Addressing Learners’ Attitudes toward English Language Variation through a Global Englishes Awareness Raising Program

Abstract

Recently, research on language attitudes has seen increasing interest in the role of English as a global lingua franca. One aspect of this topic is examining how English language variation is perceived in relation to the paradigm of global Englishes (GE) which recognizes the legitimacy of varieties of English and challenges prevailing assumptions regarding how English should be learned and taught. GE highlights the pluricentricity of English, offering new possibilities for English language teaching (ELT) to incorporate components addressing linguistic diversity into classroom practices and to seek ways to improve language learners’ attitudes toward English language variation. The current study aimed to examine not only English language learners’ attitudes toward English language variation, but also how their attitudes could be mediated through engagement with GE components. The study began by uncovering a group of English learners’ attitudes toward English language variation. A nine-week intervention program of GE awareness raising was developed, consisting of three inter-related modules aimed at exposing the learners to different varieties of English and getting them to experience GE perspectives through carefully designed materials. The study then examined impacts of the learners’ engagement with GE on their attitudes. In the survey, attitudes of 305 university English learners (non-English majors) from a public university in the South of Thailand were examined to find out how they implicitly and explicitly perceived English language variation. Data were collected through the verbal guise technique and questionnaire and were analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively. Findings revealed a large significant effect in the participants’ evaluations of the eight speakers. Implicitly, the speakers of the two mainstream native-speaker (NS) varieties (American and British English) were evaluated more favorably than the other speakers of non-native-speaker (NNS) varieties (Thai, Filipino, Chinese, Malaysian, Korean and Indian). The participants’ explicit attitudes toward English language variation were found to be consistent with the implicit ones, as they tended to adhere to the notion of NS superiority and NNS inferiority in linguistics, reflected in how they viewed English language variation in relation to language use, learning and teaching. The study sought to mediate the participants’ attitudes by conducting the GE awareness raising program with 22 participants sampled from those participating in the survey, and examining how it impacted on their attitudes. Data were collected from researcher’s notes, mobile messages, interviews and reflections and were analyzed qualitatively to gain an understanding of the participants’ development of GE awareness during the program and their perceptions of the way English should be learned and used after completing the program. Findings revealed that participants developed more awareness and understanding of key concepts surrounding GE over the course of the program, demonstrating a critical reorientation of beliefs about English language variation in general. The GE awareness raising program was also found to have positive impacts on the participants’ perceptions of how English should be learned and used. They reportedly gained more self-confidence as an English speaker and developed respectful attitudes toward English varieties and speakers. Another important influence is that their stated goal in learning English became more purposeful and realistic. Finally, another positive impact is that the program allowed the participants to rethink about role-model in language learning and use. Implications are provided that highlight shifting perspectives in curriculum planning, including revisiting learners’ needs and formulating learning goals and objectives consistent with how they are likely to use English to communicate with wider interlocutors. Concerning classroom practices, the study suggests that it be crucial for ELT educators to seek opportunities to engage language learners in impactful instructional activities which can foster a pluralistic vision of English. The study also provides the following suggestions for future research: implementing GE ideas in ELT practices, investigating the effects of a GE awareness raising in other contexts and developing robust and compelling methodological designs.