, English-medium programs, and English language proficiency requirements. While Inner Circle countries are still the most attractive destinations for most international students, Expanding Circle countries, where English is not an institutionalized medium of instruction in higher education, also value English by expanding English-medium degree programs and requiring English proficiency test scores to admission. Finally, we end the article by reiterating the dominance and utility of English in the internationalization of higher education and international student mobility and its stable position as the language of educational migration.

The Application of Reading Circles Model in English Reading Teaching in Senior Middle School

There are various input methods for language learning, among which reading is the most important one. English reading class in High school aims to cultivate students’ comprehensive literacy by guiding them to think independently and actively participate in reading activities. The new curriculum standard proposes that English reading teaching in high school should focus on strengthening the cultivation of English subject competence. Thus, the effect of the reading circle model on students’ English reading is consistent with the educational purposes required by the core literacy of the English subject. Therefore, the article tries to explore the effect of reading circle on improving secondary school students’ English reading ability.

Navigating intercultural friendships in English as a lingua franca contexts: Taiwanese exchange students in Europe

ABSTRACT This study investigates Asian exchange students’ friendship development in European countries where English functions as a lingua franca. It offers an in-depth analysis of the experiences of three Taiwanese university students who exhibited varying degrees of success in friendship formation during their study exchanges there: one was successful, another was not, and the third experienced moderate success. Data were collected through pre-, during-, and post-sojourn interviews, supplemented by online correspondence between interviews. Analyzing the data using Coleman’s concentric circles model of study abroad social networks and Bourdieu’s concepts of habitus and capital, this study delineates the differing trajectories of the students’ friendship development and identifies the factors contributing to these diverse outcomes. The findings underscore the importance of possessing personal dispositions that resonate with those of peers, and also effectively utilising linguistic and cultural resources, for fostering intercultural friendships. These insights have implications for educational institutions involved in sending and hosting exchange students.

Integrating knowledge and action: learnings from an implementation program for food security and food sovereignty with First Nations communities within Canada

BackgroundCollaborative approaches to knowledge translation (KT) are important for advancing community-engaged research. However, there is a need for examples of participatory approaches that have effectively supported public health research, program development, and implementation with First Nations communities. To strengthen KT with communities, we proposed a set of guiding principles for participatory planning and action for local food system change. Principles emerged from a cross-community analysis of Learning Circles: Local Healthy Food to School (LC:LHF2S) a participatory program (2015–2019) for Indigenous food system action. The objective was to identify guiding principles for participatory planning and action from key learnings and successes on scaling-up of the Learning Circles (LC) model vertically in Haida Nation, British Columbia (BC), and horizontally in three distinct community contexts: Gitxsan Nation, Hazelton /Upper Skeena, BC; Ministikwan Lake. The application of these principles is discussed in the context of our ongoing partnership with Williams Treaties First Nations to support community planning to enhance food security and sovereignty.MethodsA cross-community thematic analysis was conducted and guided by an implementation science framework, Foster-Fishman and Watson’s (2012) ABLe Change Framework, to identify key learnings and successes from adapting the LC approach. Information gathered from interviews (n = 55) and meeting reports (n = 37) was thematically analyzed to inform the development of guiding principles. Community sense-making of findings informed applicability in a new community context embarking on food systems work.ResultsEmergent guiding principles for participatory food system planning and action are described within four main areas: (1) create safe and ethical spaces for dialog by establishing trust and commitment from the ground up, (2) understand the context for change through community engagement, (3) foster relationships to strengthen and sustain impact, and (4) reflect and embrace program flexibility to integrate learnings.ConclusionsEmergent principles offer guidance to supporting Indigenous community-led research and mobilization of knowledge into action. Principles are intended to support researchers and health system administrators with taking a collaborative approach that fosters relationships and integration of community leadership, knowledge, and action for food system change. Application of principles with implementation frameworks can strengthen KT in Indigenous contexts by incorporating community protocols and perspectives in support of Indigenous self-determined priorities.

