“Appropriating English, Expanding
Identities, and Re-Visioning the Field: From TESOL to Teaching English for
Glocalized Communication (TEGCOM)” took a unique approach to research. The
authors used their own narratives to support their beliefs. The article discussed
Othering, told stories of learning and teaching English, touched on how English
is seen in different contexts, and took apart the dichotic categories of native
and non-native. In part III, the article talks about teaching jobs that look
for “native English speakers only”. The article referred to Asian countries,
but I thought of it in the United
States . When I signed up for ENG 343 and
other TESOL classes, I expected them to be taught by native English speakers
because they are English classes. Who better to teach them than professors that
have been speaking English their whole lives? Wouldn’t they be the best
candidates as to how to teach the language? However, after learning the content
of the TESOL classes and more about the professors, I have come to learn that I
would not take as much from the classes if they were taught by native English
speakers. The instructors had to go through the process of learning English as
a second language so they can relate their experiences of what that was like. They
also bring knowledge of other cultures that I would not know about if my
professors were native speakers. Therefore, I am appreciative that the
instructors are non-native English speakers so that they can share what it is
like to learn another language.
Chapter 7, entitled “Towards a
socially sensitive EIL pedagogy” discusses the social and sociolinguistic
context of the L2 classrooms and talked about the way the classrooms were
affected. It also examined glocal tension and the discourse of Othering. Lastly,
it laid down principles that should inform EIL pedagogy. One of the principles
that especially stood out to me was the one about EIL professionals. The
chapter stated that they should try to alter language policies so that more
people could learn English instead of just the elite of the country. If English
is really going to become an international language, programs need to be
established that offer English instruction to people of every economic level. After
taking this course and my other education classes, I have realized that I want
to go into policy-making sometime in the distant future. Many of the people
making decisions for the students in the classrooms do not have teaching
experience. I feel that the preparation given to teachers needs to be reflected
in the standards of education. The law-makers need to be more culturally
sensitive to their students and make decisions not based on performance, but on
what is best for the overall well-being of the students. This ties into other
principles such as the one that states that the way students learn English
should respect the local culture. Being culturally sensitive is one of the most
important issues when teaching English to others because the students must come
to appreciate their own culture before embracing the one in which surrounds
English.
