English As An International Language Pedagogy Research Articles

DEVELOPING STUDENTS’ MACRO LANGUAGE SKILLS INTEGRATEDLY BY INTERCONNECTING THE TARGET CULTURE AND LOCAL WISDOM IN TEFLIN/TEGL/TEIL

The goal of teaching English as a foreign language in Indonesia (TEFLIN), or in a wider context–teaching English as a global language (TEGL) or teaching English as an international language (TEIL), is that the students are able to “authentically” communicate with others using the target language in real life situations: attending lectures or seminars, having a chat via Internet, discussing TV programmes, bargaining items in markets, etc. When the communication takes place, the four macro language skills are integratedly employed to convey and receive messages as the contents of communications. This vividly seems that language in use must have contents because language itself merely consists of symbols, grammatical rules in the forms of patterns, and skills. In TEFLIN or TEGL/TEIL, therefore, the teachers/lecturers of English should cater the students with meaningful contents appropriate for them to develop their four macro language skills in meaningful learning atmosphere. The contents encompass the target culture and students’ local wisdom related to their real-life situations. The target culture is employed as meaningful input texts for receptive skills: listening and reading. The input texts are then employed to explore and elaborate on local wisdom related to the target culture for productive skills: writing and speaking. The steps proposed are as follows: 1) warming the students up with relevant situation to the topic, 2) presenting input texts about the target culture to discuss (listening or reading), 3) analysing the ways of expressing ideas used in the target language –English, 4) analysing and discussing the language elements, and 5) employing the learned ways of expressing ideas in productive skills (writing and speaking) about local wisdom related to students’ real life situations in the target language.

English Language Teacher Educators’ critical professional identity constructions and negotiations

ABSTRACT This study sought to examine how professional identities of English Language Teacher Educators (ELTEs) evolved considering current socio-political factors surrounding Teaching English as an International Language (TEIL) in Colombia. This in-depth research examined how a group of 5 non-native ELTEs constructed and transformed their identity in an English Teacher Education programme. It is framed by an interpretive paradigm and a critical action research approach. Interviews, a series of small group study events, and ELTEs' reflective reports were the three approaches employed to collect the data. The main finding of this investigation showed a certain degree of change in participants' professional identities.

Using Graphic Oral History Texts to Operationalize the TEIL Paradigm and Multimodality in the Malaysian English Language Classroom

The adoption of commercial language-teaching materials produced in the United Kingdom, or the United States, is a common practice in English language teaching (ELT) worldwide. This is due to the wide perception of British and American English as the standard, favorable models of the English language. This practice, however, does not support the increasing and urgent shift to the teaching English as an international language (TEIL) paradigm, and it further perpetuates the hegemony of these Western countries over the market of ELT materials. In this paper, we seek to not only problematize the adoption of global commercial materials but also propose a conceptual model for composing effective local ELT materials for the Malaysian English language classroom. In doing so, we refer to the relevant literature and previous research. The proposed conceptual model embraces the TEIL paradigm as well as multimodality and executes them by utilizing oral history and the graphic novel as two powerful pedagogical tools. By combining these two pedagogies, the model accentuates the acknowledged pedagogical value of both oral history and the graphic novel and results in local-context and culture-based texts that are also consistent with the current nature of texts being visual and multimodal. Furthermore, the paper showcases some samples of graphic oral history texts composed by Malaysian English language teachers and student teachers in two projects.

The paradigm of english as an international language (EIL): Tertiary-level learning outcomes from an expanding circle context

The changing sociolinguistic landscape of English with novel uses and users calls for adjustment of the existing Anglocentric English Language Teaching practices, thereby encouraging paradigm shifts, including Teaching English as an International Language (TEIL). To this end, for a PhD study, an EIL-oriented course was designed and implemented, aiming at promoting understanding and awareness of sociolinguistic realities and the complexity of English, changing attitudes towards diversity, and enhancing proficiency. Later, a course evaluation with 53 preparatory English majoring participants (F = 41, M = 12) was conducted to find out whether it could achieve these designed outcomes. The data was drawn in a mixed-method way from a pre and post-treatment questionnaire and focus-group interviews. The participants' understanding and awareness improved, and most took positive attitudes towards EIL, and their listening, interaction, and critical thinking skills broadened. Yet, it was also found that because some still regarded Americans and the British as the custodians, they viewed diversity as corruption, thereby tending to see Standard English as the only instructional variety to be brought to the classroom. In the end, ways to turn the classroom into an EIL-sensitive, interactive, and authentic atmosphere to give students a real reason to communicate, hear, and respect differences at both linguistic and cultural levels were suggested.