An Analysis of Global Englishes Aspects in English Textbooks at the Lower Secondary Level in Thai EFL Context

The spread of English as a global language has resulted in several changes, which challenge the foundations of how language should be taught and learned. To match today‘s sociolinguistic realities, researchers have called for a paradigm shift from the traditional pedagogy to a new pedagogy that can prepare students to use English in international communication involving different varieties of English and its cultures. The purposes of this study are (1) to investigate the aspects of target interlocutors, and (2) to investigate cultural depictions as reflected in three selected English textbooks, which are currently used in lower secondary level (Grade 7) in Thailand. Three English textbooks are purposively selected as the samples of this study. Data is collected from the communication practice tasks (e.g., conversation dialogues, emails, and letters) and the contents of the reading passages, and articles in the textbooks. The Galloway's and Rose's (2018) GELT framework and Kachru's (1992) Three Circles Model are used to analyse data. The findings reveal that the textbooks mostly represent the target interlocutors from Native English users. With regards to the aspect of cultural depiction, the findings reveal that various cultures from all three circles are represented in these textbooks. The findings suggest that the English textbooks that which are currently used in Thai EFL context are likely to rely on the traditional ELT in the aspect of the target interlocutors. However, the depiction of cultural aspects in the textbooks corresponds more to the GELT concept with regards to the promotion of learners from different cultures across circles.

Emotional Labor in Lecturer-Student Interactions (ELLSI) in Israeli Academic Teacher Training Colleges1

This study examined work contexts of lecturers in Israeli academic teacher training colleges in which they perform emotional labor. This study, employing qualitative method and open-ended questionnaires, and participants included 29 lecturers. Thematic content analyses suggest a three concentric circles model of emotional labor in lecturer-student interactions (ELLSI) representing three contexts in which participants performed emotional labor in their interactions with students: Individual, pedagogical and administrative. These findings are in line with previous works on emotional labors among lecturers, which pose lecturers as service providers of their client-students, according to institutional demands. Research limitations, recommendations for future work and applicable aspects will be discussed.

Chinese Global Orders: Socialism, Tradition, and Nation in China–Russia Relations

While many use rational IR theory to explain Chinese foreign policy behavior, this paper follows global IR to employ interpretivist theory to examine how Chinese elites understand their country’s role in the world. In particular, it explores the Chinese global order ideas of socialism, tradition, and nation through a comparative analysis of how they work in China–Russia relations, especially after China’s 20th Communist Party Congress in 2022. The first section presents a critical analysis of the realist understanding of the China–Russia–U.S. strategic triangle. It argues that the socialist concept of “united front work” better explains Chinese (and Russian) policy in terms of short-term “tactical triangles.” To probe China’s long-term global order ideas, the second section explores narratives of tradition to examine the concentric circles model of global order seen in Chinese tianxia and Russian Eurasianism. To understand these competing Russocentric and Sinocentric global orders, the third section explores how each country’s official historiography highlights narratives of the nation and especially how national rejuvenation requires correcting the “national humiliation” of lost territories. Rather than see these narratives in a linear chronological history — i.e., from tradition to socialism to nationalism — this paper considers how they overlap in socialism, tradition, and nation, a non-linear dynamic triad of global order ideas. It concludes first that further research is necessary to examine the interrelation of these three narratives: while nation and tradition are often employed to support the overarching narrative of socialism in recent years, this could certainly change. The conclusion then argues that while these narratives may be coherent theoretically, they have not been very successful in achieving Beijing and Moscow’s foreign policy objectives.

