Week 16: Re-visioning TESOL

The article by Lin et. al begins by explaining how even in applied linguists’ “objective” writing, there are ways that we can see Otherization. There seems to be unequal power relations between the research (Self) who is able to conduct meta-analysis and theorize about the subjective group or individual who is being researched (Other). I never actually thought about the ideologies underlying this type of writing that we are always analyzing. The authors then introduce Richardson’s “the collective story” genre that combines narrative writing with sociological analytic writing to evade this problem of Otherization. These collective stories demonstrate EFL learners working diligently to acquire English and have been successful, but may find themselves being Otherized in the process, yet continue to value their skills in the language. The autobiographies demonstrated learners who have used English as a cultural tool and have found themselves in a search for identity in the context of language learning.

The article then suggests that we use these narratives to redesign TESOL into TEGCOM, which is Teaching English for Glocalized Communication. Their rationale is that TESOL already implies Otherization by having an Anglo teacher as the Self and the learner as the Other, rather than focusing on the postmodern position of English learning in today’s world. TEGCOM would consider all learners to be monolingual “native English speakers” who need to be taught in ways that would promote cross-cultural communication in sociocultural contexts. Once again, we need to look at this field with a critical view and see how our perspectives of the world are influencing English learners and what we should do to prevent problems of power relations.

Chapter 7 by McKay and Bokhorts-Heng discussed how to use the sociolinguistic context of English to make new EIL pedagogical decisions. The first part of the chapter really related to what we have learned thus far about English in a globalized world with learners who have different motivations and access to learning the language. Two issues that are evident in current EIL pedagogy is glocal-local tensions and the discourse of Othering, which can lead to many problems. One thing we can do as teachers is critically analyze all of the materials that we are using and then have our students do the same, so that they can see the unequal power relations or stereotypes that may exist. After completing that ESL text analysis earlier in the semester, I love this idea and I think it would be a great way for students to view EFL/ESL with a critical perspective. The end of the chapter provided key points that a socially sensitive EIL pedagogy would include and some of them are:

-“EIL curricula should be relevant to the domains in which English is used in the particular learning contexts.”

-“EIL curricula should include examples of the diversity of English varieties used today.”

-“EIL curricula need to exemplify L2-L2 interactions.” ---I agree!

-“EIL should be taught in a way that respects the local culture of learning.”

Week 15

I really enjoyed the readings for this week because I think sociolinguistics and variations in English are interesting concepts that aren't always brought up. In Chapter 5 of McKay, we see how the spread of English has led to the development of varieties of English between countries and also varieties within countries. For example, Nigeria has four varieties of English that reflect different levels of social acceptance and international intelligibility. I thought it was surprising that very few Nigerians spoke the varieties that were closest to Standard British English, but that is what makes their form of the language unique. I like to think of all of the variations in English as being unique, rather than inadequate to the Standard English that we know. Kachru argues that English has "blended itself with the cultural and social complex", so we must look at these varieties as intertwined with the culture of the country, instead of inferior to the Standard form. The chapter also discussed those who support a monolithic model of language and argue that if we allow local spaces to modify the language for their environment, that soon English speakers could not understand one another. This idea really surprised me and I think that we need to realize that language is constantly changing and we cannot prevent variations in English. It will always be changing, but what matters is that speakers can work together to understand each other.

The article by Lippi-Green further brought up language variation, but specifically accents. It specified the difference between accent and dialects by saying that, "Two varieties of a single language are divided by accent when differences are restricted primarily to phonology." Dialects are when the language varies in morphological structures, syntax, lexicon, and semantics. Many people often think it is easy to change your accent and that if you cannot adapt to the "standard" accent, then you have not tried hard enough or are unintelligent. However, accents can be difficult to change and why should we have to change our accent? I never realized my "Chicagoan" accent until I went to Spain and everyone from the East and West Coast in the U.S. always commented on it. Just because we had a few differences in our English, it doesn't mean that theirs was better than mine or that mine was better. 

Week 14: Language planning and policy

The readings for this week required the understanding of the differences between language planning and policy, which I was unfamiliar with. In Chapter 4 by McKay and Heng, Deumert (2000, p. 384) states that language policy "refers to the more general linguistic, political, and social goals underlying the actual language planning process." Language planning involves making conscious decisions about a language status (official or national) or language corpus (the script, grammar, spelling, etc.) based on the previously mentioned goals and ideologies. These two concepts are undoubtedly linked, which we can see in the examples given in Singapore and the United States. Language is a concept that must be studied with a 'worldly' view and looked at in its social, cultural, historical, economic, or political contexts. This notion relates to language politicking, which concerns how language reflects the current society and the interplay of language and power, especially with the recent impact of globalization. This worldliness of language has certain implications for language planning, often causing conflicting viewpoints on the status of a language. This chapter also discussed English as an official language and how it is seen as a unifying bond for nations and believed to lead to economic success and international/inter-racial communication. Even though the goal is for English to be a neutral medium, this still underlies the idea that Standard English is the only appropriate form and it places English as superior to other languages. I was intrigued when reading about Ebonics in the United States and how it is a “ghettoizing” language rather than an “empowering” one, which is a perfect example of how our ideologies are reflected in the languages we value. I thought this quote on page 111 was something that all ESL/EFL teachers should keep in mind when embracing our student’s native languages; “the reality that Ebonics, the linguistic form a student brings to school, is intimately connected with their loved ones, community and personal identity.”

