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Many people around the world want to learn English because they believe that it will help them to get a good education or job. They feel that knowing English gives them a greater chance for economic advancement.

After all, not everyone has the opportunity to study English. More generally, some worry about English dominance leading to the loss of endangered languages, such as those spoken by indigenous people and immigrants living in countries where English use predominates, especially when ‘English only’ policies are adopted.

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There are many different varieties of English spoken around the world, including in countries like India, Nigeria, and Singapore, where English is widely used and often has official status. These countries, referred to as part of the "outer circle" by Kachru, have developed their own distinct forms of English, known as World Englishes.

Although these varieties are generally mutually intelligible, they each have unique features. Even within a single country, such as Singapore, multiple forms of English exist—like Standard Singaporean English used in formal settings and “Singlish” used in informal conversations. This diversity raises an important question for educators: which variety of English should be taught in language instruction?

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Expanding Circle Users: Millions of people in Kachru’s "expanding circle" use English as an additional language, mostly to communicate in multilingual or international contexts.

Definition of ELF: This use of English is known as English as a Lingua Franca (ELF), English as an International Language, or Global English—a form not tied to native-speaker norms.

Ownership Debate: There's an ongoing debate over who owns the English language. Some say it belongs to native speakers; others argue it belongs to anyone who uses it regularly, regardless of origin.

User-Determined Norms: In ELF, language norms are shaped by its users, not just native speakers. It is a natural and variable language, not a fixed standard.

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Lack of Single Culture: ELF is not associated with a single culture or standard, and its features can differ from traditional grammar rules. For example, omitting the 's' in third-person singular verbs (e.g., “He walk”) is common and accepted if communication remains clear.

Teaching Implications: The recognition of ELF leads teachers to question which version of English should be taught. While ELF emphasizes understanding over strict grammar, teachers must still consider how speech is perceived socially and culturally.

ELF Coexists with Other Varieties: ELF does not oppose the use of local English varieties (inner, outer, or expanding circle); it supports flexibility depending on context and purpose.

English as a Lingua Franca is a flexible, global form of English shaped by its users rather than native-speaker norms. It emphasizes communication and mutual understanding, raising important questions about ownership, teaching, and linguistic standards

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Language teachers are not merely teaching language as a neutral vehicle for the expression of meaning.

Critical pedagogy is an approach to teaching that aims to create a more egalitarian society by raising awareness of social injustice as a necessary part of the curriculum.

What you should do about critical pedagogy should not be determined by someone else, who may be unfamiliar with your teaching context or your own political orientation. However, if you wish to become more ‘critical’ in your teaching, here are a few ideas that have been discussed.

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Literacy should be understood as more than just reading and writing—it involves learning the specific language, vocabulary, and norms used in powerful social contexts like politics, education, and business.

This empowers students and encourages teachers to reflect on their practices and help students analyze language critically to make informed and effective language choices.

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Language learning should be additive, meaning it should enhance rather than replace a learner’s existing languages. Teachers should value and support students’ plurilingual identities and focus on helping them use language successfully, not just imitate native speakers.

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A teacher’s effectiveness in language education is not determined by being a native speaker, but by their competence and teaching ability. Non-native speakers can be strong role models and understand learners’ challenges, making the issue of native versus non-native status a political not professional matter.

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Teachers need to be aware of the hidden curriculum the unspoken messages and values communicated through classroom practices, choices, and interactions. These choices reflect political and cultural dimensions of teaching English and raise important questions about whose voices, experiences, and forms of English are represented in the classroom.

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The Participatory Approach: One Response to the Politics of Language Teaching

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The Participatory Approach: One Response to the Politics of Language Teaching

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The Participatory Approach, inspired by Paulo Freire, centers education on students' real-life concerns and promotes critical thinking, reflection, and social action. Instead of delivering fixed content, teachers and students co-construct learning through dialogue, with the goal of empowering learners to understand and transform the social conditions affecting their lives.

The Participatory Approach is demonstrated through a classroom where the teacher begins with open dialogue about students’ real-life experiences and concerns, using those personal and social issues Such as family struggles, housing problems, and safety to guide the lesson content and promote meaningful, relevant language learning.

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Language teaching has political dimensions because language, culture, and identity are connected, and teachers have a powerful role in addressing educational inequalities and empowering marginalized learners. By engaging with issues relevant to students’ lives, teachers can make language learning a tool for both personal empowerment and social change.