A two concentric circles model incorporating availability of ecosystem services and affordability of humans to clarify the ecological security concept

As human influences on natural ecosystems continue to expand, the utilization of natural resources is approaching a threshold where unsustainability threatens the security of human society. As the challenging tradeoffs between human resource demand, ecological sustainability and the security of human society have become more widely recognized, ecological security issues have received extensive attention. However, despite the emergence of substantial body of scientific research on these broader issues, there is still no broad consensus on the definition of ecological security and how it should be applied to mediate resource use and conservation dilemmas. Across the body of published research in this subject area, the criteria and evaluation methods are often so different that the results of different studies are difficult to compare. In this paper, we propose that ecological security refers to the degree to which the condition of ecosystem can support a certain level of socioeconomic development or quality of life. We propose a simple geometric model to quantify ecological security in two dimensions: the availability of ecosystem services and the affordability of humans. The availability dimension is determined by the supply and demand of ecosystem services and the affordability dimension is determined by the cost and the paying capacity balance to obtain ecosystem services. Then, we applied this model to two hypothetical cases to demonstrate its usefulness. The most important feature of the proposed model is that it enables the quick evaluation of important aspects of ecological security for a study area using eight key factors. Although the shape and geographic characteristics of a study area are usually more complex than the hypothetical case, our model can be applied if the conditions are properly simplified or adjusted.

MOOC Appropriation and Agency in Face-to-Face Learning Communities

Aim/Purpose: The emergence of massive open online courses (MOOCs) has fostered the creation of co-located learning communities; however, there is limited research on the types of interactions unfolding in these spaces. Background: This study explores Peer 2 Peer University’s Learning Circles, a project that allows individuals to take MOOCs together at the library. I investigated the patterns that emerged from the interactions between facilitators, learners, course materials, and digital media in the pilot round of these Learning Circles. Methodology: This study employs an ethnography of hybrid spaces (online/offline participant observations, in-depth interviews, and artifact collection) of face-to-face study groups taking place at library branches in a Midwest metropolitan area. Data analysis employs the constant comparison method. Contribution: Interactions taking place in the Learning Circles increased individuals’ agency as learners and subverted the MOOC model through processes of technological appropriation. Findings: The findings reveal that interactions within Learning Circles created a dynamic negotiation of roles, produced tension points, enabled a distributed model of knowledge, and structured study routines. The pilot round of Learning Circles attracted diverse participants beyond the typical digitally literate MOOC student. Many of them had no previous experience taking online courses and, in some cases, no Internet connection at home. This paper argues that Learning Circles favored the appropriation of artifacts (technologies) and increased participants’ agency as learners in the Internet age. Recommendations for Practitioners: Practitioners can use the Learning Circles model to benefit disenfranchised individuals by providing them with access to materials resources and a network of peers that can help increase their agency as learners. Recommendation for Researchers: This study suggests that it is fundamental to pay attention to learning initiatives that are unfolding outside the scope of traditional and formal education. Impact on Society: Open educational resources and public libraries are opening new pathways for learning beyond traditional higher education institutions. Future Research: Future research can explore how the learning circles are adapted in cultural contexts outside the United States.

Tax Compliance in the Wild: Critical Review of Nudging and Proposition of an Integrative Framework

Context: There is an inflation of behavioral frameworks applied to social problems, such as tax dodging. There has been also a surge in the creation of the so-called nudge units throughout the world, following the success of the pioneer units in USA and UK. Meanwhile, there has been criticism directed at aspects such as ‘psychologism,’ paternalism, and short-termism associated with nudge approaches. Moreover, by ignoring systems thinking, complexity science and other broader approaches, nudging may lead to interventions that can be ineffective or counterproductive in the long term. Goal: To overcome such limitations, the paper proposes an integrative framework, the Nested Circles Model, which put the intended behaviors in a perspective ranging from microworlds to broader upstream influences. Method: The paper employs a qualitative approach to critically review the literature on nudging and map its shortcomings. Results and contributions: The proposed model integrates major concepts from popular behavioral frameworks and incorporates elements that influence the repertoire of behaviors adopted by individuals, including intangible stocks (trust and fairness) and complexity markers. The paper concludes by exemplifying the application of the Nested Circles Model to three problems in the context of taxation in Brazil.