Informal digital learning of English and perceptions of using EIL materials: attitude toward varieties of English as a mediator

ABSTRACT This mixed-methods study aims to examine the mediating role of attitude toward English varieties in the relationship between Informal Digital Learning of English (IDLE) and perceptions of using English as an International Language (EIL) materials in pre-service English teachers. We collected and analyzed survey data from 434 Indonesian EFL pre-service teachers, using the Jamovi programme. Survey results showed that both receptive and productive IDLE activities had a significant impact on attitudes toward different forms of English, which in turn had a significant impact on views of using EIL resources. Individual interviews (n = 10) and stimulated recalls (n = 7) revealed that participation in IDLE activities (e.g. watching YouTube videos with different English accents and users) aided in maintaining a more positive attitude toward different varieties of English. As a result, pre-service EFL teachers became more open to using EIL materials, such as listening materials that employ different English accents. This study suggests that IDLE is an important factor in developing positive attitudes toward English varieties, an approach that may enable today's pre-service EFL teachers to become more open toward and tolerant of integrating EIL pedagogy into practice.

Teaching English as an International Language (TEIL): A Showcase of the Field

As an initiative to question the Anglo-centric view of English ignoring the socio-cultural realities, the paradigm of English as an International Language (EIL) has gained space in the scholarly realm. Despite the thriving body of literature on theory, action based studies seem to be largely missing. The main rationale underlying this article is to analyse eight EIL-oriented classroom implementations from the perspectives of practitioners around the world with the aim of not only deepening the understanding of EIL but also offering useful insights for practitioners who may find its assumptions documented at theory level too elusive to implement. Findings evidence pedagogical value including a true understanding and increased awareness of the sociolinguistic realities and complexity of English, positive attitudes towards its cultural and linguistic diversity, skill enhancement, and higher motivation and confidence in using English. The review ends with pedagogical implications and suggestions for further research.

Rethinking Privilege in Teaching English in Japanese Higher Education

This article addresses the issue of native-speakerism in teaching English in the context of Japanese higher education and the privilege arising from it. Previous research has shown that native speakers are often regarded as highly skilled and qualified teachers in teaching their mother tongue. This has often led to the marginalization of teachers who speak the language they teach as an additional language. In the case of Japan, however, there is doubt about the existence of such a privilege for native-speaker teachers and some studies have shown that native speakers of English do not receive preferential treatment in this context as they are often perceived as replaceable and temporary. The present study aimed to further explore this issue by focusing on the varieties of English Japanese universities expect their teachers to speak. In so doing, the study has investigated hiring policies of Japanese universities with reference to the job advertisements they post on a designated portal. The results of the qualitative thematic analysis indicated that the majority of the advertisements demanded prospective candidates to be native speakers of English, which also meant that this subgroup of teachers has a privilege in landing academic jobs by token of the variety of English they speak. The article suggests that the critical pedagogical approach of teaching English as an international language (TEIL) can mitigate such privilege by raising awareness towards the validity and appropriateness of different varieties of English spoken in the world.

Motivational strategies in Chinese language classrooms: A comparative study of novice and experienced teachers

Abstract Plenty of research in applied linguistics has confirmed that language teachers’ motivational strategies are playing a crucial role in relation to the learning motivation of their students. While previous research on motivational strategies has focused almost exclusively on teaching English as an international language (TESOL), this paper seeks to explore what motivational strategies are used by teachers of Chinese as a second language (CSL), and how their use differs between novice and experienced teachers in the Chinese cultural context in mainland China. The study was carried out in four Beijing universities with 90 novice and 85 experienced CSL teachers. The research instrument was adapted from the classical model developed by Dörnyei, Zoltán, & Kata Csizér. 1998. Ten Commandments for motivating language learners: Results of an empirical study. Language Teaching Research 2(3). 203–229. Participants were asked to rate the motivational strategies in terms of their perceived importance and the frequency by which they implemented them in their teaching practices. Following this, six participants also took part in semi-structured interviews. The findings of the study reveal a significant relationship between teachers’ preferences of motivational strategies and their cultural background, teaching objectives and the teaching contexts. Results also show a remarkable difference in motivational strategies between novice and experienced teachers at both macro and individual levels. The study suggests a few interpretations of the results and several implications for CSL teacher’s professional development based on its findings.

