Sociolinguistics and Language Education.pdf

English as an International Language 111
to add to the pluricentric perspective is that today language use is often
not just English but a mix of a variety of languages that highlights the
speaker’s identity and profi ciency. In such encounters, the question of
standards needs to be highly contextualized.
It is perhaps in the question of standards that many of the issues we
have discussed here come together. The fact that new varieties of English
have developed is closely associated with issues of identity. These new
varieties are a factor of cultural and linguistic contact; they refl ect individuals’
desire to signal their unique identity while speaking a global language.
The new varieties also become a basis for Othering in which those
with more power assert that their variety is in fact the ‘standard’. Finally,
what is considered by many to be the standard is the variety promoted in
educational institutions, places to which those with less affl uence often
have limited access.
Implications for Pedagogy
In view of the many diverse social and sociolinguistic contexts of EIL
use, what principles should inform a socially sensitive EIL pedagogy? The
following are what we believe to be key principles.
Foreign- and second-language curricula should be relevant to
the local linguistic ecology
Earlier in the chapter it was noted that in many countries such as Japan,
the local linguistic ecology calls into question the value of English learning.
What is needed in these contexts is a knowledge of the local lingua
franca, as well as a valuing of other local languages. In situations where
English has little relevancy and there is another local lingua franca,
students’ time might be better served in a language awareness class than
in a traditional English classroom. In such classes, students of all backgrounds
could learn about the diversity of languages spoken today, the
attitudes and values associated with them, and the variety of language use
that exists in all languages.
EIL professionals should strive to alter language policies that serve
to promote English learning only among the elite of the country
In many countries we have seen how those with privilege are most likely
to have access to English learning. It is often those who have both the economic
resources and time for language learning who gain profi ciency in
English. To avoid English fl uency contributing to a greater economic divide,
educational leaders and planners need to establish policies that afford
English access to learners of all economic backgrounds. This may well mean
establishing more government-funded opportunities for English learning