Standard language models, variable lingua franca goals: How can ELF-aware teacher education square the circle?

Andrew Blair

doi:10.1515/jelf-2017-0016

Article

Standard language models, variable lingua franca goals: How can ELF-aware teacher education square the circle?

Andrew Blair
Andrew Blair is Director of the MA in English Language Teaching at the University of Sussex, U.K. His main research interests include language teacher education, ELF and intercultural communication, and he has written and reviewed several papers in these areas, as well as contributing to various academic conferences and seminars.

Published/Copyright: September 12, 2017

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From the journal Journal of English as a Lingua Franca Volume 6 Issue 2

Abstract

Sceptical attitudes towards the relevance of ELF research for language pedagogy and teacher education are prevalent and well-documented. Some of this resistance may result from a misunderstanding of key concepts and arguments, some from practical concerns and context-specific factors such as syllabus and assessment frameworks. A significant difficulty in persuading ELT practitioners to adopt or recognise ELF positions is the apparent conflict between preferences for standard language models and the reality of variable lingua franca goals for learning and use. ELF potentially changes everything, yet is a phenomenon grounded in unchanging social fundamentals of language use. This article reports on part of a continuing study into the impact of ELF perspectives on experienced language teachers, with a focus on their attitudes and levels of awareness in relation to their professional development and contexts. How teachers are enabled and encouraged to overcome potential scepticism, and reconcile the perceived conflict between standard models and lingua franca goals in their practice, is crucial to the spread of a more appropriate, “ELF-aware” form of language teacher education. Responses are mixed, but generally insightful and engaged, even when expressing reservations or doubt. There is also some good news, with clear evidence that attitudes can be influenced, through exposure to ideas, reflection and motivation towards action.

Resumen

La prevalencia de actitudes escépticas hacia la relevancia de la investigación en el ámbito de inglés como lengua franca para la pedagogía del inglés y la educación del profesorado ha sido bien documentada. Parte de este rechazo puede ser el resultado de malentendidos entorno a conceptos claves y argumentos, y por otra parte puede ser fruto de consideraciones prácticas y específicas de cada contexto relacionadas con los programas didácticos y marcos de evaluación. Un impedimento significativo a la hora de convencer a los docentes que deben adoptar o reconocer las posturas planteadas por ILF es el aparente conflicto entre la preferencia por modelos estándares de lengua y la realidad de los objetivos variables de la lengua franca en cuanto al uso y el aprendizaje del idioma. ILF puede desestabilizar todo el terreno, pero es un fenómeno arraigado en los fundamentos sociales del uso del lenguaje. Este artículo presenta parte de una investigación en desarrollo sobre el efecto de las perspectivas de ILF sobre el un profesorado de inglés experto, enfocando en particular sus actitudes y conocimientos en relación a sus propios ámbitos y desarrollo profesionales. Es imprescindible entender cómo se logra superar el posible escepticismo y reconciliar el conflicto percibido entre los modelos normalizados y los objetivos prácticos de la lengua franca para el profesorado, para así fomentar un desarrollo profesional más apropiado y sensibilizado al ILF. Las respuestas han sido variadas pero siempre lúcidas y comprometidas, aun cuando se expresan reservas o dudas. También se perciben buenas noticias con claras indicaciones de que las actitudes se pueden modificar a través de un encuentro con ideas, la reflexión profesional y una motivación hacia la acción.

Keywords: ELF; teacher education; ELT/TESOL; language pedagogy; standard language models

Palabras clave: inglés como lengua franca (ILF); formación profesorado; enseñanza de la lengua inglesa (ELI); pedagogía de lengua; modelos estándares de lengua

About the author

Andrew Blair

Andrew Blair is Director of the MA in English Language Teaching at the University of Sussex, U.K. His main research interests include language teacher education, ELF and intercultural communication, and he has written and reviewed several papers in these areas, as well as contributing to various academic conferences and seminars.

Acknowledgements

I would like to express sincere thanks to the teachers who participated in the study, and to colleagues and the two anonymous reviewers who provided extremely useful suggestions for improvements to this paper.

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Published Online: 2017-9-12

Published in Print: 2017-9-26

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Articles in the same Issue

https://doi.org/10.1515/jelf-2017-0016

Keywords for this article

ELF; teacher education; ELT/TESOL; language pedagogy; standard language models