Global Englishes - Essay Example

RESEARCH PESPECTIVES Research is a very important activity in our everyday life. Human beings encounter various experiences that need application of knowledge and skills in order to solve problems, work out new strategies or make new inventions. In this process, previous knowledge about the subject matter provides a good platform upon which new knowledge can be established. The process of research is a systematic approach to various issues with a solution finding mission (Duff & Chapelle, 2003). The world has become a global village and more often than not, people have to move from one continent to another for purposes of work, tourism, diplomatic aspects, migration or learning. For this case, this paper will look at the aspect of learning a foreign language and how interplay of different factors is an impediment for learners and teachers of EFL (Schmitt & Sonbul, 2009).A research conducted on any subject should be in a position to demonstrate effectively the kind of problem being investigated and provide relevant facts that have been followed to arrive at the problem (Patridge & Phakiti, 2010). A good research has to follow the stipulated steps in order to arrive at the expected solution giving summary and recommendations (Dörnyei, 2007). Research is supposed to be held for posterity, this implies that any kind of scholarly work that is done should be well preserved. This means that research work has be well maintained for use by other people who may have related interests in the particular field, or may want to improve on the particular issue. Information in particular fields of research can be significant in other kinds of research that may appear to be related. The purpose of this paper is to critically analyze the research article that was conducted by Ho (2009). Problem investigation in the research This article explores the challenge that is currently faced by students who are undertaking foreign languages for purposes of further studies or work in different other countries. Currently, the world has become a global village with many opportunities for commerce and learning in all parts of the world. Going to work or study in a foreign country is quite complex than the way it sounds. This is with respect to social issues relating to communication and cultural adaptations. Ho (2009) explains that people moving to work or learn in other countries have to be Cross-culturally competent in order to successfully interact with people in the foreign country as well as communicate effectively with them. Therefore, education in foreign languages acknowledges that its main area of interest is in intercultural competence (Cirocki, 2010). In this article, the problem that has prompted research is cultural competence which as explained, is an essential aspect of foreign language teaching and learning. In order to delve into this matter, the research explored an empirical study of English as a foreign language in Vietnam. The perceptions of students and teachers about their cultural dimension of language alongside routine practices in the classroom were taken into consideration. The main aim was to find out and analyze views of students and teachers about English as a foreign language and the experiences encountered during teaching and learning in the classroom. Teaching of alien languages has seen the issue of intercultural language become a vital objective. This factor has continued to emphasize that language and culture should be interdependent together with intercultural comprehension in communication as regards people from different backgrounds. Nonetheless, there is still a challenge since teachers and foreign language learners have given more attention to culture as far as language teaching and learning is concerned. According to findings from different researches, it is still believed that culture teaching and learning still have a great peripheral status on a particular foreign language classroom. It is in this understanding that this research article tries to examine how teachers of EFL and their learners make out the cultural element of language teaching and learning, as well as the manner in which classroom teaching approaches the issue of culture. Approaches taken in addressing the challenges above In order to effectively find a solution to the critical issues brought out, the research article points out that the researcher engaged EFL teachers alongside foreign students in order to get their views about the same. The main aim was to take care of the concern of how culture in teaching and learning foreign language is apparent in; opinions and practices as experienced by teachers of EFL in Vietnam as well as in the priorities and perspectives of EFL students in Vietnam (Canh, & Barnard, 2009). A sample for the study involved fourteen teachers of EFL as well as two hundred students undertaking EFL. This actual research process was carried in two Vietnamese universities. The teachers that were selected for the study had an experience of between 5-10 years while the students sampled were English majors across their first to fourth year studies. This research employed three main primary methods; use of questionnaires, observations in classroom experiences as well as interviews with EFL teachers and students (Juanita & Robert, 2009). To begin with, there were a total of twelve classroom observations (Nunan & Barley, 2009) which involved lessons in American