Ownership Of English Research Articles

L2 CONFIDENCE DEVELOPMENT OF ELF INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS IN TAIWAN

Second Language (L2) confidence is considered an affective variable for L2 users to claim ownership of English. However, the findings of previous studies could not be generalized to international students in a non-English-speaking context like Taiwan since English mainly functions as a lingua franca among individuals with diverse first languages. This study investigated three international students' development of L2 confidence while they were studying in Taiwanese universities. Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted on personal background, experiences, critical events, and personal evaluation of their L2 confidence. The interviews were transcribed, coded, and then analyzed in thematic narratives. Specific situations that affected this dynamic L2 confidence development were identified and probed deeper. The findings showed that the three participants seemed more confident in an English as Lingua Franca (ELF) community where local students were absent. Native Speaker (NS)-norms still dominated their English journey, and their confidence level greatly hinged on their NS-based proficiency. The ideology of following the NS English model threatened L2 confidence in ELF interactions. Furthermore, the participants’ perception of their nonnative speaker (NNS) identity might make them less confident. The findings contribute to the pedagogical implications for L2 learners, users and teachers.

Proposing Chinese English as a lingua franca (ChELF)

Scholarly attention to English in relation to L1 Chinese speakers in China has yielded fruitful research insights and publications, which present us with various names, such as Chinglish, Chinese English, China English and a few more, leading to terminological controversies (e.g. Eaves, 2011; Y. Li, 2018; Zhang, 1997). A review of different theoretical stances illuminates that recent research under different names converges toward an attempt to reflect the role of English as a lingua franca (ELF) for Chinese individuals, given the context of globalisation and digitalisation. The article proposes to address terminological puzzles by adopting the notion of Chinese English as a lingua franca (ChELF) to elucidate the role of ELF and acknowledge Chinese ownership of English, hoping for collaborations among researchers interested in Chinese legitimacy in English creativity emerging in intercultural practices.

Global Englishes: Textbook Analysis and Teachers’ Perception

This study investigated the manifestation of Global Englishes features in three English textbooks commonly used in the lower secondary schools of eastern Thailand. It further explored whether the teachers who used the textbooks were aware of the Global Englishes features manifested in the textbooks. The data revealed that Global Englishes features were primarily taken for granted when designing the three English textbooks. In contrast to the Global Englishes paradigm, the three English textbooks mainly represented the target interlocutors, ownership of English, and norms of English from ‘native’ English-speaking (NES) countries. Even though attempts were made to include some diversity regarding the target interlocutors, it was unbalanced distribution. However, cultural content in reading materials is found to be diversely represented. When exploring teachers’ perceptions of Global Englishes in the textbooks, it was revealed that they lacked knowledge about Global Englishes. They were aware of cultural diversities in the readings but did not try to discuss them with the students since they perceived reading skills as more important than cultural content. Implications for teacher professional development are discussed.

‘My English reflects my identity': voices of public high school English teachers on Global Englishes in Nepal

ABSTRACT While Global Englishes (GE) problematises nativespeakerism, standardness, and ownership of English, exonormative norms of English language still subjugate English language education (ELE). Although studies show that exploring teachers’ voices and beliefs about ELE and the inclusion of GE in teaching English is essential, as their voices and beliefs influence ELE, research on understanding public high school English teachers’ voices about GE in an understudied and under-resourced context, Nepal is unavailable. Thus, this study explores public high school teachers’ voices about GE in Nepal thereby employing a narrative inquiry. Recruiting 12 public high school teachers through a purposive sampling method, individual interviews were conducted via Zoom. The analysis of narratives was conducted using Braun and Clarke’s [(2006). “Using Thematic Analysis in Psychology.” Qualitative Research in Psychology 3 (2): 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa] six phases of qualitative data analysis. The findings indicated that the participants seemed to be aware of GE. Expressing the common belief that English used in Nepal has distinct features from the Englishes used elsewhere, the findings reveal that English in Nepal is influenced by American, British, and Indian Englishes along with the first languages spoken in Nepal. Moreover, participants interrogated nativespeakerism and decentered ownership associated with Inner Circle Englishes.

