Final thoughts.

Today we present and I am very nervous yet very excited.
It is the last chapter of our book so it is a review which isn't too bad because we know the concepts and have discussed them all before.... however, we don't have hours to go over everything so some things will have to be cut.

Here is the outline from the chapter that Bianca and I put together.
Wish us luck!
and see you next semester!

-A

Chapter 7: Towards a Socially Sensitive EIL Pedagogy

        Throughout the course of this class we have covered many different topics pertaining to global Englishes. Chapter seven reiterates what we have already learned in the previous texts focusing on the Global/Local tension and the discourse of othering. Chapter seven also offers an insight into how we can pedagogically support what we have learned throughout the text.

Two major issues read throughout the text:

1. The Global/local tension

2. Discourse of othering

1) Globalization:

Diglossia: Two or more varieties of the same language that have different roles to play in society.(180-181)

Bianca: Diglossia does not only have a tendency to separate  languages, though also  cultures. English is used to access educational, social and political powers. Where it is typical to hear the mother tongue in home settings and  ‘lower’  social settings.

"The official recognition of English often means the recognition of English only."

-English Classrooms are often labeled as monolingual/monocultural

-It can be seen that there is a "Transition to English only language learning.

-There is a gap between reality and the 'English only' stance.

Alejandra: The unfortunate assumption of English language learning is that the goal is to reach English native speaker status which inhibits the recognition of other languages and ignores how English is used in their social context.

World Englishes:

EIL pedagogy should:

1) Encourage awareness of the variation that exists in English

2) Recognize the validity of different varieties of English

Bianca: Pedagogy should support the awareness of  both local and world Englishes. Students should become aware that there is no better or worse form of English, however there are different contexts in which to use different languages.

Non-Native Vs. Native Speaking teachers

-We must be aware of our influence in the classroom not only because we are TESOL instructors but also because we are native speakers of English and with us we bring a culture and a bias towards “our” English. -Alejandra

2) The Discourse of Othering

Rejection of Westernization

"Some argue that the inclusion of culture, specifically western culture, is not motivational or beneficial to students."

Educators argue that Western culture:

- Contributes to students’ discontent with their own culture

- Western culture behavior goes against their own culture’s ideals

- Students would be more motivated if English was presented within the context of their culture, not just in the context of an Western culture.

Idealization of Westernization

Idealization is most prevalent in classroom materials and take the form of characters, interactions of those characters, and the content of their conversations.

Principles for a socially sensitive EIL pedagogy:

Alejandra: The book highlights these six aspects essential to EIL pedagogy. Use the space provided below to reflect on how to incorporate each one in your future classroom.

1) "EIL curricula should be relevant to the domains in which English is used in the particular learning contexts."

2) "EIL professionals should strive to alter language policies that serve to promote English learning only among the elite of the country"

3) "EIL curricula should include examples of the diversity of English varieties used today."

1) Afford equal status to all varieties of English

2) Promote an awareness of variation in English use

4) "EIL curricula needs to exemplify L2-L2 interactions"

1) creates awareness that English allows for communication beyond geographical and cultural boundaries

2) Provide a context for discussing English language learning.

5) Full recognition needs to be given to both the mother language and the L2.

1) Code switching provides equal status to all languages learners speak.

2) Students actively think about which languages to use in which context.

6) "EIL should be taught in a way that respects the local culture of learning"

Local teachers are the greatest resource- they understand how English will be used in social context and can create a curriculum that follows the local culture of  learning.

Soda vs Pop: Variations in American Dialects

This week's articles are about social linguistics, focusing on the variations of English dialects and accents in the United States. In McKay's chapter, we see how the spread of English has lead to the varieties of English not only between countries but within countries. He uses Nigeria as an example: it has four varieties of English that are accepted at different social levels. The varieties in the English make it so that each one is unique yet they all come from the same roots, the same original language. I think that English, as well as other global languages, are always changing and evolving. With every new speaker there is a new way to pronounce or use a word and this should be notes and acknowledged instead of hidden. 

Lippi-Green's article goes further into language variation and defines the difference between dialects and accents. Accents are when two varieties of a language are divided by phonology and dialect is when the language varies in morphological structures, syntax, lexicon, and semantics.

My parents struggle with dialect and I often have to explain why certain people from a region call something different than I do. Its such a difficult thing to explain because as a native American English speaker these things are 'known'- we learn them like we learn other social and cultural things, through school, books, television, movies, and social interactions. These differences were most apparent to me when I studied abroad and met people from everywhere in the United States. Their accents and dialects stood out among our Chicago accent and we loved hearing each other talk. We all laughed and questioned certain things but in the end we never felt that one accent was better than another, an ideal that we should carry on in the classroom. 

Its not what you say but how you say it.

I was able to make so many connections in this week's readings. I thought of my experiences abroad, of my parents and family members who are English learners, of my theatre friends who study accents, and of all the BBC shows I watch.
I love picking out, analyzing, and appreciating the diversity of accents found within English. I think it is important that students be aware of the variety in accents and are taught to appreciate their own by not idolizing one 'ideal' English. As we discussed before, there is no 'one standard English' and this outdated idea is still present which causes barriers in learning.
As an avid watcher of British television shows I thought of this clip:
http://youtu.be/3Y960PIOJtw?t=5m2s

Its a comedy show so everything is done for a laugh- understood- but what is being done? What accents are being portrayed? What is the punchline? Questions like these we should be asking because funny or not, these ideas perpetuate stereotypes that seep into the classroom and disrupt the learning process. We as teachers must be aware of it and not let it influence our students so much so that their investment and motivation is hindered.