culture by eight EFL teachers and an additional ten lesson skills in language. In the first one, cultural lessons were mainly American based in that they involved American learners, languages spoken in the United States as well as information about their geography. On the other hand, language skills involved diverse issues happening in daily life. For reliability purposes, each lesson was observed using systematic observation formats based on standard criteria that featured main goals, special inputs, tasks, roles of teachers and students, and the type of setting for the particular task (Nunan, 1992).All this was done with a keen focus on the cultural aspect. In total, there were fifty three students who took part in the focus group interviews, while the questionnaires were filled by all the targeted students. After the data collection process, descriptive statistics were used in analyzing the questionnaire while thematic analyses were used for thorough and effective analysis of interviews from teachers and students. Findings After careful analyses of results from the data collection process, this article has given possible results and conclusions. From the article, it is evident that the belief of EFL teachers about the significance of a teacher’s knowledge about culture doesn’t feature anywhere in his intercultural perspective. This means that a teacher does not necessarily have to be an expert on cultural aspects in order to teach intercultural language. What is needed of the teacher is simply to stand in as a mediator and facilitate the teaching and learning experience. In this case, the teacher’s main obligation is simply to lead the process of acquisition and development of knowledge and skills and attitude awareness in the EFL learners. Similarly, the effectiveness of Native English Speakers compared to Non-native English teachers requires consideration. It is possible for non-native English speakers to be effective in teaching EFL than native teachers because they are able to switch between cultures comfortably than native English speakers. These teachers have the ability to arouse curiosity in students while helping them bond with other cultures. This is perhaps something that qualifies them as valuable in facilitating the learning of intercultural language. To support this thinking, the research article author has given a thorough explanation about learning of intercultural languages which adds impetus to his findings. He explains that culture and language are always at the core of any learning process. This is because; the two concepts are basically intertwined. The capacity to arrive at a common platform between interlocutors across diverse cultural settings is known as “decentre.” In the decentring process, the learner sets to look for a negotiated interactional freedom that may exist between interlocutors or another factor known as the “the third place.” In these whole process learners of the foreign language established within themselves important characters like intercultural sensitivity, the skill of perceiving things from a second party’s point of view, empathy and appreciation of variety and lenience. These abilities enable the leaner to be triumphant as far as intercultural communication is concerned. This assumption seems true and able to hold for the research findings, when ELF learners are taught with non-native English speakers they are able to develop skills brought out in the above theory and succeed in learning English as a foreign language. This makes a reader of this article able to connect the conclusions of the research with the theory. The reader therefore has to agree to the fact that cultural expertise in a certain culture is not very essential in determining a good teacher of English as a foreign language. In this light, teachers have to go beyond mere transfer of cultural facts and discover other various options for effective culture teaching in order to approach culture in a more systematic way during teaching of EFL or other aspects relevant in a learner’s life. References Canh, L, V, & Barnard, R. (2009). Curricular innovation behind closed classroom doors: A Vietnamese case study. Prospect. 24(2). P. 20-33 Cirocki, A. (2010). Classroom Ethnographies: Doing Teacher Research; in G. Park, H. P, Widodo & Cirocki (Eds). Observation of Teaching: Bridging Theory and Practice through Research on Teaching. Munich: Lincom. Dörnyei, Z. (2007). Research Methods in Applied Linguistics. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Duff, P. & Chapelle, C, A. (2003). Some Guidelines for Conducting Quantitative and Qualitative Research in TESOL.37(1), p. 157-178 Ho, S, T, (2009). An intercultural perspective on teaching and learning in the Vietnamese EFL classroom. Electronic Journal of Foreign Language Teaching. 6(1), p. 63-76. Juanita H., & Robert A., C. (eds). (2009). Qualitative Research in Applied Linguistics; A practical Introduction. Palgrave Macmillan. Basingstoke, U.K. Nunan D. & Barley, K, M. (2009). Exploring Second Language classroom; A comprehensive guide. Boston: Heinle, Cengage Learning Nunan, D. (1992). Research Methods in Language Learning. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Patridge, B., & Phakiti, A. (2010). Continuum Companion to Research Methods in applied Linguistics. London: Continuum. Schmitt N, & Sonbul2009). Direct teaching of vocabulary after reading: is it worth the effort? ELT Journal. 64(3), p. 253-260 Read More