Virtual Dissertation Circles: Student Engagement Strategies and Lessons Learned

A great body of research demonstrates that online doctoral student needs center around motivation, community, affirmation from peers, and feedback (e.g., Akojie, Entrekin, Bacon, & Kanai, 2019; Gibson, Fields, Wladkowski, Kusmaul, Greenfield, & Mauldin, 2019; Kumar, & Coe, 2017).This study focused on the development of a Dissertation Circles Model to provide students with a forum for connecting with peers at various stages of the dissertation process with rotated supervision by long-serving dissertation chairs within the department. Future directions include expansion of the initiative to include non-clinical practicum, to support improved preparation of students by setting expectations and providing mentorship opportunities.

Reflection on English in Japan and 'Japanese English'

ABSTRACT Globalization invalidates Kachru's geography-based Three Circles model in that people communicate across all three circles. Millions of nonnative speakers use English influenced by their mother tongues and home cultures. Thus English as a Lingua Franca has become an assemblage of English of various linguacultural backgrounds. However, the Japanese are still under the deeply-rooted native speakerism and pursue 'native-like' or 'near native' proficiency. The Japanese should not be ashamed of using English with the Japanese linguacultural flavor although we should aim at English which is understandable and acceptable to all English users rather than purposefully insist 'Japaneseness' in English. Fortunately we have a large stock of English lexis as loanwords in Japanese, most of which can be used in English as they are. We have great potentialities to be good English speakers.

Developing English Majors’ Comprehension of Literary Texts and Online Self-Regulated Language Learning Skills via Literature Circles 2.0

To cope with the virtual learning mode that the COVID-19 pandemic has posed and driven by the desire to enhance students’ ability to plan, monitor, and evaluate their online learning, the current study sought to digitalize the Literature Circles model and investigate its effect on developing English majors’ comprehension skills of literary texts and online self-regulated language learning skills in an EFL context. Literature Circles 2.0 was adopted to teach the Literary Reading course that includes five short stories and a one-act play. To achieve the purpose of the study, two tools were implemented: Test of Literary Reading Comprehension Skills and Online Self-Regulated Language Learning Skills Questionnaire (Barnard et al., 2009). Sixty English majors, divided into two equivalent groups, participated in the study. The control group studied the course using the traditional teaching method, teacher-centered, which relies on lecturing, whereas the experimental group studied the same course using the Literature Circles 2.0, whereby students worked autonomously in an online virtual environment. The study results revealed the significant effect of Literature Circles 2.0 on developing the students’ comprehension of literary texts as they were demonstrated to be involved personally and emotionally in the active learning process of the course. Meanwhile, the students of the experimental group displayed a significant mastery of the online self-regulated language learning skills. Based on the students’ significant improvement in processing, comprehending, and extracting the meaning of literary texts, the study concluded that the Literature Circles 2.0 proved to be an effective approach to promoting students’ comprehension of literary texts. Therefore, the study conclusively recommends the use of Literature Circles 2.0 in teaching such texts.

Exploring English as a Multicultural Language in Pakistan: A Sociolinguistic Profile

This study aims at exploring Pakistani English as a multicultural language and the importance of grasping the reality of intercultural competence in English language teaching (ELT). It conceptualizes Pakistani English as a multicultural language in terms of the Three Concentric Circles model suggested by B. B. Kachru (1985). Innovative changes and deviations have been recognized as indigenized features of Pakistani English that emerge due to the influence of L1 and the Pakistani cultural context. This is a theory-based content analysis of textbooks of English taught at IX and X grades in schools of the four provinces in Pakistan. An analysis of lexical stereotypes in Pakistani English is carried out to explore a multicultural dimension of Pakistani English. Recruiting the notion of Pakistani English as a multicultural language this study suggests that representation of Pakistani culture in the textbooks elevates intercultural competence to fill the gap in cultural diversity using English in ELT.

