Linguistic and Cultural Imperialism in English Language Education in Thailand (original) (raw)
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วารสาร ธรรมศาสตร์, 2013
This article examines the emergence of English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) as a competing paradigm to the traditional native speaker (NS) models of language learning in the global teaching of English. Highlighting its roots in the "anti-linguistic imperialism" of Phillipson (1992) and appraising current ELF curriculum proposals by its leading proponents , the paper considers the sociopolitical, pedagogical and research implications of ELF in the teaching of English in Thailand and in the wider regional ASEAN community. While ELF could conceivably be appealing in the Thai context of English language learning and teaching, deeply entrenched ideas would have to be modified and a firm commitment made to the extensive preparation and research required to ensure the effective, relevant and practical implementation of an ELF approach in Thailand. Although interculturally sensitive, ideologically rational, and arguably linguistically simpler than NS models of language teaching, ELF is still in its infancy and, because of the considerably significant implications it would have in the English language learning and teaching community, it may very well be many years away from implementation in Thailand.
The global spread of English and the resultant explosion of English Language Teaching in many parts of the world have been termed as "Linguistic imperialism" by Phillipson (1992). According to his theory, English has been cleverly promoted around the world by the British and American agencies with the sole intention of increased profit and continued domination of third world countries. This view also holds that this spread is detrimental to the local languages and cultures. Many other scholars and academics from all over the world have joined the debate bringing to the fore issues such as nature of domination, ways of resistance, cultural and linguistic hybridity and pluralization, identity politics, representation and appropriation of English, etc. The reactions to Phillipson's top-down structural view of domination have thus been marked by competing narratives and interpretations. In this paper I review the debates and make an attempt to characterize the opposing positions pertaining to the global spread and role of English today.
English Language Teaching , 2021
Currently, the role of English language has changed from being a language used among native English speakers (NESs) to being a language spoken by people of various backgrounds or known as English as a lingua franca (ELF). This phenomenon has affected different aspects of global English usage and users across the world. However, in Thailand, this issue does not seem to be taken into account with regard to English language teaching (ELT) and learning practices as different ELT stakeholders continue to conform to traditional teaching methods related to NESs. This action is reflected in an English language ideology called 'native speakerism' which has long been entrenched in Thai society. It has repeatedly caused different problems for both Thai teachers and students of English language until the present day. This review article aims to demonstrate the impacts of the native speakerism ideology on Thai teachers and students of English language in the period of English as a global lingua franca. The article begins with an explanation of how the changes of role and status of English challenge traditional perspectives of English language and how the ELT industry around the world, including in Thailand, should adapt to such changes. Then, the article gives brief conceptualizations of native speakerism and its effects on English teachers and students. Finally, it moves on to discuss the native speakerism ideology in Thailand and reports different negative effects of native speakerism on Thai teachers and students of English language.
This paper reports on attitudes to the concept of ownership of English drawn from statistics obtained from a questionnaire survey among 365 local English teachers working at different teaching levels, coupled by the interview discourse collected from 21 local English teachers in upper northeastern Thailand. The data aimed at representing their ideological positionings. Most of the informants disapproved of the idea that other global English users besides the 'former' native speakers can also be owners of English. Their positionings might have been largely governed by their roles as English teachers with an orientation to the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) paradigm and its native speaker ideology. This affirms the findings from previous research that English teachers in local Thai contexts are mostly not interested in, nor are they aware about the critical outlook on the concept of ownership of English. It is thus proposed that local English teachers in Thailand have to be educated more in the critical tenets of English as an International Language (EIL) principle so as to start * The data used in this paper is drawn from the research entitled "The interrelationship of awareness of world Englishes, attitudes toward English varieties, and perceptions of desirable accents for English learning among English teachers in upper northeastern Thai provinces." ** The author has got Ph.D. in applied linguistics from the University of Edinburgh, UK, and is now a lecturer of English at the Department of Foreign Languages, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Sakon Nakhon Rajabhat University. วั นศุ กร์ ที 15 กุ มภาพั นธ์ พ.ศ. 2556 คณะมนุ ษยศาสตร์ และสั งคมศาสตร์ มหาวิ ทยาลั ยบู รพา จั งหวั ดชลบุ รี การประชุ มวิ ชาการเวที วิ จั ยมนุ ษยศาสตร์ และสั งคมศาสตร์ ครั งที 7 "ความเข้ มแข็ งทางวิ ชาการสู ่ ASEAN"