The Perceptions of University English Teachers in Japan about Teaching English as an International Language

This study investigated the perceptions of English teachers teaching English as an international language (EIL) at Japanese universities through a focus group interview. Eight experienced full-time English teachers at a medium-sized comprehensive university in western Japan shared their thoughts on the ownership of English, the varieties of Englishes, raising students’ awareness, pronunciation models, and cultural input in the English classroom. Most teachers believed that English, which exists in many varieties, no longer belongs to any English-speaking country. Furthermore, they preferred letting their students experience various Englishes in the classroom. But they had diverging opinions on pronunciation models and most leant towards intercultural competence when asked about cultural input in the English classroom. Study results provide some pedagogical implications for English educators, especially in the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context, and directions for further studies.

Ownership of English: Insights from Australian Tertiary Education Contexts

ABSTRACT This study investigates the perception of English ownership among multilingual students in Australian universities. Using qualitative interviews, it explores ownership through four aspects: expertise, inheritance, usage, and identification. The findings suggest that linguistic ownership is tied to language proficiency and self-identification as an expert. Despite students' confidence in English use, being labelled as 'non-native' speakers hinders their sense of ownership. The research highlights ongoing issues related to English ownership, the validity of its variations, and the pervasive influence of the 'native speaker' concept despite efforts to dismantle it. This is largely due to students' experiences with educators who are viewed as guardians of a more 'legitimate' English. The study recommends educators foster awareness of diverse English uses and avoid reinforcing native-speakerism ideologies.

An Investigation on the Enactment of Native-Speakerism on Social Media in China: A Critical Discourse Perspective

From a critical discourse perspective, this article explored how native-speakerism, the dominating ideology in the ELT community were enacted on the social media platforms of mainland China. ELT-related videos on two flourishing online video-sharing platforms, namely Douyin and Bilibili.com, were investigated with the use of language and the dynamics of power being focused. Findings from the study demonstrated the systematic influence of native-speakerism in the ELF community as well as the overwhelming power of native-speakers in terms of the issues regarding the authenticity and ownership of English.

Using Addressing Terms to Promote World-Englishes in Indonesia

The research were to analyze the addressing terms used in Indonesian society relating to the World-Englishes movement and to analyze the process of the World-Englishes movement through the use of the addressing terms. Therefore, the research aimed to describe the movement process, especially in Indonesian society, by looking at how the students addressed the lecturers. The descriptive qualitative approach was applied by having an interview with eight universities in Indonesia and the chatting activities between the students and the lecturers. The postcolonial theory was used to show the ownership of English. The research concludes that some diction is only understood by Indonesian people speaking English. Therefore, those terms of addressing exclusively belong to the Indonesian language. However, it can be an encouraging signal that English belongs to not only the inner circle but also the expanding circle.

L2 Investment and Techno‐Reflective Narrative Interviews

English medium instruction (EMI) can become pantomime in the context of higher education, and such non‐participation can be shaped and explained by learners' refusing to invest in the English learning practices while performing their learner/speaker/user identities. Taking a Bourdieusian stance on this issue, the study discusses techno‐reflective narrative interviews (TRNI) as a retrospective framing tool for investigating L2 learners' English investment by showcasing a tertiary TRNI exemplar and examining the extent to which TRNIs help to (1) investigate how students negotiate and perform multiple and constantly contradictory linguistic, cultural, and role identities; (2) provide a reflective account of students' critical genre and literacy awareness while finishing various tasks; and (3) empower the students by amplifying their voices and positioning and unfold their struggle with ideological notions of English ownership.

Designing New Ownership of English: A Commentary

This special issue brings together understandings about language teaching advanced by scholars whose theoretical frameworks and study of practices fall under what is considered, on the one hand, Global Englishes, and on the other, Translanguaging. Although there is much synergy between the two, this excellent special issue shows how each of these two frameworks differ, advancing the teaching of Englishes today in ways that promote diversity and inclusion.

Instructional Note: Using the Mother Tongue as a Resource for English Acquisition

In these instructional notes, I share practical strategies for using ESL students’ first language as a resource for English language and literacy acquisition. These strategies emerged from a bilingual writing program that linked ESL and Spanish writing instruction at Bronx Community College (CUNY). After discussing how I was able to circumvent the monolingual orientations of my institution and set up this program as a learning community cluster, I illustrate ways in which translanguaging can help ESL students take ownership of English for academic purposes.

