World Englishes: approaches, issues and resources

Kachru, Braj Β.

doi:10.1017/s0261444800006583

Cited by 409 publications

(283 citation statements)

References 71 publications

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“…The most common classification of World Englishes by US linguist Braj Kachru (1986Kachru ( , 1988Kachru ( , 1992Kachru ( , 2011 visualizes the spread of English around the globe in a model consisting of three concentric circles. These circles represent different ways in which the language is acquired and currently used by the people of a certain country (see Fig.…”

Section: English As a Global Languagementioning

confidence: 99%

Proficient beyond borders: assessing non-native speakers in a native speakers’ framework

Fleckenstein

Leucht

Pant

et al. 2016

Large-scale Assess Educ

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The popularity and relevance of the English language has made foreign language education a mainstream endeavor around the globe (Dixon et al. 2012;Hu 2007). English language proficiency is considered a basic skill (Cha and Ham 2008;Graddol 2006) that students from different language backgrounds are expected to demonstrate, regardless of whether they are native speakers or non-native speakers. This holds true for all dimensions of language proficiency, however, the comprehension of written texts is one of the most important academic skills for students to acquire and improve (Edele and Stanat 2016;Urquhart and Weir 2013). Therefore, reading is considered a major prerequisite Abstract Background: English language proficiency is considered a basic skill that students from different language backgrounds are expected to master, independent of whether they are native or non-native speakers. Tests that measure language proficiency in nonnative speakers are typically linked to the common European framework of reference for languages. Such tests, however, often lack the criteria to define a practically relevant degree of proficiency in English. We approach this deficit by assessing non-native speakers' performance within a native speakers' framework. Method:Items from two English reading assessments-the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and the National Assessment (NA) for English as a foreign language in Germany-were administered to N = 427 German high school students. Student abilities were estimated by drawing plausible values in a two-dimensional Rasch model. Results:Results show that non-native speakers of English generally underperformed compared to native speakers. However, academic track students in the German school system achieved satisfactory levels of proficiency on the PISA scale. Linking the two scales showed systematic differences in the proficiency level classifications. Conclusion:The findings contribute to the validation and international localization of NA standards for English as a foreign language. Practical implications are discussed with respect to policy-defined benchmarks for the successful participation in a global English-speaking society.

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Section: English As a Global Languagementioning

confidence: 99%

Proficient beyond borders: assessing non-native speakers in a native speakers’ framework

Fleckenstein

Leucht

Pant

et al. 2016

Large-scale Assess Educ

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“…They not only help Chinese learners focus on the development of the English language with a transdisciplinary perspective but also open their minds to other subjects and fields such as creativity of bilingualism, cross-cultural communication strategies, language acquisition, language in the society, etc. [1], which will contribute to broadening their visions, developing their critical thinking abilities and strengthening their adaptive capabilities since more language phenomena need to be viewed from a neutral standpoint.…”

Section: Redesigning the Curriculum And Assessmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Incorporating World English into ELT in Chinese Universities: Issues and Strategies

Li¹

2016

Proceedings of the 2016 International Conference on Education, Management Science and Economics

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Abstract-English norm in the Inner Circle countries or specifically the Anglo-American norm has long been viewed as the standard in English language teaching and learning at colleges and universities in China. After introducing English varieties and nativised varieties in particular, the paper presents problems resulting from the tendency in Chinese universities. And then it focuses on how to address these issues: Practices in colleges' deciding on teaching staff, content and methods need to be adjusted; college students' learning objectives and attitude toward English learning should be optimized; the curriculum of English courses should be enriched and accordingly assessment of students' English learning efficiency should be redesigned. However, it has also been noted in the end that reform of English Language Teaching (ELT) in Chinese universities needs not only English teachers' participation but also other forces to take positive roles, such as administrators at colleges and policy makers in the education department.

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“…For instance, it is argued that a varietal feature is social rather than individual (Kachru, 1992;Mollin, 2006;van Rooy, 2011). However, socially conventionalised forms must emerge as innovations at the individual level in the first place before these can be codified as varietal features passing the test of time and social acceptability (Hamid & Baldauf, 2013).…”

Section: Errors or Varietal Features? Theoretical Criteriamentioning

confidence: 99%