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SUBJECT ASSIGNMENT:
ENGLISH IN THE COMMUNITY
GENERAL INFORMATION:
This assignment must be done in groups and has to fulfil the following conditions:
The assignment must be written in this Word template and has to follow the instructions
on quotes and references detailed in the Study Guide.
Also, the assignment has to be submitted following the procedure specified in the
document: “Subject Evaluation”. Sending it to the tutor’s e-mail is not allowed.
It is strongly recommended to read the assessment criteria, which can be found in the
document “Subject Evaluation”.
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Assignment - EIC
Assignment instructions:
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Assignment - EIC
SUBJECT ASSIGNMENT:
ENGLISH IN THE COMMUNITY
Maritza Román
Login: COFPMTFL2942848
Group: 3
fp_tefl_2018-06_uneatlantico
Date:02-06-2019
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Assignment - EIC
To speak or not to speak “real English” … how to approach the right instruction
without excluding learner´s culture?
“…teachers are expected to help their learners cope with 'real English', which is taken
to be the English used by native speakers in their speech communities in e.g. the UK
or the US”. Seidlhofer (2003)
The quote given above aims to provide the focus of this essay, regarding English
language as a source not only of a cultural development for non-native speaking
countries, but also, as a relevant aspect for curriculum and language instruction around
the world, due to the fact, English involves the native culture where is being introduced,
becoming a resource for multicultural understanding through teaching and learning.
For this reason, appreciations are being taken from current theories, in order to find out
what path can be the most accurate to follow, regarding the conception of teaching and
learning English as an international language or lingua franca, which reflects cross-
cultural communication, used by both native and non-native speakers, adapting in
many cases distinct features of the original language, implying a whole different way of
expressing ideas in a foreign language that must be taken into consideration in our
teaching practice, as suggested by McKay (2002) “the teaching and learning of an
international language must be based on an entirely different set of assumptions than
the teaching and learning of any other second and foreign language”.
Bearing in mind what has been stated above, it can be said that teaching and learning
English as an international language could be a way to change current paradigms such
as the ideal accent or a specific type of English, which will be discussed in the next
paragraphs of this writing. For instance, the type of English teachers should teach,
without excluding the historical side in which it was conceived, mostly by means of
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Assignment - EIC
domination through conflicts and wars, aiming to impose the language to reach
different places modifying and suppressing local native languages.
As a result, it is important to be taken into account that updated English curricula must
include this historical context of how the language has spread and the implications
towards it. Furthermore, American and British English are considered as the standard
way of teaching and learning, yet, Australian or International English have arisen as
well; leading a starting point to develop teachers’ language criteria, to reach a
proficiency level similar to a native-speaker despite the accent and/or scenario.
After that evolution process as a living language which has even been denominated on
different ways, English (Swales. 1997), cited on (Barbara S. 2003) is known as a
prehistoric animal; the 'tyrannosaurus rex' of languages. In its linguistics process,
English has passed imperialisms and genocide challenges, and nowadays this
language had had interchangeably denominations:
One of the most striking features to find a suitable terminology in a pedagogical view is,
the World English by (Brutt-Griffler 2002) For the great majority of linguistics, the result
of its development through history and territories meant significant steps on the road
to a much more powerful and comprehensive Language as an International
language than has up to now been available. (Brutt-Griffler 2002) identifies “four
central features of the development of global language":
2. The transcendence of the role of an elite lingua franca; the one learned by
people at various levels of society, not just by the socio-economic elite.
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Assignment - EIC
contexts; A language which tends to establish itself alongside local languages rather
than replacing them, and so contributes to multilingualism rather than jeopardize it.
The fourth one, encourages non-native teachers around the world, to put their own
accent and personal identity to their English plans, in order to continue adding to this
English World, characteristics of different cultures that can closer long distance cultures
and civilizations. The most important is to make learning English easier and
comprehensible to those who are in a learning path, those who at the same time have
the possibility to configure and enrich a World English with their culture and knowledge.
