English as a Lingua Franca and Some Implications for English Teachers
ENGLISH AS A LINGUA FRANCA AND SOME IMPLICATIONS FOR ENGLISH TEACHERS
Penny Ur TESOL France Colloquium 2009
Initial Concepts and Assumptions
Probably between two and three billion people speak English. These may be defined according to Kachru’s three circles: inner, outer, expanding (Kachru, 1992).
expanding circle
outer circle
inner circle
Kachru, 1985
Probably between two and three billion people speak English. These may be divided into Kachru’s three circles: inner, outer, expanding (Kachru, 1992). But today the majority of English speakers are located in the outer or expanding circles, using English as a lingua franca (ELF). It is used for: academic purposes; political negotiation; tourism; entertainment; business and finance; information; interpersonal relationships …
Most educated speakers of other languages are at least bilingual. Both centrifugal and centripetal trends are developing: a proliferation of local ‘Englishes’, side by side with a generally comprehensible ‘standard’ variety.
Some general implications
The user of English as a lingua franca
May be either ‘native’ or ‘non-native’ Is typically bi- (or multi-)lingual, or bi-dialectal ‘An English-knowing bilingual’ (Alptekin, 2005) Is likely to be skilled in communicative and comprehension strategies.
The fully competent speaker of English as a lingua franca
A speaker with a wide vocabulary, accurate grammar, easily understood accent. May or may not be originally a native speaker.
Three circles redefined?
Perhaps it is more useful, therefore, to define the three circles of users of English internationally simply in terms of their level of competence in the language rather than in terms of where they live and whether or not they are ‘native speakers’.
ELF Speakers
Limited
Competent
Fully competent
Adapted from Rajadurai, 2005
Some implications for English teachers worldwide 1
The language to be taught
Various options:
1. One of
Penny Ur TESOL France Colloquium 2009
Initial Concepts and Assumptions
Probably between two and three billion people speak English. These may be defined according to Kachru’s three circles: inner, outer, expanding (Kachru, 1992).
expanding circle
outer circle
inner circle
Kachru, 1985
Probably between two and three billion people speak English. These may be divided into Kachru’s three circles: inner, outer, expanding (Kachru, 1992). But today the majority of English speakers are located in the outer or expanding circles, using English as a lingua franca (ELF). It is used for: academic purposes; political negotiation; tourism; entertainment; business and finance; information; interpersonal relationships …
Most educated speakers of other languages are at least bilingual. Both centrifugal and centripetal trends are developing: a proliferation of local ‘Englishes’, side by side with a generally comprehensible ‘standard’ variety.
Some general implications
The user of English as a lingua franca
May be either ‘native’ or ‘non-native’ Is typically bi- (or multi-)lingual, or bi-dialectal ‘An English-knowing bilingual’ (Alptekin, 2005) Is likely to be skilled in communicative and comprehension strategies.
The fully competent speaker of English as a lingua franca
A speaker with a wide vocabulary, accurate grammar, easily understood accent. May or may not be originally a native speaker.
Three circles redefined?
Perhaps it is more useful, therefore, to define the three circles of users of English internationally simply in terms of their level of competence in the language rather than in terms of where they live and whether or not they are ‘native speakers’.
ELF Speakers
Limited
Competent
Fully competent
Adapted from Rajadurai, 2005
Some implications for English teachers worldwide 1
The language to be taught
Various options:
1. One of