English language teaching and positive cultural change

SHPRESA DELIJA UNIVERSITY OF TIRANA

ALBANIAEmail: delija.sh@gmail.com

TESOL 2011 Annual Convention and ExhibitExamining the ‘E’ in TESOL

March 16-19, 2011Email: delija.sh@gmail.com

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The Impact of EFL toward the positive changes in Albania

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What is Linguistic Imperialism?

“Linguistic imperialism, or language imperialism, is alinguistics concept that involves the transfer ofdominant language to other people. The transfer isessentially a demonstration of power—traditionally,military power but also, in the modern world, economicpower—and aspects of the dominant culture areusually transferred along with the language”.

Gerald Knowles, Encyclopedia Britannica3

• Linguistic imperialism is often seen in the context of cultural imperialism;

• English linguistic imperialism is defined as the dominance asserted and retained by the establishment and continuous reconstitution of structural and cultural inequalities between English and other languages.

Robert Phillipson (1992) Linguistic Imperialism

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Those who promote English use three types of argument:

• Intrinsic arguments describe the English language as providential, rich, noble and interesting.

• Extrinsic arguments point out that English is well-established: that it has many speakers, and that there are trained teachers and a wealth of teaching material.

• Functional arguments emphasize the usefulness of English as a gateway to the world.

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Other arguments for English are:

• its economic utility: it enables people to operate technology;

• its ideological function: it stands for modernity;

• its status as symbol for material advance and efficiency.

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Albania in 1945

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Albania after 60-s

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Albania after 1990

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Albanian Education Systemuntil 1990

Language

• Russian Language (in all levels of school) - 1945- 1961-1978; 1st FL

• French Language - 1950 – 1989; 2nd FL

• English Language - 1980 - 1989; 1st FL

• English Language - 1990 – 2005 – 2011; 1st FL

1. Matura Shteterore

Culture (Relations)• Specialists to Russia;

• Few specialists to France and in Eastern European countries; (Prague, Bucharest, Sofia, Budapest, Warsaw,

• 1968-1978 – specialists in China,

• 1992 – until now (again relations with China)

• 1992 – until now with USA and UK mainly, but also with neighbors and other people where English is needed.

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My experience as a learner 1970 – 1974 - 1977

• Chinese Textbooks• Life in China policy economy social life family life education

(revolutionary triangle)

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Eastern European Countries Influence on Albanian Education

1. Teaching Methods & T Materials Teacher centered; Adopted texts (not from native speakers); Translations Memorization

2. Teacher & Students relations Tough Students no right to ask and talk freely; Teacher the authority of the class;

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FL Effects on Language AcquisitionGood Effect• More open minded and

extraverted;• Wake interest for other cultures

and languages;

• Look at the world differently;• Self confident with growing

abilities in FL

• Knowing an FL one can easily find a job (motivated)

• Creative thinkers and users of FL• Good communicators.

Bad Effect

• Overuse of L1;• L 1 differences with L2; Confusion; Difficulties in learning FL; Hatred towards FL; Frustration to the FL; Differences in age; New grammar; Vocabulary Not good communicators

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Democratic Changes in 1990 - 1991

James Baker, the former secretary of the American Department of State set foot in Albania in 1992. He was the first representative from the USA Government since 1945.

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The visit of other diplomats from all over the world, mainly

neighbors, establishing relations with Albania

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Influence of Culture on Language

Develop thinking ; (input given is processed)

Develop speaking and all the other language skills (communication skills)

Develop feelings; (development of one’s culture)

Develop beliefs; 16

The Council of Europe and the ‘Intercultural Dimension’• Education for intercultural understanding is

central to the Council of Europe’s activities in order ‘to promote mutual understanding and acceptance of difference in our multicultural and multilingual societies’

Interculturalism is one of the key principles

of the CEF Intercultural awareness is one of the aims of language teaching

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Aims of intercultural awareness

• To help language learners to interact and form relationships with speakers of other languages and people of other cultures

• To help language learners to become ‘intercultural communicators’, aware of their own identities and those of their interlocutors, and of the perceptions of identity that impinge on cross-cultural relationships

• Relationships with speakers of other languages and people of other cultures 18

Intercultural Competence

• Knowledge - of the Arts, of the way of life, of the

history and geography of a country

• Skills - comparing, relating, interpreting, discovering

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Intercultural competence

• Attitudes - curiosity, openness, ability to decentre

• Values - awareness of one’s own values, respect

for diversity

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Summary and conclusions

• Intercultural awareness focuses on skills, attitudes and values as well as knowledge

• Intercultural awareness brings an added enriching dimension to cultural awareness

• Activity and discovery based methodologies are important in intercultural awareness

• Every topic can be explored through an intercultural perspective

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QUESTIONS?

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