Teaching English as an International Language (EIL) in Nepal

With the rapid growth and widespread use of English worldwide, there has been a paradigm shift from teaching English as foreign language to teaching English as an international language. However, there has been less discussion on English pedagogy about the global spread of English in this era of globalization, with rapid increase of English speakers around the world. The internationalisation of the status of English, leading to the emergence of World Englishes, has led to discuss the issue of teaching English as an international language (TEIL) to visit the way we conceptualise and teach English. As English is no longer a homogeneous language, English teachers across the world have been teaching English according to their own contexts. Considering this scenario, this article discusses teaching and learning of English as an international language in the context of Nepal, taking Kachru’s three concentric circles of English in the global context as the theoretical framework and English as an international language as the conceptual framework, focusing on use of culturally sensitive EIL pedagogy.

Implications of English as an International Language for Language Pedagogy

The position of the English language in the world has recently underwent an enormous shift. The global spread of English has altered its status from being a homogeneous and standard language spoken by a few powerful countries into an international language or lingua franca spoken by a wide variety of speakers around the world (Llurda, 2014). The unprecedented global demand, use, and appropriation of English as an international language (EIL) necessitates a profession-wide response to English language learning, teaching, teacher education, assessment, and policy. The international status of English and increase in the number of EIL learners require a teaching agenda that incorporates pedagogical approaches that teach English based on EIL principles (Matsuda, 2017). The current study attempts to discuss the implications of EIL on issues related to language pedagogy, such as culture and intercultural competence in EIL, native-like competence, English teachers in the EIL pedagogy, language assessment in EIL and EIL teacher education. The studies show that EIL as a means of intercultural communication in a wide range of contexts calls for a reconceptualisation of language pedagogy It is concluded that despite the extensive discussions on the role of students’ first language culture for EIL learners, English textbooks and classrooms continue to rely on the target culture and ignore the students’ own culture. Therefore, EIL has yet to be fully incorporated language education despite extensive studies that have been conducted on its role.

English teachers’ attitudes toward their new roles promoted by English-as-an-international-language pedagogy

Teaching English as an International Language (EIL) has gained significant ground in recent years. However, the successful implementation of EIL pedagogy largely depends on teachers’ attitude toward EIL. As such, exploring teachers’ attitudes toward principles of EIL pedagogy is of paramount significance. To this end, we examined teachers’ attitudes toward their new roles promoted by principles of EIL pedagogy. Four major findings emerged. First, teachers still consider native accent the correct model. Second, participants were not aware of their role as promoters of intercultural competence, and culture was not a planned part of the curriculum. Third, the teachers were mostly passive consumers of commercial textbooks instead of being critical users of instructional materials. Fourth, the majority of participants were not critical users of teaching methodologies. The implications of our findings for language teacher education in the contexts of EIL are also discussed.

World Englishes in English language teaching: Kachru's six fallacies and the TEIL paradigm

AbstractIn recent years, there has been increased interest among English language teaching (ELT) professionals in world Englishes (WE) studies. This article examines the influence of Braj Kachru's work and WE studies in general on ELT. After a brief historical overview of the disciplinary relationship between WE and ELT, it discusses the current place of WE in ELT and presents the framework of Teaching English as an International Language (TEIL), an innovative paradigm in ELT that heavily draws from WE. The article ends with insights into future, speculating how WE will continue to be resourceful to ELT.

Preservice English teachers’ perceptions of English as an international language in Indonesia and Korea

ABSTRACTPreservice English teachers’ perceptions about English as an international language (EIL) have not been adequately examined in different cross-cultural contexts. To fill that void, a total of 590 preservice English teachers from Indonesia (n = 344) and South Korea (n = 246) completed an EIL perception questionnaire. Subsequently, an independent samples t-test was conducted to examine differences between Indonesian and Korean preservice teachers with regard to their EIL perceptions. Three major findings were identified: first, Indonesian preservice teachers reported a higher level of perceived capacity to employ effective cross-cultural communicative strategies in comparison to their Korean counterparts. Second, although Korean preservice teachers acknowledged the existence of non-native varieties of English, they seemed hesitant to include non-native English accents in ELT listening materials. Intriguingly, the same phenomenon was not observed with the Indonesian group. Third, Indonesian preservice teachers were perceived to have a higher degree of ownership over their own English accents in contrast to the Korean group. These results are discussed with consideration of geographic, sociocultural and educational contexts of both countries that might have influenced shaping preservice English teachers’ language perceptions. Lastly, three pedagogical suggestions (i.e. Exposure and Critical Reflection, EIL Pedagogy Implementation, and Reality Check) will be offered.

