The increase in research in English as an International Language (EIL), World Englishes (WE) and English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) demands a paradigm shift in English Language Teaching (ELT) among scholars. Furthermore, the successful implementation of any changes in ELT requires and depends on successful innovations in teacher preparation (Dogancay–Aktuna & Hardman, Reference Dogancay–Aktuna and Hardman2008; Matsuda, Reference Matsuda and Edge2006). Aya Matsuda intelligently brings together this volume under review which comprises six parts, including 15 chapters, examining theoretical frameworks, programs, courses and units, model lessons, activities and tasks for ELT teacher education from the perspective of EIL with the purpose of offering approaches to preparing in-service and pre-service teachers to meet the diverse needs of English learners today.
Part 1 offers two theoretical frameworks for EIL teacher education. Based on an analysis of the current global spread of English and the EIL construct, Bayyurt and Sifakis (p. 3) propose a three-phase plan, namely phase A, exposure; phase B, critical awareness; and phase C, action plan, which focuses on ‘preparing TESOL teachers to grow into more autonomous, independent, critical EIL teaching practitioners who are capable of integrating EIL issues in their teaching’ (p. 8). The authors showcase a teacher education program in Turkey based on this three-phase framework. Arktuna and Hardman (p. 19) outline a complementary framework by integrating an EIL perspective into Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) teacher education and discuss specific topics, practical activities and pedagogical resources. They define EIL as a ‘paradigm for thinking, research and practice’ (Dogancay-Aktuna & Hardman, Reference Dogancay–Aktuna and Hardman2008) in applied linguistics, emphasizing the international and intercultural nature of English, and present their EIL teacher education model as an interaction between place, proficiency, praxis and a set of understandings about language, culture, and identity teaching related to EIL pedagogy.
Part 2 presents two programs based on the EIL perspective which enable participants to examine all aspects of ELT practices. Chapter 3 depicts an MA program at a Columbian university which proposes ‘an epistemological orientation’ (p. 35) of EIL and engages students in reflecting on learning and teaching English in the current glocalized context. Kang (p. 51) showcases the transformation of the US-based teacher education program at Bloomfield College from a traditional teacher training program to an innovative teacher education project with the perspective of EIL. Based on the new paradigm, integrating varieties of English into an ELT classroom setting and regarding English as the language for international communication, it delineates the theoretical framework and rationale and articulates various pedagogical activities for English teachers from Expanding Circle countries such as China and Korea.
Four chapters in Part 3 present teacher preparation courses committed to teaching EIL. Galloway (p. 69) describes an eight-week optional course within the post-graduate TESOL program at the University of Edinburgh for in-service and pre-service teachers. Beginning with an overview of the program, she presents the rationale, course content, structure and assessment of the course, followed by an evaluation of differences from more traditional TESOL courses and of the challenges and limitations of the course. Hino (p. 87) discusses an MA program at Osaka University dedicated to issues of EIL pedagogy. He presents the background and context for the course, describes the overview and key features, showcases the outcome and discusses the challenges and limitations. Marlina (p. 100) introduces a course within the MA Linguistics program at Monash University, Australia, which aims to introduce students to the practice of teaching World Englishes in multilingual and inter-/intranational contexts. The 12-week course engages students not only in discussing topics and working on pedagogical activities based on a ‘weekly lesson’ (p. 103) table list, but also in learning and experiencing EIL teaching practices.
Three chapters in Part 4 focus on the integration of EIL into Teaching English as an International Language (TEIL). Dinh (p. 131) reports on a course within the TESOL program at a university of education in Vietnam which integrates EIL/WE principles into the selection, revision, development and use of materials and textbooks. Chapter 10 introduces a course entitled Anglophone Cultures, which addresses culture from an EIL perspective and aims to offer pre- and in-service training for teachers who lack adequate training and formal teaching certification. As a teacher-educator in a pre-service teacher department at a private university in Indonesia, Zachurias (p. 157) designs and teaches an EIL microteaching course to student-teachers. What differentiates this course from others is the integration of EIL pedagogy into the mini lessons. Unique activities include presentations and collaborative lesson planning based on EIL pedagogy, EIL-oriented mini lessons and action-research journals.
Part 5 presents three EIL-integrated units integrated within different ELT courses. Rose (p. 169) presents a unit which explores the integration of a global perspective of English into ELT practice based on the examination of the current position of ELF and standard language ideology. Chapter 13 showcases an online module offered by a Brazilian university as part of their undergraduate program, English in the Contemporary World. The unit discusses beliefs and attitudes toward the English language, invites reflections on various aspects of ELT from an EIL perspective and thus raises participants’ awareness of the global spread of English. Chapter 14 compares two approaches within the ELT training courses conducted by two Italian universities, which focuses on introducing participants to EIL, WE and ELF as well as pedagogical implications of ELT.
Part 6 is a collection of teaching activities developed and applied by teacher-educators who integrated EIL perceptions into ELT teacher preparation courses. The focus of these activities ranges from the understanding of relevant theories and research, a critical examination of current practice, as well as pedagogical implications to raising awareness about English varieties and cultural diversities. Such activities are flexible enough to be adapted to various contexts and audiences.
This volume, as one of the first books addressing ELT teacher education from an EIL/WE/ELF perspective, proposes not only a theoretical framework, but various innovative pedagogical practices and research projects from all over the world for ELT teacher education to prepare in-service, beginners and pre-service teachers to meet the challenges of the ELT paradigm shift. It provides an EIL-informed pedagogical guideline for teacher educators and ELT knowledge for student-teachers theoretically and methodologically and can be recommended to ELT teacher educators, in-service and pre-service teachers of English as well as undergraduates and graduates regardless of whether they are native or non-native English speakers. As paradigm shift is a slow process, teacher preparation programs take time, sometimes years, for student-teachers to tackle new ideas. Although there is growing interest in integrating an EIL perspective into teacher preparation programs, native-speakerism and Inner-Circle bias are still widespread in such programs. The weakness of this volume may be that there are not enough research and rationales on theoretical frameworks of EIL-informed teacher education. In addition, if there were more programs and courses involved, it might offer a clearer and more specific guideline for teacher educators and student-teachers.
ZHONGLI WU is associate professor of English Linguistics at Yiwu Industrial & Commercial College, Yiwu, China. She has considerable TESOL experience in Chinese context. She received her MA in Linguistics and Applied Linguistics in Zhejiang University, China. Her research interests focus on EIL, TESOL and intercultural communication. More than ten of her articles on TESOL and intercultural communication have been published in a variety of journals. Presently, she is a visiting scholar in the English Department of Arizona State University. Email: wzl_2013@qq.com