Description
English is undoubtedly a pluricentric language, yet in ELT contexts native speaker standards still dominate, perpetuating bias against non-standard and non-native varieties and failing to prepare students to interact in a globalized world (cf. Cavalheiro et al., 2021). The Global Englishes paradigm disrupts this tendency, bringing linguistic, sociolinguistic and sociocultural fluidity into the classroom (Rose & Galloway, 2019). This study focuses on the importance of exposing students to varieties from different concentric circles (Kachru, 1985), hence taking on a Global Englishes approach. Through action research, during my supervised teaching practicum, I investigated whether promoting consciousness of language variation in EFL classrooms could foster more positive language attitudes with a group of 7th and 11th-grade students. For 7th graders, the exposure to non-native varieties was privileged to address their perceived inadequacy compared to native-like accents, while the 11th graders engaged in debates reflecting on linguistic prestige and analyzed features of non-standard varieties. To assess the effectiveness of the intervention, pre- and post-intervention questionnaire responses on language variation were compared. Findings can orientate teachers towards integrating exposure to and reflection on language variation in their classroom practices, as they suggest that itcultivates more positive language attitudes among students and enhances their motivation.
| Period | 15 Nov 2024 → 16 Nov 2024 |
|---|---|
| Event title | 9th International Conference on Teaching English as a Foreign Language : Innovation in English language education: Adapting pedagogies to meet modern challenges |
| Event type | Conference |
| Location | Lisbon, PortugalShow on map |
| Degree of Recognition | International |