Culture and Imperialism

Many people in "literate" societies, when asked to define literacy, almost always do so in terms of reading
and writing abilities This narrow interpretation of literacy, an
offspring of reductionist psychology, has reigned supreme in many academic and educational contexts for decades, greatly shaping literacy theories and classroom practices Within the past ten years, however, a large body of multidisciplinary
research has begun to undermine the authority of this
perspective by situating literacy in larger social practices

Social Linguistics and Literacies: Ideology in Discourses.

The purpose of this article is to explore recent research into World Englishes (henceforth WEs) and English as a Lingua Franca (ELF), focusing on its implications for TESOL, and the extent to which it is being taken into account by English language teachers, linguists, and second language acquisition researchers. After a brief introduction comparing the current situation with that of 15 years ago, I look more closely at definitions of WEs and ELF. Then follows an overview of relevant developments in WEs and ELF research during the past 15 years, along with a more detailed discussion of some key research projects and any controversies they have aroused. I then address the implications of WEs/ELF research for TESOL vis-a-vis English language standards and standard English, and the longstanding native versus nonnative teacher debate. Finally, I assess the consensus on WEs and ELF that is emerging both among researchers and between researchers and language teaching professionals. The article concludes by raising a number of questions that remain to be investigated in future research.

Current Perspectives on Teaching World Englishes and English as a Lingua Franca

Language Management: Frontmatter

This article analyzes the emergence of a new stage of global capitalism, called informationalism, and its consequences for English language teaching, focusing on three critical issues. First, globalization will result in the further spread of English as an international language and a shift of authority to nonnative speakers and dialects. This change will call into question basic notions of language, culture, context, and the relationship between ESL and EFL. Second, economic and employment trends will change the way English is used. Increasingly, nonnative speakers will need to use the language daily for presentation of complex ideas, international collaboration and negotiation, and location and critical interpretation of rapidly changing information. Finally, new information technologies will transform notions of literacy, making online navigation and research, interpretation and authoring of hypermedia, and synchronous and asynchronous on-line communication critical skills for learners of English. The above changes, taken together, will render ineffective curricula based strictly on syntactic or functional elements or narrowly defined tasks. Rather, project-based learning-incorporating situated practice and critical inquiry, and based on students' own cultural frameworks-will be required if students are to master the complex English literacy and communications skills required by the emerging informational economy and society. With the fast-paced changes brought about by globalization and technological development, TESOL professionals need to understand current socioeconomic factors and their influence on English language teaching (ELT). The industrial societies of the past are giving way to a new postindustrial economic order based on globalized manufacturing and distribution; flexible, customized production; the application of science, technology, and information management as the key elements of productivity and economy growth; and increased inequality between those who control technological and media resources and those who lack technological access and know-how (Carnoy, Castells, Cohen, &

The Changing Global Economy and the Future of English Teaching

Background: Gender bias has been identified as one of the drivers of gender disparity in academic medicine. Bias may be reinforced by gender subordinating language or differential use of formality in forms of address. Professional titles may influence the perceived expertise and authority of the referenced individual. The objective of this study is to examine how professional titles were used in the same and mixed-gender speaker introductions at Internal Medicine Grand Rounds (IMGR). Methods: A retrospective observational study of video-archived speaker introductions at consecutive IMGR was conducted at two different locations (Arizona, Minnesota) of an academic medical center. Introducers and speakers at IMGR were physician and scientist peers holding MD, PhD, or MD/PhD degrees. The primary outcome was whether or not a speaker's professional title was used during the first form of address during speaker introductions at IMGR. As secondary outcomes, we evaluated whether or not the speakers profes...

Speaker Introductions at Internal Medicine Grand Rounds: Forms of Address Reveal Gender Bias

The use of English as an international language (EIL) and its implications for teaching have attracted much scholarly attention. However, much of the discussion has remained at an abstract level and not provided pedagogical ideas that are theoretically sound, informed by research, and at the same time specific enough to be useful in the classroom. This poses a great challenge for teachers: while they receive a strong message that their current practice may be inadequate in preparing learners for using English in international encounters, they are not presented with suggestions of where to start implementing changes. The goal of this paper is to build upon the existing literature on teaching English for international communication with greater emphasis on pedagogical decisions and practices in the classroom. Using the conceptualization of EIL as a function of English as an international common language rather than a linguistic variety used uniformly in all international contexts, we explore key questions in TEIL and suggest specific ways to introduce an EIL perspective to existing English language classrooms.

English as an international language: A curriculum blueprint

The present survey project aims at investigating and describing the attitudes of Brazilian EFL learners towards the target language. The focus is on their perception of the importance of English as a language for international communication, the role of English within Brazil and the learners' expectaitons of time and energy to be consumed in the learning of the language. The participants are 190 adult learners attending a private institute in the metropolitan area of Sao Paulo who answered a survey questionnaire. The answers are discussed and the results analyzed vis-a `-vis the importance of creating a curriculum which addresses not only the formal features of the language but also the cultural and attitudinal elements which are brought into the classroom. INTRODUCTION AND CONTEXTUALIZATION

English in Brazil: Functions and Attitudes.

A study of commercial names that extends ET's on-going discussion of ‘shop-sign English’ and similar phenomena from Europe and Asia into Latin America.A large body of literature describes the use of English loanwords all over the world. When it comes to developing nations, one of the most common explanations for such a phenomenon is the superiority attributed to what is foreign, especially when business and advertising are involved. This article discusses the phenomenon of English loanwords and advertising using the case of Brazil as a scenario. It exemplifies the many motivations that lead to the incorporation of English into the world of business and advertising, and argues for a comprehensive view of this phenomenon, balancing external and internal forces contributing to the use of English.

https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0266078402003048

English in advertising and brand naming: sociolinguistic considerations and the case of Brazil

The goal of this article is to (re)define key terminology in the study of English as a lingua franca (ELF). Although the diverse perspectives and ideological standpoints represented in competing definitions of terms is appreciated, a critical conversation on definition and interpretation of ELF and other related concepts is crucial in providing a more solid base for further inquiry in this area. Specifically, this study argues that ELF is a term that describes a function that English performs in multilingual contexts and posits that English as an international language refers to specialized cases of ELF found in international contexts. Furthermore, this study differentiates these terms from other related concepts, such as English as a second language and English as a foreign language, and discusses why conceptualizing ELF as a function, rather than a linguistic variety, is necessary in capturing the complexity and diversity found in English today.

Patricia Friedrich

Papers

Speaker Introductions at Internal Medicine Grand Rounds: Forms of Address Reveal Gender Bias

English as an international language: A curriculum blueprint

English in Brazil: Functions and Attitudes.

English in advertising and brand naming: sociolinguistic considerations and the case of Brazil

When Five Words Are Not Enough: A Conceptual and Terminological Discussion of English as a Lingua Franca.