Languages in a Global World
Learning for Better Cultural Understanding
The rise of globalisation makes language competencies more valuable, both at individual and societal levels. This book examines the links between globalisation and the way we teach and learn languages. It begins by asking why some individuals are more successful than others at learning non-native languages, and why some education systems, or countries, are more successful than others at teaching languages.
The book comprises chapters by different authors on the subject of language learning. There are chapters on the role of motivation; the way that languages, cultures and identities are interconnected; the insights that neuroscience provides; migrants, their education and opportunities to learn languages; language learning and teaching in North America; and new approaches to language learning.
English as a multicultural language for international communication in Asia
Centre pour la recherche et l'innovation dans l'enseignement
As most Asian countries recognise English as an indispensable language for intranational and/or international communication, they are increasingly committed to strengthening and improving English language teaching (ELT). In parts of Asia where English is an official language and ELT succeeds, people may speak English among themselves. Wherever this happens, a set of indigenous language patterns develops. Similar situations have also been witnessed in countries where English is taught and learned as an international language. We need to fully understand these aspects of present-day English if we are to take advantage of English as a language for communication. One important issue is mutual communicability among speakers of different varieties of English. Based on the observation that a common language is not a uniform language, but rather a diverse language, this chapter argues that a way of dealing with English as a multicultural language for worldwide communication is not restrictive conformism but diversity management.