The issue the paper at hand raises is first of all, why did that happen? Why is English recognised as the international language?
Secondly what impact has this on the English language itself, explicitly on the teaching of the language and the pedagogy that stands behind it?
What has to be taken into account under that aspect is further the fact that English is no longer merely used for communication with and between “Native-Speakers”, but also and increasingly for communication between “Non-native-Speakers” (whoever might be categorised as such). English is no longer “just” the language of the American, the British, the Irish, the Australian, the New Zealand, the Canadian, the Caribbean, and the South African, but also has the role of being the international language.
Table of Contents
Introduction
1 Why is English the international language?
2 EIL and ELT
2.1 Native (NS) vs. Non-Native Speakers (NNS) of English
Self-Perception of NNS English Teachers
Table 1: Self-Perception of NNS English Teachers (Braine, 2005)
Student’ perception of NNS English Teachers
Table 2:
What is a “native speaker” and what is “mother tongue”
2.2 A Critical Pedagogy
How critical are future teachers?
The present situation in Switzerland
Conclusion
Research Objectives and Core Themes
This seminar paper examines the emergence of English as an international language and critically explores its profound implications for English Foreign Language Teaching (EFLT), focusing particularly on the professional identity and acceptance of non-native speaker (NNS) teachers compared to native speaker (NS) counterparts.
- The global factors driving the internationalization of the English language.
- The ongoing debate regarding the professional status and perception of NNS versus NS English teachers.
- The construction and critique of the "native speaker" and "mother tongue" terminology in global contexts.
- The implementation of critical pedagogy in teacher education and curricula.
- An analysis of the status quo of English teaching and awareness within the Swiss educational system.
Excerpt from the Book
1 Why is English the international language?
What has to be pointed out here first, is the fact, that the reasons for the internationalisation of a language has nothing to do with the amount of people actually using it, but mainly with the political, economic and military power of it’s nation. (Crystal 1997)
Following Jenkins (2004), Crystal (1997) and Pennycook (1994) the economic dominance of Britain in the 19th century, powered by the industrial revolution, enabled the expansion of the empire and the resulting spread of the language throughout the world.
English displaced French as the language of diplomacy and became the international communication language because of the political, economic, and military dominance, and consequent cultural influence, of the United States following the Second World War.
Mobility and worldwide interpersonal contacts have increased because of cheap air travel while developments in communication technology have caused a telecommunications boom described as the information superhighway.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: Provides the context of English as a global lingua franca and outlines the central questions concerning the impact of this shift on language teaching pedagogy.
1 Why is English the international language?: Discusses the historical, political, and economic factors, such as British imperialism and American influence, that established English as the dominant global language.
2 EIL and ELT: Examines the distinction between native and non-native speaker teachers, highlighting that differences in perception are often based on subjective biases rather than actual teaching competency.
2.1 Native (NS) vs. Non-Native Speakers (NNS) of English: Analyzes various studies concerning the self-perception of teachers and how students view the proficiency and professional standing of NNS educators.
Self-Perception of NNS English Teachers: Reviews specific literature, including Medgyes and Samimy, to differentiate between the teaching practices and professional self-identification of NS and NNS teachers.
Table 1: Self-Perception of NNS English Teachers (Braine, 2005): Provides a comparative overview of the perceived teaching characteristics and goals of NNS and NS English teachers.
Student’ perception of NNS English Teachers: Explores empirical data showing that while students generally value NNS teachers, cultural stereotypes still influence student expectations in regions like China.
Table 2: : Summarizes the positive and negative comments regarding NS and NNS teachers as reported by college-level students.
What is a “native speaker” and what is “mother tongue”: Critiques the limitations of traditional labels and the political implications of categorizing language proficiency based on nationality or birth.
2.2 A Critical Pedagogy: Discusses the necessity for teachers to act as "agents of change" by questioning neutral educational paradigms and addressing power structures in language learning.
How critical are future teachers?: Reports on a study of teacher-training students in Germany, revealing that despite some openness, many hold conservative views centered on native-speaker norms.
The present situation in Switzerland: Assesses the current English curricula in Central Switzerland, noting a disconnect between stated goals of international communication and the continued focus on Anglo-American cultural norms.
Keywords
English as an International Language, EIL, ELT, Non-Native Speaker Teachers, Native Speaker, Critical Pedagogy, Language Policy, Lingua Franca, Linguistic Imperialism, Teacher Education, Global English, Language Awareness, Educational Curriculum, Switzerland, Sociolinguistics
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central focus of this paper?
The paper explores how the status of English as an international language impacts current teaching practices and the professional identity of non-native English teachers.
What are the primary themes discussed?
Key themes include the global spread of English, the bias against non-native teachers, the critique of native-speaker labels, and the integration of critical pedagogy in schools.
What is the main research objective?
The objective is to understand why English has become the international language and how this shift necessitates a change in the pedagogy and underlying attitudes toward language teaching.
What scientific methods are utilized?
The paper relies on a literature review of existing studies, comparative analysis of teacher and student perceptions, and a critical evaluation of language curricula.
What topics are covered in the main body?
The body covers historical reasons for language dominance, comparative studies of NNS vs. NS teachers, student perception surveys, and an analysis of current pedagogical frameworks in Germany and Switzerland.
Which keywords best describe this work?
Keywords include English as an International Language (EIL), non-native speaker teachers, critical pedagogy, and linguistic awareness.
How does the author define the "native speaker" problem?
The author argues that the "native speaker" construct is problematic because it falsely equates citizenship and birth with innate teaching proficiency and language dominance.
What conclusions does the author draw regarding the Swiss context?
The author concludes that while Swiss curricula acknowledge the need for international communication, they still overly rely on American and British cultural norms, indicating that more work is needed to reach true EIL awareness.
- Quote paper
- Stella-Maria Stejskal (Author), 2006, The internationalisation of English and it’s impact on EFLT, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/111676
