Unit 2 Project Planning
Which assignment option will What position will you take in your paper? Write it out as best you can here. (Keep in mind that your position/argument
you write on for the Unit 2 will continue to develop—and may change—as you work on the paper.)
Project? - Position: An English user
Option 1
Reading A quote or idea from the reading that A second quote or idea from the A quote or idea from the reading that
supports your position reading that supports your position disagrees with your position (or
provides counter-evidence to your
view)
Rohde, D. (1995, May 17). As As more nonnative speakers converse Professor Skutnabb-Kangas says the But the uncontrolled, global
English spreads, speakers morph with each other, hundreds of ''consciousness industry'' -- education, germination of so many ''Englishes'' has
it into world tongue. The impromptu varieties of English are mass media, and religion -- stigmatizes some worried. English purists, led by
Christian Science Monitor. taking on a life of their own around the many nonwhite native languages, even if Britain's Prince Charles, bemoan the
http://www.csmonitor.com/1995
world. they are an offshoot of English, as degradation of the language as they
/0517/17013.html
''backward and primitive, tribal and see it
''We are going to have to keep on our traditional, as ... dialects rather than
toes. Some standard form of English languages.'' These differing views lead to the
[should be maintained] ... as a tool of question: Is the world taking English by
communication.'' The problem, according to linguists at storm or is English taking the world by
the conference, is the outmoded 19th storm?
century concept that a ''nation-state''
requires a single language to unify its
people. Multiculturalists argue that
multilingual states, such as Switzerland,
can exist and thrive. Having several
official languages can also reduce ethnic
tensions among people lumped together
by colonial mapmakers.
Graddol, D. (2006). English next: There is, of course, a great deal of Traditionally, native speakers of English
Why global English may mean debate, often lively, about the best have been regarded as providing the
the end of ‘English as a foreign methods and approaches for teaching authoritative standard and the best
language’. British Council. English. But much of this debate is cast teachers. Now, they may be seen as
http://englishagenda.britishcoun
within only two models: the teaching of presenting an obstacle to the free
cil.org/sites/ec/files/books-
english-next.pdf [pp. 110, 114- English as a foreign language (EFL) and development of global English
117, “Who is a native speaker? the teaching of English as a second
language (ESL). (p. 82)
© The University of Arizona Writing Program
Unit 2 Project Planning
The native speaker problem;
Protecting local languages and
identities”]
Sung, C. C. M. (2013). “I would Indeed, the choice to sound nativelike Although most of these students would
like to sound like Heidi Klum”: or not is a rather personal one (Derwing like to sound more native-like in terms of
What do non-native speakers say & Munro, 2009), and such a choice may their pronunciation, several students
about who they want to sound vary from one individual to another. As mentioned that (some) native speakers
like? English Today, 29, 17-21.
the choice of accent is closely related to of English were not necessarily good
one’s identity (Jenkins, 2000), non- models of pronunciation
native speakers’ decision to sound like a
particular speaker of English or not may In other words, there is no deterministic
be a reflection of the kinds of identity relationship between the wish to sound
they would like to project native-like and the use of native
speakers as the ‘model’ speaker
Matsuda, A., & Matsuda, P. K. While teaching the dominant codes and Teachers also need to help students
(2010). World Englishes and the conventions, teachers can also help understand the perceived boundary—a
teaching of writing. TESOL students understand that language fuzzy and negotiable one— between
Quarterly, 44, 369-374. users naturally deviate from the what works (variations) and what does
perceived norm, that some deviations not (errors) in the particular
are more marked than others, and that communicative context
some deviations create important social
meaning (P. K. Matsuda, 2001). To For that reason, it is important for
overlook alternative uses of English canteachers not to overly valorize either the
actually work against the goal of helping
dominant discourses or alternative
students develop an accurate discourses. Furthermore, we as teachers
understanding of how the English and researchers need to play a greater
language works and how it changes over role in challenging the undue privileging
time. of the dominant discourses that have
been institutionalized as the status quo
Personal experience: List 2-3 items of support for your position that are based on your personal experience.
- English is becoming the common language of the whole world. This has led to a variety of English styles being exist. They have certain differences in
grammar, pronunciation, spelling, etc. Therefore, sometimes native speaker pronunciation will no longer be appropriate and no longer an ideal model
to use in teaching.
- When learning English for certification exams (eg ielts, tofel), using native speaker pronunciation to teach as a model is appropriate and necessary. This
is to ensure student results. However, in daily communication we face many non-native speakers. If only native speaker pronunciation is taught, when
students come into contact with people who do not use native speaker pronunciation, they will not be able to understand and communicate with them
appropriately and correctly.
© The University of Arizona Writing Program
Unit 2 Project Planning
- Learning English and using English depends on each person's goals and needs. Therefore, choosing which role model to follow is a personal decision.
Some people feel that when learning with native speaker pronunciation, their language skills improve significantly and they feel English is easier to
understand. However, others feel that other speakers pronunciation helps them absorb English better. The ultimate goal when learning a new language
is that we can use that language to communicate. Therefore, English classes should not only choose native speaker pronunciation for teaching but
should also teach other speaker pronunciation.
© The University of Arizona Writing Program
