An investigation of pre-service EFL teachers’ attitudes towards speakers from three circles of English

Abstract

This study investigated World Englishes from the perspectives of non-native pre-service teachers in Turkey. More specifically, the study explored how EFL pre-service teachers evaluated speakers from different countries of origin, representing the different circle in Kachru's (1985) model, either positively or negatively. To elicit their perceptions of the speakers' English accents, we asked them to listen to audio-recordings of six different speakers representing Kachru's Three Circles of English, reading the same passage, and then to discuss which variety they were familiar with and which one they would prefer. Pre-service teachers' orientations towards speakers from different varieties emerged under the following themes: (i) native speakerism, (ii) intelligibility, (iii) reference to own experience, (iv) potential ownership and (v) potential professional awareness. The findings suggest that, although they were starting to develop professional awareness regarding different varieties of English, to broaden their experience of varieties, and even to develop a potential ownership, they still revealed a tendency to conform to the native-speaker norms and to rate speaker intelligibility according to these norms. We argue that revisiting language teacher education programmes to address the current sociolinguistic reality of English is a must.

Nepali English Teachers’ Perceptions Towards Global Englishes in ELT

“…Therefore, it seems significant to organize teacher training locally for the teachers of all levels, not necessarily constraining them in the university courses only. Accessibility to TPD programs aids both teachers and students to broaden GE-awareness, resulting in positive reflections on their perceptions (Cecen & Tuluce, 2019;Kang, 2015;Luo, 2017). Results in this study also unveiled that the participants demanded GE-informed teacher education such as conferences, workshops, seminars, and training events, which may include various talk shows on opportunities and possibilities of implementing GEs in ELT.…”

“…Nevertheless, the research in different contexts reveals that even teachers seem reluctant to use regional Englishes or their own English in ELT, questioning the legitimacy of GEs in academia (Dhami, 2022;Sadeghpour, 2019;Tarrayo et al, 2021). Teachers' reluctance to include GEs in ELT demands their engagement in GE-informed teacher professional development (TPD), which comprises GE-oriented workshops, conferences, and seminars (Cecen & Tuluce, 2019;Eslami et al, 2019). Teachers then can train learners of English based on how they can be mutually intelligible while communicating with interlocuters, rather than training English language learners on a particular model of English (Kang, 2015;Luo, 2017).…”

Applied linguistics and language education research in Turkey: 2016–2022

“…Among the relevant studies that have been published in recent years, most seem to focus on attitudes towards ELF/WEs, either in relation to participants’ current awareness and openness towards ELF/WEs (Altınmakas et al, 2019; Cesur & Balaban, 2020; Çeçen & Serdar Tülüce, 2019; Geçkinli & Yılmaz, 2021; Yücedağ & Karakaş, 2019), or in relation to the changes in attitudes following specific training, out-of-class communications in English, or experience abroad (Biricik Deniz et al, 2020; Irgın, 2020; Kaçar, 2021; Kemaloğlu-Er & Bayyurt, 2022; Uğurlu et al 2022). Çeçen and Serdar Tülüce (2019), for example, examined pre-service EFL teachers’ attitudes towards speakers coming from the three ‘circles’ of English (Kachru, 1985). In open discussions after listening to the various speakers, the participants’ overall evaluations of quality and intelligibility reveal a strong conformity to native-speaker norms.…”

EFL Education Students’ Perceptions of Global Englishes in ELT in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam

“…Addressing the reluctance of teachers to include GE in ELT requires engaging them in GE-informed teacher professional development, which includes workshops, conferences, and seminars focusing on GE-informed approaches (Çeçen & Tülüce, 2019;Eslami et al, 2019). Through such professional development, teachers can gain a better understanding of how English language learners can achieve mutual intelligibility in communication with interlocutors, rather than strictly adhering to a particular model of English (Kang, 2015;Luo, 2017).…”