Translingual identity across transnational education spaces: study on a group of Chinese students in joint education programme

ABSTRACT Informed by translingual practice [Canagarajah, S. 2013a. Translingual Practice: Global Englishes and Cosmopolitan Relations. New York: Routledge] and poststructuralist conceptualisation of identity [Norton, B. 2000. “Identity and Language Learning: Gender, Ethnicity and Educational Change.” TESOL Quarterly 35 (3): 504–505], this qualitative case study explored the process of translingual identity construction and negotiation among a group of Chinese students in a joint education programme between China and the United States. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and observations. Data analysis found that these Chinese students initially perceived themselves as deficient ESL speakers resulting from a lack of competence in English, but were able to transform this dilemma with the development of powerful national identities throughout their China-US transnational experiences. In order to claim ownership of English and membership in the host community, besides using standard norms of English to handle academic and social life communication, students developed translingual dispositions as well as translingual practices to supplement their communicative competence with expanded semiotic repertoire. The study extends previous discussions on identity by examining through an analytical lens as translingualism to explore students’ identity construction and negotiation in transnational education spaces and provides implications for translingual-oriented language policy and ideologies in intercultural contexts to enhance outcomes of teaching practices and students’ learning.

LEARNING ENGLISH IN TODAY’S GLOBAL WORLD

AbstractIn comparative studies focusing on context of learning, the main contexts under investigation have been study abroad (SA), at-home formal instruction (AH), and domestic immersion (IM). With the global status of English and its burgeoning popularity as a medium of instruction in countries where English only holds the status of a lingua franca, a new SA context has emerged. This study compares the L2 learning of English in this new English as a lingua franca study abroad (ELFSA) context to Anglophone SA and AH in terms of oral and written complexity, accuracy, and fluency gains. Participants’ perceptions of contextual differences concerning the amount of language contact, use, development, and their views toward English are also explored qualitatively. Apart from indicating equal development on most CAF measures after a semester, the qualitative findings highlight ELFSA as providing a low-anxiety atmosphere that helps sojourners gain ownership of English. Thus, ELFSA emerges as an appealing study abroad context for future sojourners.

English in the Philippines from the Perspective of Linguistic Imperialism

This essay analyses English linguistic imperialism (Phillipson, 1992, 46) in the Philippines and identifies the features of linguistic neo-imperialism in the current era. The study rethinks and investigates how English linguistic imperialism plays a dual role in promoting and destroying the Filipino linguistic ecology. The present situation of English imperialism analyzed in this essay shows that the new stage of English linguistic imperialism embodies language hegemony mainly driven by political influence and business interests. At present, English linguistic neo-imperialism is not confined within post-colonial territories but maintains and expands both the language’s positive and negative influences as the world’s lingua franca. The authors also discuss the Filipino ownership of English and whether linguistic imperialism is entirely applicable to the Philippine context. Evidence shows that the continuing use of English, to a great extent, is Filipinos’ choice, not only for the benefit of the United States

Korean University Students' Usage, Awareness and Attitudes Toward ELF

Based on a survey conducted among 77 Korean university students, this article examined their usage and awareness of ELF (English as a Lingua Franca), and observed if problems which previous researches have claimed appeared among them. By analyzing data gathered via 2 simple questions and 4 descriptive questions, this study found that the respondents appreciated English as a basic medium for global communication. The respondents also reported various domestic and foreign situations in which they used English to communicate with different interlocutors who spoke different native languages. However, critical issues, such as ownership of English, idealized attitudes toward Standard English, and bias against the varieties of English spoken, all of which have been reported in several empirical researches, were also detected. As globalization extends throughout all areas of our life, and as L2 speakers excel L1 speakers in number as a result, this article calls for more effort to discuss ELF issues in general English education for university students. It also calls for the development of new pedagogical practices. The findings of this study could provide for a meaningful start in that it looked into the real life situations of the students.