2017
The English language is a gatekeeper to positions of prestige in society (Pennycook, 1994), especially due to its dominant status as a world language or as a Lingua Franca. Many take the English language as apolitical, particularly in educational systems worldwide, including Thai's (Methitham, 2011). From a different view, however, there could be many hidden agendas behind the language itself as the English language is not only simple skills, but a more complicated process with sociocultural and political-economic implications (Lin, 2013). It is problematic to ignore the fact that the English language somehow produces, reproduces, or intensifies an inequality within each community. In fact, the English language has been termed a form of Linguistic Imperialism (Phillipson, 2011). Thus, this study aimed to critically analyze the reflections of Thai university students towards politics of the English language in Thai educational system. The data was collected from the reflections of 15 Thai university students attending a 15-hourcourse of Critical Awareness and Language Development adapted from Open Spaces for Dialogue and Enquiry (OSDE) developed by Andreotti (2005). Critical pedagogy was used as a lens in the analysis of the reflections. The course raised the students' awareness to some extent of the underlying ideologies of the English language and English language curriculum. It is suggested that Critical pedagogy be considered in English educational system in Thailand in order to adjust Thai students to become fully human in a world of superdiversity.
Linguistic Imperialism & Cultural Politics in English Language Teaching World
The article reviews the deeply embedded imperialistic history in the language teaching and learning landscape. It critically looks into two identical articles yet thematically quite disparate angles that reveal the most pressing and talked about concerns around the imperialist institutions since the incipience of the idea of linguistic imperialismas well as subconscious subscriptions to secret following of the colonizers’ cultural nuances by non-native teachers and learners through teaching and learning materials made available by the UK and USA. It concentrates its focus on age long topics such as the tendency among no-native learners and teachers towards perfecting and prioritizing phonology, near-native proficiency, and inclusion of native culture in their conversation, teaching, and reading. Finally, the wilful evasion of the admission by non-native speaker teachers and students alike to the consequences of being subtly inculcated into western culture due to the West’s strategic launching of discipline like TESOL to silently avoid thewatch of non-native speakers is discussed with much greater profoundness.
Asian Englishes, 2019
With the rapid spread of English nowadays as an international language, this study seeks to investigate the perception of Thai English major university students in Southern Thailand towards the ownership of English and itsa relationship to effective English teaching. Twenty students across different universities in Southern Thailand participated in this study. A semi-structured interview was employed for data collection, after a semi-structured questionnaire analysis. Qualitative content analysis was utilized for data analysis. The findings show that English is no longer the sole property of any particular country, nationality or external appearance but is a global lingua franca. The participants illustrate that every English user has the right to claim ownership of English and to utilize it in their preferred way without emphasizing the native speaker norms. Additionally, the findings indicate that there is no relationship between the native backgrounds of the teachers and their teaching (in)effectiveness.
Does Thai English exist? Voices from English language teachers in two Thai universities
Asian Englishes, 2020
As studies of English language educators' views on Thai English remain scant, this investigation explores the beliefs on the existence and legitimacy of Thai English of 11 English language teachers from two Thai universities who participated in individual semi-structured interviews. Qualitative analysis of the interview responses indicated that while the teachers generally agreed that Thai English exists and that using Thai English can be a means to express their local identity, they seemed to repudiate the legitimacy of Thai English in terms of its use in the classroom, for they have been relatively influenced by native speakerism (i.e. American English and British English), which has been maintained by educational infrastructures and cultural norms. Given this context, it can be assumed that Thai English's potentials to develop in Thai society seem arduous and challenging. The study concludes with a note that in the changed and changing status of English, English language teachers need to appropriate and redefine standard varieties vis-à-vis the existence of nonnative varieties, which should not be placed in the 'periphery.' In this manner, language learners or users can foster affinity with different Englishes, including their own local variety, and develop critical metacultural and multi-varietal communication skills.