King and Fogle’s paper examines family language policies regarding additive bilingualism and how families’ beliefs shape their actual language planning. Bilingualism in the United States can be difficult due to the high status of English and policies that fail to support non-English languages. This is why the choices parents make in aiding their child’s bilingualism, whether it is for economic opportunities or maintaining cultural ties, are very significant. The findings of this study found that parents indeed are critical consumers of information that guides their decisions and they also rely on their own personal language learning experiences. Although these parents were very informed on why bilingualism is important, they were relatively unaware on the challenges that they may face in the process that may hinder their high expectations for their children.

Both of these readings stress the impact of language policy on language planning and what it demonstrates about a nation’s belief on a language, especially English.

Week 13: Multilingualism and World Englishes

The readings for this week related to the impact of globalization on English, resulting in multilingualism and World Englishes. Of course the spread of English across the globe has led to much more linguistic diversity, such as a variation in pronunciation, vocabulary, idioms, and rhetorical styles. This is not limited to the diversity in other countries, but also the linguistic variations within the United States. There are many different dialects within America (even spanning across Illinois) and it is important to be aware of the linguistic and cultural diversity of English speakers, rather then hold one type of English to a higher standard. This reminded me of my experience studying abroad in Spain and how it was not until those five months that I began to realize the different forms of English. My 13-year-old host sister was learning British English and there were times when I could not even help her with her homework because I was completely unfamiliar with the vocabulary. My host sister was shocked that I couldn't even help her with my own native language! The dialogue in her textbook was also very formal, so I tried to explain that the way I used English in America was actually different from what she was learning. I think this definitely sparked our awareness about the differences in English in other parts of the world. My classes in Spain were also with students from all around the United States and it was not until then that I realized how many "Englishes" there were in my own country. People from the West and East coast always commented on my Chicago accent, which I thought was the "standard" until I was being teased for it.  Kubota and Ward's article explained the implications for teachers to prepare the younger generations to be tolerating, respecting, and knowledgeable of this diversity that they will face in the community. I believe it is a great idea to incorporate teaching diversity into all content areas so that it is a concept that stays with students for their entire lives, rather than turning it into a one-unit lesson.

Chapter 3 by McKay and Bokhorst-Heng discussed multilingualism in societies with and without diglossia. In diglossic bilingual societies, the linguistic differences are functionally distinguished and one language (the H-language) is typically used in the formal domain while the other language (the L-language) is only used for more informal situations. In this type of multilingualism, the main incentive to learn English is its status as an H-language and the ability to communicate in these important domains, such as higher education or the government. Once again, English is seen as bringing power but this is not always true and it may actually keep the poor and disadvantaged students from ever fully learning the language. This chapter along with Farr and Song's article explained how language policy is a reflection of language ideology. The beliefs and values of a culture are always embedded in the approach to language learning, which is essential to remember if we will be teaching in a foreign country.

Week 12

The world is undoubtedly being influenced by globalization, whether it be in a positive or negative way, as was explained in Chapter 1 and 2 by Mc-Kay and Bokohrst-Heng. It is making it much easier for information to be shared and for more cultural and linguistic exchange, which has an enormous effect on the usage of English. English is now a worldwide language, being used in various social contexts, which Kachru presented as the Inner Circle, Outer Circle, and Expanding Circle. Is English being learned because it is needed in day-to-day life, or to succeed in formal and educational settings, or because of the pressures of globalization? These three learning contexts influence how language learners approach English and it can affect their motivation and even alter their social identity.

I found the alchemy of English to be a fascinating concept discussed in Chapter 1, which asserts that knowing English is like possessing Aladdin's lamp and it holds the dreams of linguistic knowledge and personal success. Many believe that investing in English provides power, which is why it continues to be such a global language, but to what extent is this good or bad? I do not believe it necessarily grants power and it makes English seem more superior to the many other languages of the world. I truly think it is important for ESL/EFL teachers to consider how their students view English and remember to incorporate their cultural values and languages into the curriculum, instead of placing full importance on English. As a native speaker of English, I cannot imagine putting so much faith in a language to bring success; but this belief has led to English being spoken by more second language speakers than native speakers. That is truly a sign of the impacts of factors such as colonialism and globalization on English.

Chapter 2 explained the many programs designed to teach English in the Inner Circle, Outer Circle, and Expanding Circle, which made me question which program would be the best. I was left feeling confused on how this should be approached because of the diversity of the three contexts and of course, there are always individual student differences. However, I do believe that when designing these educational programs, it is always important to consider the relationship between ethnicity and language support. I personally do not think a program should force students to fully assimilate themselves and lose their cultural identity, but it should be a balanced mixture between English learning and maintaining or adjusting cultural identity. I am confident that there will be more research in the TESOL field that will provide us with better ways to address the impacts of globalization on English teaching.

