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ERIC Number: EJ1163407
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2017-Dec
Pages: 8
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0033-6882
EISSN: N/A
Debating Standard Language Ideology in the Classroom: Using the "Speak Good English Movement" to Raise Awareness of Global Englishes
Rose, Heath; Galloway, Nicola
RELC Journal: A Journal of Language Teaching and Research, v48 n3 p294-301 Dec 2017
In this article, we describe and evaluate an innovative pedagogical task designed to raise awareness of Global Englishes and to challenge standard language ideology in an English language classroom. The task encouraged the learning and debate of the controversial Speak Good English Movement, which campaigns for Singaporeans to use a "standard" form of English rather than the local variety, "Singlish". The debate was introduced as a Global Englishes-inspired multi-lesson task at a Japanese university with 108 students in four classes. Data were collected in the form of written reflections, in which learners stated their own positions and beliefs. Data indicated that the majority sided against the Speak Good English Movement, viewing Singlish as a legitimate variety of English with important cultural attributes, which contributed to a national identity. Results showed that the debate achieved the aim of encouraging students to critically reflect on standard language ideology in both English and Japanese, their mother tongue. Overall, the activity was successful in raising awareness of the diversity of English, and encouraging critical reflection on the complexities surrounding standard language beliefs. This was seen to be essential given the dominance of the "native" speaker episteme in Japanese language curricula.
SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: http://sagepub.com
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Japan; Singapore
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A