A Critical Enquiry into TEFL: From Root Origins to the Non-Native Contexts of the Expanding Circle
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18485/philologia.2016.14.13_14.2Keywords:
Global English, Expanding Circle, Inner Circle, sociolinguistic landscape, TEFLAbstract
The study is a critical enquiry into TEFL from its root origins to one non-native context in the Expanding Circle. The article argues that despite changes in the sociolinguistic landscape of the English language (Hennerbry 2014; Wierzbicka 2010) and the increased number of non-native English speakers (Graddol 2010; Crystal 2012), English language teaching programmes in this case study remain heavily based on the propositions and models of the Inner Circle (Baird et al. 2014; Jenkins 2013).
While tracing the shifting tendencies in teaching English (Baker 2015a; Wang 2013; Cogo 2012), the study assesses English language teaching programme components in relation to learners’ needs and learning objectives. In tracing the pedagogy and application of TEFL from roots to non-native contexts, the study confirms that recent pedagogic interest in global Englishes (Jenkins 2015; Baker 2012; Jenkins et al. 2011), albeit at the theoretical level (Ricento 2015; Saraceni 2015) did not seem to impact TEFL programmes and curricula in non-native contexts.
The context of the study includes universities in Lebanon where English is taught as TEFL and universities in Britain teaching English as ELT. Through mixed methods and triangulating feedback, past graduates and potential candidates confirm that the TEFL programmes offered in the non-native context of the Expanding Circle still reflect the dominance of native English speaker norms. In addition, the scrutiny of the offered programmes in the Inner and Expanding Circles confirms that MA Programmes in the Expanding Circle replicate to a large extent the native programmes offered in the Inner Circle. Aspects from local culture remain lacking and the language concerns of the local learner remain not targeted.
The study concludes with a set of propositions that frames TEFL curriculum within essential and variable components that underline specific fields for teaching English within the socio-cultural non-native context of its users.
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