In this way, it will be argued the most important aspects by which EIL must be part of
the ELT curriculum without expressing that this type of English is better than the
language of the Inner Circle (American, British, Australian etc) but more useful in a
multicultural globalized world. First it is necessary to understand some key concepts
related to this thematic, as they are: English as an international language and English
as a lingua franca. According to McKay (2002) “International English is used by native
speakers of English and bilingual users of English for cross-cultural communication.
International English can be used both in a local sense between speakers of diverse
cultures and languages within one country and in a global sense between speakers
from different countries”. (p. 8).
This definition provides a useful understanding since the concept is not limited to be a
variety of English used formally only for non-native speakers worldwide, but also for
native speakers. Showing one of the main characteristics of EIL as it is the negotiation
of meaning in favor of communication more than being focusing merely on form and
other linguistic features. Nevertheless, this definition does not mean that all type of
English must be accepted regarding only its usage as in the view proposed by English
as a lingua franca, which is defined as: “A term that reifies the kind (or kinds) of English
used around the world as an additional or international language. ELF can be defined
as “Any use of English among speakers of different first languages for whom English is
the communicative medium of choice, and often the only option” (Seidlhofer 2011: 7).
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Assignment - EIC
Although EIL is used interchangeable with the concept of English as a lingua franca, it
is important to remark that they are not the same since English as a lingua franca might
accept improper use of words and forms, as it is described by Mackenzie (2015) in the
next examples:
This way, it is important to clarify that this type of language is not accepted to be taught
in English as an International Language. The importance of EIL lies in aspects such as:
the number of speakers, its functionality and its evolution in a global world.
Regarding the number of speakers of English worldwide different studies agree that
nonnative speakers over number hugely native speakers, this means that the Inner
speakers are directly affected by the number non-native speakers which makes English
no to belong only to a native community but to a world that is constantly using this
language for different purposes, as it is reaffirmed in the next quote:
“Around the world, there is an estimated 1 Billion people learning English. Many factors
point to the reason why learning English has seen exponential growth in recent years,
but it all boils down to the English language being the "global language" of business,
politics, international relations, culture, and entertainment for so many countries
worldwide. And that is just an understatement as in fact, while English is not an official
language in many countries worldwide, it is the language most often taught as a foreign
or second language. (Raymundo, 2012)
Now, concerning to the evolution of English and how it has been standardized, it can
be shown the example of the British variety accent known as RP (Received
Pronunciation). Which was defined as: “A dialect of English which used to retain high
status, and which according to many dialectologists, is disappearing under the
onslaught of the new “River English” (spoken by the late Princess Diana) and its own
varieties”. (Ball:9).
Most of the media presenters were required to have this type of English and some of
them are still using it, but then with the access of different regional and international
presenters in England, it is now acceptable to command other varieties. This shown
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Assignment - EIC
how the context may affect even the way like native
speakers use English. So, teaching an international language would let students
interact not only with native speaker but with the world.
Seeing it from this perspective, we must then think that as English is a global language,
non-native speakers will include their local characteristics. In this way, new pedagogical
strategies that are in line with the learning objectives are needed, we cannot ask the
students to follow a language pattern but to learn to use the language in different
contexts.
As teachers, we find the task of engaging our students with a language that is spoken
by millions of people in different parts of the world, McKay (2002) defines the idea of an
international English "... is used by native speakers of English and bilingual Users of
English for cross-cultural communication. International English can be used both in a
local sense between speakers of diverse cultures and languages within one country
and in a global sense between speakers from different countries”
The foregoing has a direct consequence, Erling (2005) mentions "ELT professionals
around the world should move their focus away from inner circle varieties and
approach English as a means of intercultural communication involving speakers from
various linguistic and cultural backgrounds". In other words, in the teaching role, rather
than concentrating on imitating native speakers, language must be recognized and
understood as a set of elements that create a pluralistic culture and language.
Teaching English in different parts around the world has been implemented in schools,
universities, bilingual education institutions and even in activities that encourage
tourism; Sometimes English is seen as a foreign language and has sometimes even
reached second-language status within the country. When you want to evaluate the
skills in learning L2, teachers play a very important role, but this does not mean that
teachers are the only input that students are in the process.
