Strong winds of

change in ELT:
What has
become of
English?

L I C . V I R G I N I A LÓ P E Z G R I S O L Í A
V LO PE ZGR I SO L I A@GMAI L .CO M
OUR AGENDA
1.-What is ELF?
2.-What is language?
3.- What is the desired
competence
LET’S GET STARTED
 THE FAST SPREAD OF ENGLISH

Truly GLOBAL language

shared by speakers

• in all continents,
• all social classes, (?)
• involved in diverse
domains/settings
 ELF: ENGLISH AS A LINGUA
FRANCA

“any medium of communication

between people of different mother
tongues for whom, in this case
English, is a second language”
Samatin (1987:171) as quoted by Barbara Seidlehofer (2011:7)
RANKING OF WORLD
Mandarin
LANGUAGES TODAY
982 m

Spanish 420m

English
375m
ENGLISH & ITS STATUS IN
THE WORLD•
375 m
Native
Speakers

1.5 b • Users
WHO ARE THE SPEAKERS?

Can we classify them?

BRAJ KACHRU’S CIRCLES
English = native language
Expanding circle + native accent
+ comes ‘for free’
- little enthusiasm to learn
Outer circle other languages

English = 2nd language (ESL)

Inner circle • colonial legacy
e.g. USA, UK • official lang. in many public
380-400 million domains (media,
administration, legislation,
education)
e.g. India, Singapore
300-500 million
English = foreign
e.g. China, Russia language (EFL)
500-1000 million
 OPENING REFLECTION

1. English is an important language

throughout the world. In what areas do
you think it exerts the most influence?
2. In the future, do you think English will
grow in importance? Do you think other
languages like Chinese Mandarin or
Spanish could become dominant?
Account for your answer
WHAT ARE YOUR
REPRESENTATIONS ABOUT
LANGUAGE?

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC

 WHAT IS LANGUAGE TO YOU?

• Language is codified in grammar books and dictionaries

• Language can be good or bad. Good (accurate, similar to NES’s
English) and bad language (with many grammatical, lexical and
phonological mistakes, full of L1 transfers)
• Language is communication (language=communication). It’s a
social construct.
• Language is a set of stable Standard English norms
• Language is set of dynamic norms always evolving.
• Language is a tool used to communicate.
• Language is culture (language=culture)
• Language is an organ in the brain. It’s biological.
• Language sets us apart from other species. It’s an inborn
capacity. It makes us all equal.
 TEACHERS’ BELIEFS ABOUT
LANGUAGE

What IS language?
1. A set of norms, the textbooky
version of English as codified in
Grammar books and dictionaries
2. A dynamic representation of
how language is actually USED
in communication This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under
CC BY

3. An organ in the brain

(biologically defined) with a
social purpose, among others.
 JENKINS, JENNIFER. (2005)
ELF AT THE GATE: THE POSITION
OF ENGLISH AS A LINGUA FRANCA

1. Discuss this quotation from JJ's text: If NSs

participate in ELF communication, it is for
them to adjust the way they speak and
listen in order to accommodate to NNSs
rather than vice versa.
2. Why might NNSs be said to be in a better
position than NSs? (Yeahhh!! Can you
believe your eyes? Just for once!) Reflect
on your own experience as a learner of
English when in primary, secondary or TT
college.
THE END!