Paradigm shift in the English language classroom. English as a Lingua Franca and its implications for language teaching.

Workshop

English is the most widely spoken and taught foreign language. English language teaching in most European countries is based on theories of communicative competence and language competence is assessed according to native speaker standards defined in the European Framework for references. English language teachers need to prepare their students for a life in which they need English in the private and public domain, with international friends and for work. This use of English as a lingua franca (ELF) in international contexts has gained significant interest in research for the last 20 years. Insights of ELF research, however, have had little influence on language teaching practices.
This workshop aims at illustrating what ELF research has found out about the nature of communication and especially communication in international, multicultural and multilingual contexts. Shifting the focus of the language classroom from the language to the learner allows for a more person-oriented teaching. The participants of the workshop will reflect on their personal attitudes towards students and the languages they are teaching. The workshop will also allow for a critical analysis of ELF-informed materials. A final step in this workshop is the creation of new material for the classroom that focuses on the learner and takes into consideration theories of potential development and the teaching of gifted students. Person-oriented teaching includes all students, their personal needs, goals, potentials and capabilities. Participants of this workshop have enough time to get familiar with research findings, analyze existing materials, critically reflect on it and create their personal take-away materials for their classes.