To convey messages in multicultural settings, AEC members use English as a lingua franca when they work, commute to places, receive education, and share social spaces with others in ASEAN.
– Factors Obstructing English Teaching Effectiveness: Teacher Voices from Thailand’s Deep South
As English plays an increasingly important role among the interconnected ASEAN countries, new English lingua francas are emerging. In this context, intelligibility will play a key role to ensure effective communication both within ASEAN countries and between ASEAN and other regions in the world.
– The Spread of English in ASEAN: Policies and Issues
There has been increasing emphasis on receiving a functional, high-quality English education in ASEAN countries. While everyone recognises the value of achieving high proficiency in an intelligible form of English, there is ongoing discussion about how English should be viewed and taught (ELT). In this discussion, English has been referred to as ESP, EIL, EFL and ELF.
English can be taught to achieve Specific Purposes. When someone who is proficient in some other language picks up the English language for the specific purposes of being efficient and effective in an occupation, this person is learning English as ESP.
A language can be used to relate to others. It can be used to buy and sell things from and to others. It can be used to watch and appreciate the nuances of television productions. It can be used to read and enjoy literary works or news media. It can be used in the production of literary works, news media and television shows. It can be used to learn technical knowledge.
When English is learnt as ESP, the learner may not be looking for access beyond what is necessary for the purposes of a profession.
English can be viewed as an International Language. Here, learners want to use English to communicate with people from around the world. This makes form very important. If a speaker from one place uses or arranges words differently or uses words taken from another language when speaking English, it might become difficult for an English speaker from another place to understand.
English can be treated as a Foreign Language. In schools, subjects like Math and Science may not be taught in English. Crocco and Bunwirat (2014) say learning English as EFL can be pressuring because the objective is to communicate exactly like native speakers. Low and Ao (2018) add that when English is viewed as EFL, learners, teachers and users would not feel free to adapt the language to their own context, culture and needs and language backgrounds.
English can be experienced as a Lingua Franca. Crocco and Bunwirat (2014) say the objective for learners of English as ELF is “communicative competence in multilingual environments”. Learners want to understand and be understood and at the same time be no other than who they actually are and surely proud to be.
ELF is used in 3 types of communicative situations according to Crocco and Bunwirat (2014) as well as Low and Ao (2018). First, two people who are from the same place but do not have a common language between them can speak in English. Second, a person from one place can speak in English with someone from another place who also learnt English for this purpose. Third, non-native speakers can speak with native speakers.
For a language to fulfil its function as a lingua franca, intelligibility is key. This means different things in different situations. Low and Ao (2018) cited Smith and Nelson (1985) and Smith (1992) to explain that to understand a language, a listener needs to understand individual words, to recognise that words have been put together in some order to communicate something and finally to understand the actual message a speaker intended to deliver.
Low (2015) suggested that it is the speaker’s responsibility to ensure that the listener understands and this seems right because the speaker will benefit if the listener understands. This is in keeping with the principles of PACC (Purpose, Audience, Context and Culture) which students keep in mind when planning their writing or speeches and presentations.
In ASEAN, according to Crocco and Bunwirat (2014) as well as Low and Ao (2018), there is a very diverse audience. This diversity relates both to diversity in culture and diversity in the level of English language learning. This is why there has been an increasing emphasis on learning an internationally intelligible form of English.
Low (2018) highlights that English is the language of the “fourth industrial revolution … where English is the main language used in a digitally-mediated world”.
Though there is clear recognition of the many benefits of English language learning, there are concerns in some South-East Asian countries about which English to learn and if by learning English, there might be the loss of native languages (Low & Ao, 2018).
Two Thai researchers from the Prince of Songkla University in Pattani presented some suggestions to enhance and support the learning of English in a South-East Asian context.
They conducted interviews with teachers from schools in Thailand’s “southern border provinces” (Assalihee & Boonsuk, 2022). The teachers there explained that the students did not see the relevance of English since they did not use it in their daily lives outside of the classroom. Moreover, they felt that the textbooks contained references to “pizzas, burgers and steaks”, “Halloween”, “skiing” or “baseball” and that students could not relate to these.
The teachers who were interviewed had recommendations. They hoped textbooks could be designed to suit their local culture and customs so that the students could relate better to the language as something they could use rather than something foreign which they saw no link to. They thought allowing students to learn or present their own culture and customs in English would also help students see the practical relevance of English.
One teacher put it this way, “We live in a multicultural society here. There are people of various religions and races living together. I think a suitable English language textbook for our students here would be the one presenting through multicultural content. It would be a plus if there is content about students’ cultures in it.”
There were also suggestions about “integrating information and communication technologies” into English lessons and making use of Internet resources such as YouTube for English content which related to their unique culture.
English is a world language and scholars have for quite some time now explained in many works why it belongs to no one and every one at the same time.
Owners get to decide.
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