The data: Ollie and Stavros

O: What- what parts of ummm like your lessons (.) have you enjoyed (.) doing (.) with Rachel.

S: (2.0) Hmm?

O: What parts of your ermmm ((LS)) (1.0) foundation programme have you enjoyed doing with Rachel.

S: (.) We- I don’t have Rachel.

O: Oh you do:n’t? oh right. So what- (1.0) what lessons d- what lessons are you doin’?

ELF in the UK

Research is also beginning to show how bad some native speakers are at using English for international communication. It may be that elements of an [English as a lingua franca] syllabus could usefully be taught within a mother tongue curriculum. (Graddol, 2006 p. 87)

ELF as a process

multilingual communities have known [this] all along: language learning and language use succeed through performance strategies, situational resources, and social negotiations in fluid communicative contexts. Proficiency is therefore practice-based, adaptive and emergent…. The speakers are able to monitor each other’s language proficiency to determine mutually the appropriate grammar, lexical range and pragmatic conventions that would ensure intelligibility. (Canagarajah, 2007 pp. 923 - 925)

Teaching ELF?

By thinking in terms of raising awareness, directing attention, developing sensitivity, challenging assumptions, etc., [Conversation Analysis] can [help] professionals to deepen their understanding and develop new competencies. (Richards, 2007 pp. 5 - 6)

Introducing English as a lingua franca: an online tutorial

• Self-directed

• Can be used in class, or individually

• Gives students practice in recording, transcribing, and reflecting on their conversation

www.englishlinguafranca.com

www.englishlinguafranca.com

Structure of the tutorial

LEARN (pre-activity)

• What is ELF?• Notation symbols• Examples of

classroom talk, recording and transcribing, analysis

PRACTICE (activity)

• Form a group• Record a discussion• Transcribe • Compare

transcriptions• Discuss

Ilias: a beginner transcriber

Ollie and Stavros: discussing their transcript

www.englishlinguafranca.com

How and where can it be used?• In any university class

• As a group assignment

• Embedded into a required study skills course

• As part of list of online study skills resources

Questions

• What about your students?? What are/might be the implications of their monolithic beliefs about language and/or lack of exposure to varieties of English?

• What could be done to improve their language awareness?