Global Englishes as a complement to traditional instruction: students’ conceptualizations and pedagogical strategies

ABSTRACT

The spread of English as a global language has sparked debate over how language should be taught and learned and the optimal connection between traditional and Global Englishes (GE) approaches to teaching English as a second/foreign language. According to the GE approach, teaching and learning English might focus more on different contexts than rules of Standard English based on native speaker norms, particularly in Asia, where varieties of English occur, and English is mainly taught as a foreign language. Data were collected using a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews before being subjected to descriptive statistics and content analysis. The results indicate that students had three core beliefs: 1) native speakers are better teachers, 2) native speakers model the norm, and 3) native speaker cultures represent an ideal. Simultaneously, some students dissented from those beliefs, and others indicated a preference for pedagogy that included aspects of GE. This study argues for employing the traditional approach as a foundation with units that engage with English, as practised in India, East Africa, Southeast Asia, and other countries. The study also suggests specific techniques for incorporating GE learning modules into regular instruction so that students comprehend English as a language of both continuity and change.

KEYWORDS:

• Global Englishes
• English as a second language
• native speaker model
• intercultural communication
• pedagogical models

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Qingdao Agricultural University High-caliber Talent Projects [NO. 20210053]; The 14th Five-Year Planning Projects of Qingdao Education Science [NO. QJK2021C297].

Notes on contributors

Huashan Lu

Huashan Lu, Ph.D., the corresponding author, is an Associate Professor at the School of Foreign Languages Qingdao Agricultural University. His research areas include Global Englishes, applied linguistics, and ELT. His recent publication appeared in PASAA. Email: [email protected]

Adcharawan Buripakdi

Adcharawan Buripakdi, Ph.D., works as an Assistant Professor at the School of Foreign Languages, Suranaree University of Technology, Thailand. Her research interests include L2 pedagogy, postcolonial English, L2 writing, and language culture and identity. Her recent publications appeared in the International Journal of Applied Linguistics, Journal of Asian Pacific Communication, and Asian EFL Journal. She is the co-editor of Situating Moral and Cultural Values in ELT Materials: The Southeast Asian Context (2018, Springer, London).