TEIL

PRESENTATION
Linh Do, Michelle Saji K
Article:
Khatib, M., & Monfared, A. (2017). Exploring Teachers’
Attitude towards Pronunciation Issues and Varieties of
English in Three Circles of World Englishes. Applied
Research on English Language, 6(2), 213-236.
Main aim
◦investigate the attitudes of
Inner, Outer and Expanding
circle teachers towards
pronunciation issues and
varieties of English.
Main aspects covered
1. Inner, Outer and Expanding Circle teachers’ beliefs about the
significance of NS accents and their functions in
pronunciation standards
2. Inner, Outer and Expanding Circle teachers’ preferences and
expectations in relation to pronunciation norms
3. Teachers’ views on the ownership of English
Methodologies
Participants:
•352 teachers
•112 native teachers from USA and Britain => Inner Circle
•120 from India => Outer Circle
•120 from Iran => Expanding Circle
Methodologies
Instruments (Quantitative and qualitative research study)
•Survey Questionnaire
◦Close and open-ended questions
◦2 parts: Teacher’s background information and attitudes
towards pronunciation and accent-related matters
•Interview: 60 teachers (20 from each circle)
Methodologies
Data collection & Analysis
• The questionnaire was piloted with 44 English teachers to check content validity
• 6 researchers were also consulted regarding items in the questionnaire and interviews
• Data analysed using SPSS software
• Research ethics:
◦ Teachers were informed that they can withdraw at any time during the process of the study
◦ Confidentiality would always be protected during the study
◦ All data collected with the participants’ permission
Major findings
QN 2: the importance of
pronunciation in communication
◦ More than 80% of the teachers in
all three groups emphasized the
importance of pronunciation in
communication.
Major findings
QN 3: native-like accent or intelligibility in communication?
◦ The majority of teachers from 3 circles (68.2%)  intelligibility and
comprehensibility rather than native like
◦ Iranian teachers believing in the importance of following standard
American or British accent are greater than Indian and native teachers
(56.7 % compared to 20% and 17.9 %)  show more orientation
towards a native like accent
Major findings

QN 3: native-like accent or intelligibility in communication?

Teachers’ orientation towards norm-based approach can be due to
◦ the assumption that native norms are superior to cultural norms in the
globalized world.
◦ Native-based standards followed by English centers where teachers
work.
Findings: Accents

QN 4: Satisfaction with own accents

Iranian teachers were highly satisfied with own accents (63.30%= very proud/
extremely proud and 30%= fairly satisfied)

Indian teachers: 46.70% = extremely proud/very proud and 43.3% = fairly

satisfied
Findings: Accents

QN 5: View towards best pronunciation accent for learners

Iranians favoured American English (more than 85%)

Indians favoured British English (more than 80%)

Some felt that it was clarity and intelligibility that should be the focus and not
American or British accents
Findings: Accents
QN 6: Provision of immediate or delayed feedback on learners’ performance regarding English pronunciation

Iranian teachers who believed in immediate rather than delayed feedback was greater (65%) than the Indian (37.5%) and Native
teachers (26.8%)

Relates to Norm-bound approach (Qn 3) of Iranian teachers and their focus on accuracy.

QN 7: Extent to which teachers provide immediate feedback

Percentage of Iranian teachers who very often provide feedback (33%) is substantially greater than Indian teachers (20%).

Why might this be?

Is it because of the size of the classrooms? Do teachers think the pronunciation is just ‘Indian’ and not correct them – as long as what
the students say is intelligible? Or is it that the students are not given enough speaking activities in class, so there’s less opportunity to
correct?
Findings: Accents
QN 8: Attitudes towards students’ accents in ELT context

No significant difference between teachers of all circles in attitudes towards students’ accents in ELT in context. Most
of them (72.70%) believed that as long as communication is not adversely affected, we shouldn’t insist on native-like
communication.

Inconsistent with the previous findings

QN 9: Attitudes towards non-native teachers’ accents in ELT context

Most Iranian teachers stated that teachers should demonstrate native-based accent (66.70%).

Most of the Indian and native English teachers (70% or more) supported non-nativism with more focus on
comprehensibility.
Methodological practices in English classes

QN 10: How often teachers use the following methodological practices

Iranian teachers claimed to use Indian teachers incorporated authentic
1. Real conversations among NSs them always (33.30%) or very conversations regularly (36.70%) or rarely
often (26.70%) (24.30%)

2. Real conversation between NSs and NNSs Results showed no significant differences between EC and OC
teachers
3. Role playing assuming NS roles Iranian teachers were more likely to provoke their students to assume NS roles
regularly (43%)

4. Role playing assuming NNS roles

Indian teachers stated that they regularly implement role plays assuming NNS
roles (40%)
Teachers from both Outer and Expanding Circles claimed to use authentic
5. Authentic videos with NSs and NNSs
videos with NSs and NNSs regularly.
Ownership of English:
More than half of the Iranian teachers believe that English belongs to “native speakers” (53.30%).

