ERIC Number: EJ1236266
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2019
Pages: 13
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-2231-3338
EISSN: N/A
English Learners' Attitudes toward English as an International Language: A Qualitative Inquiry
Rahimi, Muhammad; Pakzadian, Maryam
Journal on English Language Teaching, v9 n4 p28-40 Oct-Dec 2019
This article reports on a qualitative study that investigated English learners' attitudes toward English as an International Language (EIL). Four major findings were identified in the current study. First, majority of the participants thought that English belongs to all its users, regardless of being its native speakers or not. Second, lack of knowledge of Outer Circle varieties led the students to stick to the two major Inner Circle varieties of English-American and British Englishes as standard norms. Third, majority of participants embraced localisation of English and considered it as a manifestation of local cultures. Furthermore, the learners admitted that their local government has attached great value to learning English, but they were concerned about the utilitarian view of education, since majority of the learners focus merely on obtaining high scores on English exams. Fourth, the learners expressed their dissatisfaction with the imbalanced contemporary English teaching and stated that developing communication competence should be the main goal of English instruction. Therefore, the authors suggest that effective measures be taken at policy making, materials development and pedagogy levels to promote the legitimacy of all varieties of English and meet the needs of today's English learners.
Descriptors: English (Second Language), Second Language Learning, Second Language Instruction, Language Attitudes, Student Attitudes, Language Role, Native Speakers, Language Variation, North American English, Language Tests, Scores, Teaching Methods, Communicative Competence (Languages), Foreign Countries, Educational Objectives, Educational Policy, Policy Formation, Material Development, Second Language Programs
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research; Tests/Questionnaires
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: United Kingdom; Iran
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A