Perceptions of English as an international language by Korean English-major and non-English-major students

ABSTRACTThis study examined perceptions of English as an International Language (EIL) by Korean English-major and non-English-major students. It also investigated factors that influenced their perceptions. The EIL Perception Scale was employed to assess two dimensions of EIL (i.e. varieties of English [VE] and strategies for multilingual/multicultural communication [SMC]) between English majors (N = 206) and non-majors (N = 172) in three separate regions of South Korea. Follow-up interviews were administered to 20 English and 20 non-English-major students for the purpose of delving into factors that might have influenced the differences in their EIL perceptions. Results showed that English majors held more positive perceptions toward both VE and SMC than did their non-English-major counterparts. It was also found that the differences in their EIL perceptions were mainly influenced by a teacher-structured EIL pedagogy and student-directed EIL experience in various informal digital learning of English (IDLE) environments. These results suggest that the EIL experience that occurs in a formal language classroom setting can positively influence students’ EIL perceptions. Further, students’ engagement in IDLE activities – in which EIL teachers’ instructional intervention is absent – may also have a significant impact on their EIL perceptions.

Is Teaching English as an International Language All about Being Politically Correct?

One comment I often receive when I talk about teaching English as an international language (TEIL) is that TEIL is all about being politically correct – a mere gesture to be inclusive and egalitarian, promoted by a certain ideological stance. It is true that there are certain ideologies, language and beyond, that are compatible with certain aspects of TEIL and this encourages some English Language Teaching (ELT) professionals to embrace or reject this approach to English language teaching. My stance on this issue, however, is that TEIL is not about being politically correct or promoting certain ideologies; rather, it is about understanding and accepting the realities of global use of English today and having our teaching grounded in this reality. The article provides a brief overview of what TEIL is and reviews some ideological arguments that seem compatible with TEIL. It then moves on to argue that TEIL is something all English language teachers can and should embrace, regardless of their ideological stance or beliefs about what English should be. This is for a pragmatic reason: to better prepare our students for the messy world of English today.

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

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.

Exploring English as an International Language – Curriculum, Materials and Pedagogical Strategies

The English language has been going through a dual process of globalization and nativization. The globalization of English renders the language into a global lingua franca and an international language, whereas the nativization of English diversifies it into varieties of English, namely, World Englishes. Such ‘glocalization’ of English has realistic implications for teaching English as an International Language (TEIL). English as an International Language (EIL) is more than a ‘language’ per se. It has increasingly been conceptualized as a framework or a paradigm, developed alongside the glocalization of English, and it is a multicultural way of thinking, doing and being. EIL recognizes English variation and varieties, and it is time to introduce EIL awareness, literacy, and competence into tertiary education. This article unpacks the assumptions and definitions of EIL, and explores the pedagogical implications of teaching EIL at a tertiary institution in Australia. In particular, this article reviews and examines an EIL unit titled ‘Exploring English as an International Language’ in terms of its curriculum, materials, and pedagogical strategies. It can be argued that TEIL is not only realistic, but also essential for university students who engage in communication in a variety of international contexts in today’s globalized world.

English As an International Language: What It Is and What It Means For Pedagogy

A great deal has been written about what English as an International Language (EIL) actually is (e.g. Alsagoff et al., 2012; Matsuda, 2012; McKay and Brown, 2016; Sharifian, 2009), ranging from a view of EIL as the many varieties of English that are spoken today to the use of English by second language speakers of English. Thus, EIL is viewed both as a type of English and as a way of using English. The purpose of this article is to (1) grapple with defining the construct of EIL and (2) elaborate on what this construct means for pedagogy. The article begins by discussing various terms and definitions associated with EIL and positing an alternative definition. Following this, the majority of the article will be devoted to elaborating on what such a definition suggests for a sensitive and effective EIL pedagogy.

An interview with Professor Farzad Sharifian

In this interview Professor Farzad Sharifian, a pioneer of Cultural Linguistics, gives a concise history of this relatively new field, which he introduces as a multidisciplinary area of research that examines the intricate relationship between language and cultural conceptualizations. Prof. Sharifian asserts this flourishing field of research can be applied in areas such as intercultural communication, cross-cultural pragmatics, language and politics, and World Englishes. He believes Cultural Linguistics has important implications for the practice of English Language Teaching (ELT) too, especially for Teaching English as an International Language (TEIL). Professor Sharifian also touches on the notion of “metacultural competence” and how new communication technology can help language learners develop that competence. He concludes by saying that the English as an International Language and World Englishes paradigms require us to revisit how we define and assess language proficiency and that intercultural communication skills should constitute the heart of the new definitions and assessment procedures.

Teachers’ Perceptions of Teaching English as an International Language (TEIL)

Teachers’ Perceptions of Teaching English as an International Language (TEIL)