TIRF at 2010 TESOL Convention - Michael Carrier

TIRF - English & Plurilingualism TIRF @ TESOL Conference, March 2010 “ As many languages as he has, as many friends, as many arts and trades, so many times he is a man” Ralph Waldo Emerson

Multilingualism is Important
“ If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart. “
Nelson Mandela
“ If I’m selling to you, I speak your language. If I’m buying, dann müssen Sie Deutsch sprechen!” Willy Brandt “ Kolik jazyků znáš, tolikrát jsi člověkem” [As many languages you speak, as many people you are] Old Czech proverb “ W er fremde Sprachen nicht kennt, weiß nichts von der eigenen. [Those who know nothing of foreign languages know nothing of their own!] Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Language Issues in the World
Globalisation -> global multilingualism
English as a world language / lingua franca
English is making millions multilingual
But –
Over 6000 languages in 200 countries
LWUL – less widely used languages
Language death
Language & identity
Language & integration

Multilingual Identities
"I think I do present a bit of a different personality when I'm speaking in English ...…when I'm speaking in Japanese, I really have to think about all the things, what's the proper style…and try to adjust myself to the identities" ( Akira )
“ I think in both languages, English and Bengali, together they make me truly me”
"And sometimes I say to myself, Oh my God, she's so rude…and in fact it's because I'm used to the English way of talking and sometimes when I go back to France, in the supermarkets, for example, I say to myself 'they are so rude' because they never say 'sorry' etc" ( Laure )
Multilingual identities in a global city, David Block

Minority Languages

Language Issues for English Speakers
“ 80% of UK export managers cannot do business in a foreign language”
“ The proportion of UK executives who can negotiate in another language is 50% of the EU average”
“ 75% of UK companies recognise a need to improve their capacity in languages to support future business development”
The proportion of pupils in England taking foreign languages at GCSE has been decreasing dramatically in recent years: 2001 - 78% of all pupils were taking a language 2004 - 68% 2006 - 51% 2009 - 44%

The Barcelona Objectives: 1+2
Mother tongue
+
International language
Or
Neighbour language
+
Personal adoptive language

Research - when should children start languages?
The age of beginning compulsory first foreign language varies across Europe
- Spain - 3
- Austria - 6
- Italy - 6
- Norway - 6
- Portugal - 6
- Germany - 6-8
- France - 7
- Finland - 7
- Poland - 7
- Sweden - 7
- Czech R. - 8
- Belgium - 8
- Denmark - 9
- Hungary - 9
- Netherlands - 10
Source: Eurydice

Research – The “Language-Rich Europe” Project
Aim - to evaluate and address Europe’s language needs for 2020
A benchmarking exercise on current language policy, language use and attitudes to language learning in European countries. This will focus on five main areas in which languages and their interactions play a role:
Economic trade, commerce
Integration, citizenship, identity and intercultural dialogue
Foreign relations, aid and development, the voluntary sector
Justice, security and health
The media and ‘edutainment’
Results published in the form of a European Index on Language Learning

Research - The future of English
Future of English
English Next
English Next – India
English Next – China
English Next – Brazil
English Next – Rwanda

Research – TIRF Key Questions report

Role of English teachers
We are making people multilingual
We could teach more about language itself
We could teach about Diglossia, Hinglish, Surjik
We should make language learning higher
profile, more accessible, less intimidating
We should make English speakers multilingual
Study TIRF Research Reports –
www.tirfonline.org

TIRF
T he I nternational R esearch F oundation
for English Language Education
Visit TIRF’s website at
http://www.tirfonline.org

Bibliography
Block, David - Multilingual identities in a global city
Crystal, David - How language works
Ferraro, Gary - Cultural dimension of International
business
Graddol, David - English Next (British Council)
Graddol, David - English Next - India (British
Council)
Gubbins, P. & Holt, M. Language and Identity in
Contemporary Europe
Hofstede, Geert - Cultures and Organisations
Trompenaars, Fons - Riding the waves of Culture
www.britishcouncil.org
[email_address]

TeachingEnglish.org.uk

http://www.tirfonline.org

TIRF at 2010 TESOL Convention - Michael Carrier

by The International Research Foundation for English Language Education (TIRF)

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