LANGUAGE IN INDIA

Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow

Volume 14:10 October 2014
ISSN 1930-2940

Managing Editor: M. S. Thirumalai, Ph.D.
Editors: B. Mallikarjun, Ph.D.
         Sam Mohanlal, Ph.D.
         B. A. Sharada, Ph.D.
         A. R. Fatihi, Ph.D.
         Lakhan Gusain, Ph.D.
         Jennifer Marie Bayer, Ph.D.
         S. M. Ravichandran, Ph.D.
         G. Baskaran, Ph.D.
         L. Ramamoorthy, Ph.D.
         C. Subburaman, Ph.D. (Economics)
Assistant Managing Editor: Swarna Thirumalai, M.A.

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Teaching English as an International Language:
Implications for Teaching Materials in Pakistani Classrooms

Zahra Ali, M.A. (Master of Applied Linguistics)

Abstract

The worldwide spread of English has called for a need to shift the paradigm of language education to teaching EIL (English as an International Language), by promoting the pluricentric view of English into the existing ELT curriculum. However, the question of whose culture and which variety of English/es to teach raises several important issues in local teaching contexts. To explore this phenomenon in detail, this paper begins with investigating the status of English as an international language and the need to study/teach it in Pakistan. Based on the data collected from five-day EIL-oriented workshops conducted in a Pakistani university, this paper presents a description of the process and activities whereby varieties of English beyond the normative Inner Circle context can be introduced to students in teaching materials in Pakistan. The paper concludes by offering suggestions and recommendations regarding the teaching of EIL in Pakistan, which should begin with fostering appreciation and legitimacy for students’ local variety of English.

Key words: English as an international language, English in Pakistani Classrooms, teaching materials

1. Teaching English as an International Language (TEIL)

The concept of English as an International Language (EIL) developed due to the global expansion of English, leading to the pluralisation of its forms and users, as well as its dominance in various international, economic, political and cultural arenas. The need to study and teach EIL were proposed by scholars like Larry Smith (1976, 1978), and Sandra McKay (2002) in her book Teaching English as an International Language, whereby the teaching and learning of English needed to move beyond its conceptualisation as a uniform language, spoken only by the so-called native speakers of English.

In 1986 Braj Kachru proposed his model of three concentric circles – Inner Circle, Outer Circle, and Expanding Circle, representing different ways in which English has been acquired and is being used across the world. Statistically, there are approximately one billion fairly competent speakers of English from these circles (Jenkins, 2009). These speakers acquire English within their bi- and multilingual repertoires and use this language to communicate predominantly with other bi-/multilingual speakers of English (Crystal, 1997). Graddol (1999) states the obvious when he proclaimed, “in future [English] will be a language used in multilingual contexts for communication between non-native speakers” (p. 57), meaning that the so-called Inner Circle native speakers of English will more than likely become the minority (Bloch & Starks, 1999; McKay, 2003).

This complexity in the changing landscape of English users has consequently led to the emergence of diverse varieties of English, as this language is being used as a vehicle for users of English to project their cultural identities to those outside their local milieu. Users of English from Outer and Expanding Circle countries may not necessarily communicate using Inner Circle varieties. They are more likely to develop their own varieties of English, which reflects their cultural norms, values and worldviews. This phenomenon has been observed in the Outer Circle context of Pakistan.

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Zahra Ali, M.A. (Master of Applied Linguistics)
School of Languages, Literatures, Cultures and Linguistics
Monash University, Australia
zali18@student.monash.edu
Postal address: G04/1457 North road Clayton Victoria 3168
Australia
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