scholarly journals Promoting English Speaking Confidence through Online Expanding Circle Communication

2021 ◽  
Vol 102 ◽  
pp. 01010
Author(s):  
Arifumi Saito ◽  
Younghyon Heo
Keyword(s):  
Intercultural Communication ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
International Language ◽  
Self Confidence ◽  
Expanding Circle ◽  
Native Speakers Of English ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
Speaking Confidence ◽  
Reading Activities

This study explores how expanding circle communication (i.e., intercultural communication between “non-native” speakers of English) boosts the confidence of Japanese EFL learners by developing a positive attitude toward their own English. Japanese, Chinese and Vietnamese university students participated in four sessions of online discussion. Since the idea of “English as an International Language” (EIL) is considered as a key to promote the learners’ positive mindset for what had been considered “non-native” English varieties and boost the confidence in their own English, it was introduced in the reading activities in each session. After the completion of four intercultural communication sessions, reflective writings on two questions asking 1) their self-confidence in speaking English and 2) their attitude about EIL were collected. The result shows that the expanding circle communication brought the Japanese participants to raise their confidence in speaking English in relatively high percentage (73%) of all cases. Regarding the attitude on EIL, on the other hand, students were divided into two groups with the negative (43%) and positive (57%) attitude. In this study, therefore, the gap in the percentage between the participants’ confidence in speaking English and attitude on EIL was examined and discussed.

scholarly journals Native-speakerism revisited: Global Englishes, ELT and intercultural communication

2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 115-129
Author(s):  
Fan (Gabriel) Fang
Keyword(s):  
Intercultural Communication ◽  
English Language ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Native Speaker ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Language Functions ◽  
Education Experience ◽  
Expanding Circle ◽  
Native Speakers Of English ◽  
English Speaking

The English language functions as a global lingua franca, and as the number of non-native speakers of English surpasses the number of native speakers of English, the ideology of native-speakerism is challenged. Viewing from the paradigm of Global Englishes (GE), English is no longer the sole property of its native speakers. This paper first discusses and presents a general picture regarding standard language ideology and the ideology of native-speakerism, and links the notion to how such ideas would exert an influence on teacher recruitment and intercultural communication in English language teaching (ELT). This paper then employs narrative inquiry from Chinese ELT professionals who have education experience abroad to reveal how they negotiate their professional identities in relation to privilege and marginalization when working with native English speaking colleagues. This paper argues for the importance of moving beyond the idealized native speaker model from the GE paradigm to challenge the ideology of native-speakerism in various aspects of ELT, in particular, in expanding circle contexts.

English as an international language

2008 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 28.1-28.16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Clyne ◽  
Farzad Sharifian
Keyword(s):  
Intercultural Communication ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Rapid Evolution ◽  
Nonnative Speakers ◽  
Position Paper ◽  
Political Issues ◽  
International Language ◽  
The World ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
Key Dimensions

In recent years, there has been a rapid evolution in the demographics of English speaking communities and individuals around the world, with an unprecedented growth in the number of users and learners of English. In the majority of cases, these learners and users are those who would traditionally have been classified as “non-native” speakers. This trend towards non-native speakers far outweighing native speakers in number is projected to pick up speed. The evolving nature of English in this context of its globalisation has called for a reassessment of a number of key dimensions in applied linguistic studies of English. Scholarly debates have surfaced about various political issues including the validity of the old distinction between “native” and “nonnative” speakers, what form English should – or is likely to – take as a language of international/intercultural communication (or lingua franca), and which groups are empowered and which ones disadvantaged by the accelerating prominence of English. Collectively, the essays in this issue of the journal engage with these issues in order to take the debate up to the next level. This article is a position paper which offers to open up the forum and to expand on some of some of these fundamental questions.

English as an international language

2008 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 28.1-28.16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Clyne ◽  
Farzad Sharifian
Keyword(s):  
Intercultural Communication ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Rapid Evolution ◽  
Nonnative Speakers ◽  
Position Paper ◽  
Political Issues ◽  
International Language ◽  
The World ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
Key Dimensions

In recent years, there has been a rapid evolution in the demographics of English speaking communities and individuals around the world, with an unprecedented growth in the number of users and learners of English. In the majority of cases, these learners and users are those who would traditionally have been classified as “non-native” speakers. This trend towards non-native speakers far outweighing native speakers in number is projected to pick up speed. The evolving nature of English in this context of its globalisation has called for a reassessment of a number of key dimensions in applied linguistic studies of English. Scholarly debates have surfaced about various political issues including the validity of the old distinction between “native” and “nonnative” speakers, what form English should – or is likely to – take as a language of international/intercultural communication (or lingua franca), and which groups are empowered and which ones disadvantaged by the accelerating prominence of English. Collectively, the essays in this issue of the journal engage with these issues in order to take the debate up to the next level. This article is a position paper which offers to open up the forum and to expand on some of some of these fundamental questions.

