Using folktales as a way to operationalise the paradigm of teaching English as an international language

ABSTRACT

The rapid forces of globalisation and the changing sociolinguistic reality of English have led to a paradigm shift from teaching English as a second/foreign language (TESL/TEFL) to teaching English as an international language (TEIL). Informed by the latter paradigm, the teaching of English language should aim to raise twenty-first-century language learners’ awareness of linguistic and cultural diversity, and to equip them with the ability to communicate their cultures in English. In order to achieve these aims, key TEIL scholars argue that English language teaching (ELT) materials need to include representation of diverse varieties, users, and cultures of English. However, TEIL-informed ELT materials are still relatively rare. This article aims to present how folktales can be regarded as an example of materials to teach EIL, and to provide a guiding framework for teachers to use folktales as a way to engage students in learning to develop intercultural communicative competence.

KEYWORDS:

• Folktales
• teaching English as an international language (TEIL)
• intercultural communicative competence
• world Englishes
• ELT materials

Notes

1. More information about the author can be found online. Retrieved 2017, 16 May from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Htin_Aung.