Currently, there are several ways to teach a foreign language, books, audios, videos.
Considering the foregoing, the teacher can have his students understand and
communicate in a foreign language without the need for imitations, in other words, the
accent that the teacher has, can give the students a clear idea about the varieties that
he can find in English.
While it is true that teachers around the world should have certain standards in mind
such as CEFR, the ultimate goal should always be directed towards communicating
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Assignment - EIC
and managing certain structures depending on the level of proficiency of the students,
not towards the pronunciation and accent of a specific English
Technology is a tool that in the present is a great help for any teaching-learning
process; although the teacher does not try to imitate an accent, it can use aids such as
conversations, films and videos that contain accents from around the world, the
teaching task is to generate opportunities for their apprentices to be interested and
improve their Skills. It is not about imitations; it is about learning.
As a result, it is important to highlight the role of accents and its close relationship
with identity in the learning process since it creates a link between the people and
the community where they are interacting. Accent is perceived as a mean to express
identity and the usage of this when learning a second language gives learners a
place in the community. When students want to be part of a native speaker group,
some of them start a process of modifying their speech in order to get some traits
from the native accent, in other cases students may go through this way slower
since they feel uncomfortable when trying to avoid their native accent and it can
interfere in the learning process.
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Assignment - EIC
It is vital to remember that students are not bounded to achieve a native like
pronunciation and it has been a point of discussion from the late 1960s as it is
stated by Abercrombie (1956) in the following quote:
Similarly, there are many factors that affect intelligibility and the learners’ accent
characteristics may play a substantial role. As the author Mompeán claims:
“The more familiar speakers are with an accent, the more likely they are to
understand their interlocutors” Mompeán (2008)
In this way students will experience two processes which include developing the
ability to speak with an accent - productive knowledge and the ability of
understanding it –receptive knowledge, both characteristics are given by the
exposure of everyday language since the media and the local conversation topics
such as politics economy and cultural are present among the habitants and it has
made easier for learners to understand it.
At present, there are many varieties of English including the ones that, even when
they are trying to imitate characteristics, they still having L1 traits, for that reason
students will need to be prepared to implement different pronunciation models and
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Assignment - EIC
the best way is to be exposed to a wide range of accents and different contexts in
their community.
Finally, regarding the question given at the beginning of this writing and the appropriate
type of English to be taught, it was shown through this essay, that English belonging to
the Inner Circle or an international standardized English, is not better than other since
each one has its own history and particularities. Nevertheless, it is evident how English
as an International language is gaining worldwide recognition even for native speakers,
due to its number of speakers. Therefore, teacher's role must promote different types of
English showing its particularities and advantages, always in accordance to the
communicative competence; this way learners might have the capacity to be
autonomous and decide according to their learning purposes, which type of English
language suits better in their contexts.
In terms of the correct accent both students and teachers should implement, it is
necessary to remark that pronunciation becomes a challenge for students who are
learning English as a foreign or second language, since most of the times people want
to have a native sound when speaking, and it can be influenced by cultural factors,
therefore it is vital to clarify that the main idea concerning to pronunciation is having the
students feel comfortable and motivated and explain them that the principal objective
when learning a second language has been the fact of communicating in the society,
no matter if they are using a special variety of English. It is also important to verify that
students are trying to improve their speaking skills and make them realize that the
special features presented by the culture and their background, are not an excuse to
learn a second language in an inappropriate way.
REFERENCES
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Assignment - EIC
Graddol, D. (2006) English Next. Why Global English may mean the end of “English as
a Foreign Language”. British Council.
Raymundo, Maria Eliza. Business English And Its Importance To Business And
Professional Success. May 2018. Retrieved from http://ezinearticles.com/?
Business-English-And-Its-Importance-To-Business-And-Professional-
Success&id=805997.
Seidlhofer, B., (2003), “A Concept of International English and Related Issues: From
'Real English' to 'Realistic English'?” University of Vienna.
Tinsley, Teresa. Board, Kathryn. Languages for the future. British council. 2013. May
22, 2018, Retrieved from https://www.britishcouncil.org/organisation/policy-
insight-research/languages-future-2017.
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