“I Have to Teach The ‘English’ English”: Native-speakerism Ideology among the English Teachers

Native-speakerism is a crucial issue to discuss in ELT, especially related to the different ideological views on World Englishes and ‘standard’ English. Differences in ideology about English and its variations have an impact on the English teaching implementation. Many studies have examined discrimination practices driven by native-speakerism ideology in educational contexts such as in the preference of English teacher recruitment which prefers teachers who are considered as native speakers. Although studies have discussed native-speakerism ideology, not many studies have discussed native-speakerism ideology from the perspective of English teachers in Indonesia. This study, therefore, aims to find out how widespread this ideology is among English teachers of a private school in metropolitan Jakarta. It seeks to explore the dimensions of native-speakerism in the various aspects of the English teaching profession. This study is interview-based research with seven participants. Data collection was done by conducting individual interviews for 30-40 minutes which then were analyzed descriptively to identify the recurring themes. The results showed that there were traces of native speakerism ideology among the English teachers in Permata schools that views English from a purist perspective towards the language and its culture. This purist perspective is reflected from how they defined native-speakers of English and depicted the ownership of English, language learning and teaching beliefs, and their teaching practices.

Illuminated Caxtons and the Trade in Printed Books

Abstract This article suggests that the illuminated initials and borderwork added to ten early printed books in England are attributable to a single illuminator, the ‘Incunables Limner’, an individual for whom there is circumstantial evidence that he specialized in the illumination of printed books. Five of these books are copies of William Caxton’s Golden Legend (Westminster, 1483–84), while the other five are Continental imprints (two from Strasbourg, and one from each of Basel, Verona, and Parma) printed between 1476 and 1484. In addition, a second illuminator can be identified in a sixth copy of Caxton’s Golden Legend, working to the same design as that employed within the five copies decorated by the Incunables Limner. The possibility is considered that books illuminated by the Incunables Limner were products of Caxton’s overseas trade, and that it was through acting in this capacity that the artist’s specialization was viable. The Continental books are explored for what they might imply about Caxton’s wider book-selling strategies, and three with evidence for early English ownership are selected for particular attention.

ESP for economy and business: A critical needs analysis of English language teaching in today's market economy in Algeria

Some decades ago, Algeria began a transformation from a planned economy to a market economy, for which English became a requirement. The Algerian government believes that promoting English language learning is an attempt to become competitive globally. This emphasis on English resulted in various curricular reforms, influenced by the economic globalization, as the nation attempted to shape its educational systems to provide the skills for a growing global economy. Through this contribution, we believe that contributors have to rethink the role of English in education, employment, social status, and financial development. Moreover, in pedagogy, it is better to shift from ESP to teaching TEGCOM (Teaching English for Globalized Communication), allowing interaction between global forces in specific socio-cultural contexts. Therefore, in working together, the Algerian contributors can prove their English ownership and exercise their agency in their different market creative practices.

Multilingualism, nation branding, and the ownership of English in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan

AbstractThis study examines the ownership of English and linguistic (in)security of multilingual English learners in two post‐Soviet nation‐states. Using the chronotopic and scalar analysis of discourse, I examine students’ ideologies of English vis‐à‐vis their linguistic repertoires in the context of national imaginary and globalization. I utilize the concept of ‘nation branding’ to trace the relationship between language ideologies and broader sociopolitical factors, including neoliberalism. The analysis of 60 individual student interviews revealed that the state‐circulated nation‐branding discourse is a powerful tool for instilling the sense of linguistic ownership. The findings showed that students in Uzbekistan regard English as opportunistic and more valuable in the global market than their local languages. In contrast, students in Kazakhstan see all of their languages including English as pivotal in enacting trilingual identity at local, national, and global scales.

Asserting Koreanness in South Korean middle school English textbooks

AbstractIn response to recent trends in recognizing English as the language of international communication, this study examines the extent to which English textbooks used in the South Korean education system incorporate properties of what it means to be a legitimate Korean speaker of English. By adopting a thematic approach to critical discourse analysis, the study explores seven government‐authorized middle school English textbook series widely used in Korea. Analyses center around the themes of ownership of English and identity formation, naming order convention, national independence, contentious territorial disputes, and repatriation. Findings reveal how asserting national identity and learning English are jointly framed and reflected in the textbooks. The study discusses how discourses are constructed to present opportunities for promoting learners’ cultivation of Koreanness pertaining to dominant ideologies and contemporary identity issues while enhancing their awareness in positioning themselves as competent members in the global community through the course of learning of English.