The Kubota article discussed the discourse of kokusaika (internalization), which tries to balance the tense promotion of English and nationalism. However, it pushes aside the local linguistic and cultural diversity. It has led to four premises for foreign language education: English is the foreign language, the model for English should be standard North American or British varieties, learning English leads to intercultural understanding, and national identity is fostered through English. I thought these were very pushing towards English and did not effectively promote other cultures or languages, which is always important.

Week 11: Race, language, identity

While reading “Becoming Black” by Ibrahim, I learned more about how students identify with cultural and linguistic influences and how that affects their learning. One quote I found very interesting was,  “Because language is never neutral, learning it cannot and should not be either.” We have discussed about the many diverse students and languages we will have in our classrooms, which implies that we need to teach to these differences. Ibrahim’s proposal is that rap, hip-hop and Black popular culture in general are curriculum sites where learning takes place and identities are formed. By using rap as a tool to teach, this would tie together the student’s investment in learning a specific marginalized language. I believe that rap and hip-hop would be more a site of critique than Ibrahim’s idea of a site of hope because it does not seem very appropriate for a class setting. I understand that it will help link the students’ world and identity with their language, but perhaps there are better ways of doing this. But in thinking this, I have caught myself valorizing my own language and giving it more legitimacy than Black English. This relates back to our class discussion on what makes Standard English and how we should value other forms of English in the classroom. I like the ESL pedagogy of engaging one’s identity and investment into their learning, but in my own classroom, I would maybe include other authentic texts that relate to the students or make sure the rap lyrics were appropriate. 

I thought the article “Cultural Stereotypes” by Kumar was very interesting and problematized the cultural stereotypes that exist in TESOL, specifically with Asian students. Many times we may find ourselves stereotyping and as teachers, we should look to the reasons of why we are doing this. I found myself relating to Kumar’s idea that stereotyping helps us reduce an unmanageable and unknown reality of our diverse students into a more manageable label. I think it can be overwhelming to be unfamiliar of your students’ backgrounds, which makes stereotyping an easy thing to fall back on. We should be critically aware of this and make sure not to generalize because there are many components that make up one’s identity. I found this quote about stereotyping to be very true: “People everywhere practice it, knowingly or unknowingly. It is an all-pervasive phenomenon that affects gender, class, race, language, religion, nationality, and ethnicity. We stereotype others, and others stereotype us.” 

Kubota and Lin’s article titled “Race, Culture, and Identities in Second Language Education” gave a basic overview of these key terms. There is no concrete way to define race, culture, and identity, which is what we have been learning throughout this semester.

Week 8: Culture and Material Evaluation

As we have been learning throughout the semester, culture is composed of multiple aspects and it can be a concept that is difficult to learn and teach. I have gained a lot of knowledge on how an ESL teacher can influence the way in which their students view culture (both the target language culture and their native identity), but this is the first time I have read about the significance of ESL materials. The readings this week by Tyler-Mendes, Giashi, and Hinkel have all demonstrated how textbooks can be a factor that may influence how gender roles or race are perceived in a specific culture. There has recently been an increased amount of focus on the images in textbooks in comparison with the textual content, which is why this is such an important topic. Tyler-Mendes argued that the images in the EFL textbooks should be discussed in order to counter racial stereotypes about English speakers and English-speaking nations and I completely agree. I have not had access to these textbooks yet, but this study found that their images create an American culture with economic and social success. The people in the images are also predominately white and represent the middle class, power, and money. If other races were shown, such as African Americans, they were represented in a poorer or powerless position. I found this to be very sad and it would reinforce the racial stereotypes that we want to avoid. The reading by Tyler-Mendes also addressed the critical pedagogy by Paulo Freire, in which we should examine the politics of unequal power relations and then take actions for social transformation. This relates to how ESL teachers should incorporate dialogue in our classrooms so that we can question who benefits from the existing power structure and what the purpose of the textbook is.

All three of the readings provided great implications for ESL teachers that I found to be very useful. We may not be able to choose the materials for our classes but we can employ literary skills to address this problem. Giashi stressed the importance of critical image analysis as a tool that can help us reveal underlying trends in the resources we use. This skill is especially important as we encounter ESL texts because they may be reinforcing stereotypes or serve to benefit a specific person or group. We should consider the textbook images and then initiate discussions with our students about them. Being able to critically analyze resources will help my future class to examine race and power issues in our surrounding society and how that affects one’s perception of culture and identity. I also found the implications in Chapter 11 by Hinkel to be interesting because they focus on how a teacher can learn along with their students. I love that idea and I hope to reflect on cultural awareness just as much as my students. The reading stated, “With encouragement, students can learn how to learn about cultures” and that reiterates the idea that one needs to critically analyze the information they are presented with to learn about culture and be aware of possible stereotypes.