Teach English in Cifeng Zhen - Chengdu Shi

It is universally acknowledged that English has become a global language: every corner of the Earth is inhabited by at least someone who understands this tongue. It has, in some sense, come to replace French as a lingua franca, because all the world’s major institutions and leaders now communicate through the language of Shakespeare. However, since nowadays English is predominately spoken by foreigners, it has lost its status of pure and uncontaminated language, to become a melting pot of words and patterns, each mirroring the structure of the utterers’ mother tongues. As a result, as we stand, it would be more suitable to talk about Englishes, rather than of English, because from Italy to Thailand, from France to Japan, every user of the language spoken in the UK and in the US utilises it quite differently from how a native would. This reflection has consequences on the kind of English that should be taught in class and on the degree of seriousness of the mistakes that learners make. Indeed, comparing and contrasting the wide range of English course books available on the market, there seems to be outlining a clear trend: what these volumes aim at teaching is International English, or rather, to call it with its proper name, Globish. Globish is a simplified form of English, in which a limited range of vocabulary and of grammar structures is used. Not only that, phrasal verbs and idiomatic expressions are virtually disposed of, in order to privilege an easier flow of information for foreigners. This way, paradoxically, it looks as though the English language did not belong to its native speakers any more, and it is not rare for British or American people to fail to understand the meaning of an English text written by, say, a Frenchman, whereas other foreigners will get the message perfectly and without flinching. Therefore, should instructors keep on teaching the English language with all its nuances or should they just focus on the rudiments of the language itself, turning a blind eye to weird structures and inadequate word usage? The most sensible answer would be that in no way should teachers be more lenient in their corrections, especially with lower-level students, for whom the foundations of the language are still not solid enough. Moreover, were it not for patient instructors around the world who point out grammar and usage mistakes to their students, English could actually shatter in as many fragmented creoles as are the languages spoken on Earth, and that would be the end of a unifying means of communication. To avoid this fragmentation, it would be advisable to expose students, during classes, to both varieties of English, i.e. Globish and British/American English, in order for them to pick up on the differences between the two. Several lessons scattered throughout the year could be devoted to this topic, which is both fascinating and engaging. Using authentic material taken from international organisations as well as from local British and American institutions will enable an effective compare and contrast exercise that will turn out to be useful during the Study phase of an ESA-based lesson plan. Finally, a note of warning to teachers who consider themselves sticklers: too strict an approach to the correction of mistakes will not be beneficial to any student, who will lose confidence in his/her own abilities and will start performing more and more poorly. Besides, English, just like any language, cannot be contained, and what is considered to be an error today will be perfectly fine in a few years’ time, thanks to the widespread use of the said mistake by speakers of English as a Global Language. In conclusion, mother-tongue English speakers should embrace this evolution of their language, because it is enriching not only linguistically, but culturally as well. As a matter of fact, everybody knows that language is the mirror of the cultural values of any given population. And English is no exception.