Effectively supporting teachers: a peer supervision model using reflective circles

ABSTRACT Teachers are faced with an increasingly complex environment in which they need significant support to foster the classroom climates their students benefit from. Developing a critical understanding of the school and broader social context can foster awareness of the ‘bigger picture’ that influences the school community individually and collectively. This article explores research in three schools in Victoria, Australia that used a reflective circles model to explore challenging classroom and school experiences. Separate groups of 4–6 teachers or principals volunteered to participate in the reflective circles with each circle taking about 1–1.5 hours. The initial findings from interviews with nine teacher participants and three principals affirm the value of the circles for generating significant mutual support, awareness of other perspectives and strategies and building confidence and capacity to seek change. What emerged suggests the value of a peer supervision model based on critically reflective practice to support, enable, empower and foster a sense of agency for teachers and principals.

Strategic mapping of cultural and creative industries. The case of the Veneto region

Issue and Argument: What are the real and potential boundaries of cultural enterprise? How can we restore economic value and, at the same time, cultural value through the definition of a sector that seems to have no fixed borders? This paper intends to open up a reflection on the boundaries of the cultural industry, the nature of the chosen business and how the sector can become the hub in the dynamics of local development, innovation and competitiveness within the territory of reference. The concentric circles model will be the basis for a strategic mapping of the cultural and creative sector, realized starting from the funding calls for the sector in the Italian Veneto region. The Throsby’s model is derived from the principle that cultural content is free from incorporating creative ideas into the production of goods, and that such ideas arise from the primary arts (music, theatre, dance, visual arts and literature). These make up the heart of the cultural industries, while the surrounding circles represent the ideas and influences that these creative activities radiate. The results of the strategic mapping will be put into dialogue with a new idea of entrepreneurship, which in part excludes the Core creative arts, i.e. the primary arts.

The Invitation Circle

This article discusses an invitation circle, a process of inviting workshop and classroom participants into collaborative and humanizing inquiry, and provides guidelines for initiating an invitation circle. Drawing from indigenous and posthuman traditions, invitation circles model decolonizing inquiry, encourage participants to develop humanizing connections with one another, and foster imagination of futures unconstrained by the colonial imaginary.

The Power and the Passion: Igniting a Love of Reading through Literature Circles

This paper presents the simple but successful Literature Circles model at St Andrew's Cathedral School within the context of the importance of developing reading as a foundation for building knowledge. It covers crucial factors for success of the program, practicalities and procedures, the selection of books, and strategies for substantive discussion and a book list of the most successful titles.

Lighting the Fire

What aspects of reading engage boys? This paper looks at the importance of reading, some of the current thinking about boys and reading, and research carried out among students of St Andrew's Cathedral School, where a reading culture has developed. What implications do these findings have for our profession - for school libraries and teacher librarians? What other strategies can we employ to encourage our students to develop a lifelong love of reading? The strategies include the idea of a Literature Festival, other reading programs, ways of integrating technology into the reading experience and the Literature Circles model at St Andrew's.

Issues and prospects for incorporating English use in Japan into the dictionary

ABSTRACT This article proposes a ‘Concentric Circles Model’ (CCM) for a diglossic ‘balancing’ of both prescriptivist and descriptivist concerns regarding English usage in Japan. The model draws on theories of lexical priming and cultural intelligence, and characterises the construct of ‘Japanese English’ as inseparable from the speaker’s prior linguistic, societal and cultural experiences. Codification is an important step towards the legitimisation of a non-native variety such as Japanese English; at the same time, the dictionary has become a more fluid notion that is characterised by both ‘competitive’ and ‘cooperative’ lexicography. The article also demonstrates the use of the corpus-based methodology to enrich the lexical content of dictionary entries encapsulated by the CCM. In addition, a resource such as the Global Web-based Corpus of English (GloWbE) is used to demonstrate a bright future in which internal and external norms move away from the current adherence to monolingual standard English to one that represents broad agreement in terms of empirical frequencies of usage across varieties of English.