In the case of Indians, most of them selected “anyone fluent enough to speak the language without major problems”
(46.70%) and “no one” (36.70%) as the rightful owner of English.

More than half (53.6%) of the native teachers believed that “no one” is the rightful owner of English.

Shows: IC and OC teachers => Culture-bound approach => Comprehensibility

Iranian teachers => Norm bound approach => Accuracy

Discussion:
“Upon closer analysis of those participants who were in favour of English accent based on native
speaker form, it can be realized that it looks more beautiful for most Iranians to have an American
accent while most Indians like to have a British accent.” (p.227)

Even though Indian teachers preferred British English as a pedagogical model, this didn’t mean that
Indian speakers of English do not have a positive attitude towards Indian English. …Indian
speakers have a more positive attitude towards their own local variety compared with the native
model.
 Discussion: OC and EC
“Most of them [participants from the OC and EC] perceived that the ideal
pronunciation… is to speak like a native speaker …[they] are under the effect of
“native speakerism”.”(p.228)

“Native-speakerism is an ideology within ELT, characterized by the belief that ‘native-

speaker’ teachers represent a ‘Western culture’ from which spring the ideals both of the
English language and of English language teaching methodology.” (Holliday, 2006, p.
385).

Holliday, A. (2006). Native-speakerism. ELT journal, 60(4), 385-387.

 Discussion: IC

◦ Native teachers’ responses towards pronunciation and varieties of English were also
indicative of their acceptance of different varieties of English in the globalized world.

◦ Most of them prioritised comprehensibility and mutual communication.

 Discussion:
“Dealing with the ideology behind the privileged status of the native speakers over
non-native speakers, English teachers [in OC & EC countries] try to illustrate an
identity which is linked to a native speaker in order to be accepted by the private
centres and by their students.” (p.229)

“Since intelligibility and comprehensibility should be given more importance than

accuracy, Jenkins’ Lingua Franca Core (LFC) might be considered as a functional
feature to the training of pronunciation….”(p.229)
Jenkins’ Lingua Franca Core
Jenkins proposed the Lingua Franca Core, an inventory of pronunciation features that she suggests are necessary for maintaining
intelligibility in international communication.
The core features of LFC:
◦ Aspiration after word-initial /p/, /t/ and /k/ e.g. ‘pen’ /pʰen/ not /ben/
◦ Vowel length distinctions e.g. ‘beans’ /bi:nz/ not /bɪnz/
◦ RP (not GA) pronunciation of the intervocalic ‘-nt-’ when it occurs before an unstressed syllable e.g. ‘winter’ /wɪntə (r)/ not /wɪnə
(r)/
◦ Full articulation of consonants in word initial clusters e.g. ‘strong’ /strɒŋ / not /srɒŋ/
◦ Epenthesis (i.e. insertion of a sound into a word in consonant clusters) is preferable to consonant deletion e.g. ‘street’ / sətə ‘ri: t / not
/ ‘sri: t /
◦ Nuclear (tonic) stress production and placement within tone units
◦ Adoption of the rhotic variant /r/ e.g. ‘here’ pronounced /hi: r/ not / hɪə /
From Spicer, E. (2011). The impact of Jenkins’ lingua franca core on the teaching of pronunciation on CELTA and DELTA courses. International House Journal of Education and
Development, 30.
Conclusion:

“Raising teachers’ awareness and confidence towards different varieties of English

can be really helpful to encourage learners’ confidence in their own varieties and

help them believe that the native model is not the best pedagogical model to be

followed.”(p.229)
DISCUSSION
QUESTIONS
 Discussion Questions:
“Raising teachers’ awareness and confidence towards different varieties of English can be
really helpful to encourage learners’ confidence in their own varieties and help them believe
that the native model is not the best pedagogical model to be followed.”

Do you agree with the author that the native model is not the best one?

Why/ Why not?

 Discussion Questions:

“More than half of the Iranian teachers believe that English belongs to native
speakers (53.30%). Whereas more than half of the native teachers believed that “no
one” is the rightful owner of English (53.6%).”

Who do YOU think is the rightful owner of English?

Discussion Questions:

What is your reaction to:

Teachers should be aware that the goal of mutual intelligibility and expanding a
comprehensive understanding of accent varieties is more significant than blindly following a
single model (i.e. the native model) for pronunciation instruction.” (p. 230)

Do you agree/disagree with the author? Why?

Bibliography
Holliday, A. (2006). Native-speakerism. ELT journal, 60(4), 385-387.

Khatib, M., & Monfared, A. (2017). Exploring English Teachers' attitudes towards Pronunciation issues and varieties
of English in three circles of world Englishes. Applied Research on English Language, 6(2), 213-236.

Spicer, E. (2011). The impact of Jenkins’ lingua franca core on the teaching of pronunciation on CELTA and DELTA
courses. International House Journal of Education and Development, 30.