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WE- and ELF-informed classroom practices: proposals from a pre-service teacher education programme in Italy

  • Paola Vettorel

    Paola Vettorel is Assistant Professor in the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures, University of Verona. Her main research interests include ELF and its implications in ELT. Among her recent publications: ELF in Wider Networking. Blogging practices. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter (2014); (ed.) New Frontiers in Teaching and Learning English. Newcastle-upon-Tyne: Cambridge Scholars (2015); with L. Lopriore, “Promoting awareness of Englishes and ELF in the English Language classroom,” in Bowles, Cogo (eds.), International Perspectives on English as a Lingua Franca. Pedagogical Insights. Basingtoke: Palgrave/Macmillan (2015).

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Published/Copyright: March 12, 2016

Abstract

The long-standing research in World Englishes (WE) and, more recently, in English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) has greatly contributed to problematizing several areas in connection to English Language Teaching, highlighting in particular the importance of teacher education as a first and fundamental step towards a more “inclusive” and “realistic” approach in ELT. A WE- and ELF-informed teacher education can indeed play a pivotal role in promoting awareness of the sociolinguistic and cultural changes brought about by the pluralization of English on the one hand, and of its function as a lingua franca on the other hand, and contribute to fostering a critical evaluation of ELT approaches, and materials, traditionally based on an Anglo-centric monolithic view of language and culture, taking account of different viewpoints in connection to the current modified reality of English. This paper will illustrate findings from an ongoing research study aimed at investigating trainee teachers’ beliefs concerning ELT pedagogic practices inclusive of the current pluralization of English. The study has been carried out with trainee teachers of English attending pre-service TFA (Tirocinio Formativo Attivo) and PAS (Percorso Abilitante Speciale) teacher education courses at the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures, University of Verona, Italy, where part of the English Language course focused on issues related to WE, ELF and their pedagogical implications. By means of questionnaires and interviews, as well as class reflections and materials developed by the trainees as part of the course, the aim was to investigate to what extent a WE- and ELF-aware teacher education can contribute to expanding and/or modifying teachers’ awareness of the above issues in pedagogical terms. Findings related to the participants’ comments and practical proposals for the inclusion of WE- and ELF-informed activities in their teaching practices, as well as their critical reflections about problematic points, particularly in the local context and syllabi, will also be discussed.

Abstract

Da tempo la ricerca nel campo dei WE e, più recentemente, dell’ELF, ha contribuito a problematizzare vari assunti relativi all’insegnamento della lingua inglese, sottolineando in particolare l’importanza della formazione insegnanti come primo passo fondamentale per un approccio più ‘inclusivo’ e ‘realistico’ in questo senso nell’insegnamento dell’inglese. Una formazione che sia WE- e ELF-informed può infatti avere un ruolo cruciale per: promuovere una consapevolezza dei cambiamenti a livello sociolinguistico e culturale legati alla pluralizzazione dell’inglese da un lato, e alla sua funzione di lingua franca dall’altro; contribuire ad una valutazione critica di approcci e materiali glottodidattici, tradizionalmente basati su una visione monolitica e anglocentrica di lingua e cultura; prendere in considerazione prospettive che tengano presente la modificata realtà della lingua inglese oggi.

Verranno qui presentati i risultati di un progetto di ricerca volto ad indagare le convinzioni degli insegnanti in formazione nei confronti di una glottodidattica che tenga conto di questa pluralità. La ricerca ha coinvolto i partecipanti ai corsi di formazione TFA (Tirocinio Formativo Attivo) e PAS (Percorso Abilitante Speciale) per lingua inglese presso il Dipartimento di Lingue e Letterature Straniere dell’Università di Verona. In questi corsi, parte del Modulo di Lingua Inglese è stata dedicata a tematiche inerenti a WE, ELF, e alle relative implicazioni glottodidattiche. Attraverso strumenti di ricerca quali questionari, interviste, oltre che riflessioni e materiali sviluppati dai corsisti, si è voluto indagare se una formazione che includa temi legati a WE e ELF possa contribuire a ampliare e/o modificare la consapevolezza glottodidattica dei futuri insegnanti in relazione a queste problematiche. Saranno presentati e discussi i risultati relativi ai commenti e alle proposte didattiche inclusive di WE e ELF elaborate dai corsisti, e alle riflessioni critiche su punti problematici legati in modo particolare alle specificità locali di contesto e curricolo.

About the author

Paola Vettorel

Paola Vettorel is Assistant Professor in the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures, University of Verona. Her main research interests include ELF and its implications in ELT. Among her recent publications: ELF in Wider Networking. Blogging practices. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter (2014); (ed.) New Frontiers in Teaching and Learning English. Newcastle-upon-Tyne: Cambridge Scholars (2015); with L. Lopriore, “Promoting awareness of Englishes and ELF in the English Language classroom,” in Bowles, Cogo (eds.), International Perspectives on English as a Lingua Franca. Pedagogical Insights. Basingtoke: Palgrave/Macmillan (2015).

Acknowledgements

Part of this study has been carried out within a PAS postdoctoral research grant, supported by the University of Verona.I would like to express my gratitude to all the teachers who took part in the research project and to the two anonymous reviewers for their insightful comments and valuable suggestions on a previous version of this paper.

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Published Online: 2016-3-12
Published in Print: 2016-3-1

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