Going Global

Globalization has been a topic of many of my classes this semester, and not just in TESOL classes.
The world is expanding and outside influences are seeping into culture- all five dimensions discussed in the first reading. This week's readings made me think back to them and I realize how even one tiny global influence has shaped an aspect of my identity or culture. I think one thing that is very eye opening to me is the notion of World Englishes- how there is no one Standardized English. This directly correlates to globalization- English is a tool to communicate and each country or group of people have taken English and made it their own, modifying what they can to fit their needs. I saw this first hand when I studied abroad. My host family used English very rarely but when they did it felt 'unproper' or grammatically incorrect to me yet to them it fit a need.

The big thing in this week's readings was the illustration of TESOL issues into circles- Inner Circle countries, Outer Circle countries, and Expanding Circle countries. I really found this model interesting and thinking about it or trying to wrap my head around it can be a bit overwhelming. Different programs and different approaches benefit different groups at every circle level and it is difficult to say which is the best or most beneficial.

One concept that really stood out to me was in Chapter1- the alchemy of English= knowing English is like possessing a magic lamp that holds all dreams and aspirations of linguistic knowledge. English is powerful and can lead to success, but is that really what we want to advertise English as? What effects, good and bad, can come from this? There is more to learning and teaching English than I thought and this concept really rattled me, both as a native English Speaker who has never thought of putting so much worth on one language and as a future teacher of English who 'holds the key' for many eager students.

Race, Language, and Identity

I am sorry for the brief response this week- busy busy.

Kubota and Lin’s article, “Race, Culture, and Identities in Second Language Education”, gave an overview of the terms race, culture, and identity and further explained how there is no concrete meaning- a theme of this semester.

Kumar's article "Cultural Stereotypes" covered stereotypes that many Asian students face and discussed stereotyping in education as a whole. I found one of his ideas very interesting; that we use stereotypes to understand the unmanageable and unknown reality of our students' diverse backgrounds. We fall back on stereotypes because we need something to understand. Teachers must be aware of this and not let it become a part of our classroom.

“Becoming Black: Rap and Hip-Hop, Race, Gender: Identity, and the Politics of ESL Learning” by Ibrahim discussed how blacks base their cultural and linguistic representation on rap and other pop culture. Rap and pop culture directly effects how they shape their identity and their perception of others' identity. Ibrahim suggests to use the pop culture of talk, dress, and music in the classroom since learning takes place within this framework. Students will be more invested and willing to learn and help them develop these identities.

Week 8: Bookworm

This week we are analyzing textbooks and looking for the meaning in the pictures they use. Visual rhetoric- a subtle but very important aspect of learning. Taylor-Mendes, Giashi, and Hinkel's readings all demonstrate and explain how much materials, specifically textbooks, can influence students an ESL classroom. Giashi explained the emotional difficulties students go through when the materials' lack of diversity makes them feel inferior to their teacher's or classmates' culture. This idea is horrible- the feeling that you cannot succeed like the models in the books because you are different than them is not a message we should be sending. In Hinkel's Chapter 11, he discussed how important it is to have a textbook that emphasizes culture and agree. In the Taylor-Mendes article, the author states that “it is important for teachers to consider the images present in English-language textbooks prior to entering the classroom” and that “teachers not only need to draw attention to the content of the image, but they also need to initiate discussions about the issues that the image implies”  Have a discussion about the way people and cultures are portrayed in textbooks in the classroom is very important. Facilitating this discussion is a bit tricky however, it can help break down global barriers and 'release' certain ethnicities bound to only certain countries.
I find this topic to be fascinating, especially in areas of language education. I have noticed this in some textbooks that my elementary school distributed to us; the ideal students would all be white, cute, and smiling while people of other ethnicities or with handicaps were all featured students who had one singular trait attached to them. Images go further and highlight how gender roles or race are perceived in a culture. This creates stereotypes which learners pick up and and 'learn'-just like they would learn new vocabulary or grammar rules. As teachers we must recognize the images, recognize what they are portraying, how students might interpret them, and start conversations with students on how these stereotypes create barriers so they can fight to overturn them.

Week 6: Cultural Writing

This week's readings were focused on writing in the ESL classroom. Writing assignments are an important part of the classroom- students use writing to develop grammar skills, thought-formation in English, and creative expression. Teachers use it at a tool for assessments and to gain a better understanding of their students. I also think that just the process of writing and reading is crucial in the language learning process. It can seem overwhelming for students to formulate and write their thoughts in another language and we must be aware of that. The different ideas on how to teach appropriate writing skills listed in these articles are a great resource. Some of the information given was very disheartening but important for us to know.

I feel like writing has a lot to do with the variation in cultural pedagogy and it creates barriers.  For example, we as American students were taught how to form argumentative essays in one form while Japanese students were taught a different form. I as an American teacher might grade low an essay that could be considered a strong essay in another school culture. It is important for us as TESOL educators to recognize this variation and use teachers as a resource when it comes to assigning and assessing writing assessments.

Another aspect we must be aware of is the type of writing assignments we give to students. Assignments must be culturally representative and allow for students of different technical writing backgrounds to express themselves fully without fear of rejection of ideas or word usage.

Personally, I find writing and creative expression through writing in ANY language to be difficult. I have trouble with grammar and get caught up in the grammar rules that my thoughts and ideas get lost. What I find to be helpful is peer editing and knowing that with practice my writing will get better.