scholarly journals Technology-mediated PBLT: Encouraging Japanese EFL Learners to Communicate in L2

2021 ◽  
Vol 102 ◽  
pp. 01012
Author(s):  
Younghyon Heo
Keyword(s):  
Intercultural Communication ◽  
Confidence Level ◽  
English Learners ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Self Evaluation ◽  
L2 Speaking ◽  
Before And After ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
Three Stages ◽  
Speaking Confidence

This study reports on the result of implementing online intercultural communication as a pre-PBLT activity to encourage the English learners of Japanese to use L2 during the project in an EFL context. Self-evaluation of their English speaking confidence level was conducted at three different stages of the project to track the change of Japanese EFL learners’ confidence level before and after the completion of intercultural communication and finally after the completion of the entire project. Measuring the L2 speaking confidence level at three stages of our PBLT course allowed us to examine 1) whether the pre-PBLT intercultural communication successfully primed the Japanese EFL learners to speak in L2 in the subsequent PBLT activities, and 2) whether the Japanese EFL learners could maintain the “English-speaking mode” even during their communication with other Japanese speakers. The results indicate that most of the participants could successfully build L2 speaking confidence after the pre-PBLT intercultural communication and maintain the raised L2 speaking confidence by practicing L2 communication for the completion of the PBLT project with their Japanese partners.

scholarly journals The content analysis of the English as an international language-targeted coursebooks: English literature or literature in English?

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 69-79
Author(s):  
Mehdi Solhi Andarab
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
English Literature ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Literary Works ◽  
International Language ◽  
Native Speakers Of English ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
Native English Speaking

The integration of literature and literary works has always played an undeniable role in language education. Despite the existence of a wealth of literature in non-native English-speaking countries, in the majority of the coursebooks, the entire attention is devoted to literary works of the native English-speaking countries. In this study, five coursebooks claiming to be based on English as an international language (EIL) were randomly selected and analysed to investigate to what extent they have incorporated the literatures of native and non-native English-speaking countries. The criteria for the content analysis of the claimed EIL-based coursebooks were based on Kachru’s Tri-Partide Model to categorise the countries, and culture with a small c and Culture with a capital C dichotomy. Results indicated that although the chosen coursebook purports to be based on EIL, less or nearly no attention is given to the literary works of the non-native speakers of English.   Keywords: ELT coursebooks, English as an international language, Kachru’s Tri-Partide model, literature in English

Identity and Accents: Do Students Really Want to Speak Like Native Speakers of English?

RELC Journal ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 003368822093924
Author(s):  
Melinda L.F. KONG ◽  
Hye In KANG
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Native Speaker ◽  
English Speakers ◽  
School Students ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Expanding Circle ◽  
Native Speakers Of English ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
Native English Speaking Teachers

There is a growing recognition of diverse settings and different varieties of English and accents. However, there seems to be a lack of research on the investments and views of Expanding Circle students who relocate to study in Asian Outer Circle countries, especially on the identities of proficient speakers and/or teachers of English. This study attempts to fill this gap by examining the perceptions of Korean secondary school students in Malaysia through online questions and face-to-face interviews. Among others, findings suggest that the students had investments not only in English but also in their own sociocultural identities which were connected to their own accents. The students also felt that proficient English speakers and/or teachers should have pronunciation and accents that they could understand and that they were familiar with. Since they could not understand some of their native English-speaking teachers (NESTs), they did not feel that a person needed to be a native speaker in order to be a proficient speaker of English. Neither did they have any desire to imitate native speakers’ accents in learning to be proficient speakers because their own accents could be understood. The findings of this study suggest that NESTs may not necessarily be ideal English speakers with accents that need to be imitated. Instead, teaching and learning English should focus on communication between interlocutors from various contexts.

scholarly journals Reading Comprehension Models of Saudi Non-native Speakers of English

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 57
Author(s):  
Abdulkhaleq A. Al-Qahtani
Keyword(s):  
Early Literacy ◽  
Reading Strategies ◽  
Literacy Practices ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Strategy Choice ◽  
Second Language Reading ◽  
Top Down ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Native Speakers Of English ◽  
Reading Activities

<p>The purpose of the present study is to explore the dominant reading model employed by Saudi Arabian readers of English, in response to claims by some researchers, which second language-reading model employed by ESL/EFL learners could be explained from their early literacy practices in their own cultures. Perry (1996), for example, asserted that culture affects learners’ reading strategies. She provided empirical findings, which stipulated that cultures affect the kind of reading strategies that learners use. Thus, this paper presents counterevidence that the main reason for strategy choice is not necessarily conditioned by early literacy practices of a given society. Three Saudi informants were asked to describe their reading activities using a retrospection technique. The results show that those informants have employed a reading model that does not comply with Perry’s conclusions. They mainly used a top-down approach to reading rather than employing the bottom up model as their early literacy practices implied.</p>

scholarly journals The Speech Act of Complimenting as Part of the Ukrainian, Russian and English-Speaking Communities: Ukraine and the USA

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anzhelika Solodka ◽  
Luis Perea
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Values ◽  
Speech Acts ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
The United States ◽  
Personal Appearance ◽  
The Usa ◽  
On Line ◽  
Native Speakers Of English ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
Language Context

Compliments as speech acts have the reflection and expression of cultural values. Many of the values reflected through compliments are personal appearance, new acquisitions, possessions, talents and skills. It is especially important in linguistic interaction between people. This research aims to analyze the speech acts of complimenting in Ukrainian and American cultures in order to use them for teaching pragmatics second language (L2) students. Defining the ways of complimenting in Ukrainian, Russian and American English help to avoid misunderstandings and pragmatic failures. This study uses a method of ethnomethodology. Speach acts are studied in their natural contexts. To carry out this research native speakers of English in the United States and native speakers of Russian and Ukrainian from all over Ukraine were interviewed on-line. The analysis was made on the data that included: 445 Russian, 231 Ukrainian and 245 English compliments. Results of this study show how native speakers tend to compliment people: syntactical structure of expressions, cultural lexicon, attributes praised and language context. It has implications for teaching English to Ukrainians and for teaching Russian and Ukrainian to speakers of English. Knowing how to use speech acts allows the speaker to have pragmatic competence. Upon completion of the data analysis on the current study, further information on deeper analysis in terms of semantics and metaphorical language can be provided.

scholarly journals Communication Strategies Used by Iranian EFL Learners and English Native Speakers: Gender in Focus

2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Layla Hajiesmaeli ◽  
Laya Heidari Darani
Keyword(s):  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Communication Strategies ◽  
Numerical Data ◽  
Communication Strategy ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Native Speakers Of English ◽  
The Difference

<p>This article was intended to explore the frequency and order of communication strategies used by Iranian male and female EFL earners as well as English native speakers while facing communication breakdowns. Furthermore, it was aimed to investigate the difference between native speakers and non-native speakers of English in their use of communication strategies. In addition, it was probed whether gender had any effects on the use of these strategies among native and non-native speakers. To this end, the data were collected through the communication strategy questionnaire distributed among 30 male and female Iranian intermediate EFL learners and 15 English native speakers. The design of this study was a quantitative one in which the questionnaire and thus numerical data were applied. To analyze the data, Cronbach alpha and independent-samples t-tests were used. The results indicated that non-verbal and social affective strategies were the most frequent strategies used by non-native speakers and native speakers of English, respectively. Furthermore, there was no significant difference between male and female Iranian EFL learners, but a significant difference between male and female English native speakers were seen. It can be concluded that language proficiency can contribute to the type and frequency of communications strategies which are used non-native speakers; likewise, it can play a significant role in gender differences in language use.<em></em></p>

How native and non-native English speakers adapt to humor in intercultural interaction

2007 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nancy D Bell
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Intercultural Communication ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Native English Speakers ◽  
The Other ◽  
English Speakers ◽  
Intercultural Interaction ◽  
Second Language Speakers ◽  
Negative Message ◽  
Native Speakers Of English

AbstractHumor can often carry an implicit negative message and thus be potentially dangerous to use. In addition, it is culturally and linguistically complex and sophisticated. Because of these things, it poses a challenge for L2 (second language) speakers and we might expect to see attempts at humor failing and causing offense in intercultural interaction. This paper reports on a study that examined humor in interaction between native and non-native speakers of English and found that humor did not seem to be a cause of conflict because of adjustments speakers made to their speech and their situated interpretations of meaning. In general, taboo topics and potentially dangerous forms of humor were avoided and humor was carefully contextualized. Native speakers reported being careful about the vocabulary they used in creating humor and both sides appeared to approach humor in intercultural communication prepared to accommodate the other and with an attitude of leniency.

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