English in a Global Context
Code: 106311Credits: 6
| Degree programme | Type | Course |
|---|---|---|
| English Studies | OB | 3 |
| English and Catalan Studies | OP | 3 |
| English and Catalan Studies | OP | 4 |
| English and Spanish Studies | OP | 3 |
| English and Spanish Studies | OP | 4 |
| English and French Studies | OP | 4 |
| English and Classics Studies | OP | 3 |
| English and Classics Studies | OP | 4 |
Contact lecturer
- Name :
- Maria Rosa Garrido Sarda
- Email :
- mariarosa.garrido@uab.cat
Teaching staff
- Sònia Mas Alcolea
Group languages
You can consult this information at the end of the document.
Prerequisites
This is a compulsory third-year course. Students are expected to have passed SLAP and WRAP II (C2) to be able to successfully complete the course.
Objectives
This course is an introduction to the main paradigms and authors that, since the late 1970s, have theorised the nature, role and value of English as the main language of international communication. The course aims to open spaces for reflection, so that students, most of them L2 speakers and future English language teachers, are able to problematise received notions within the field of EFL, and challenge prescriptivist and reductionist views of English. The subject will take a fundamentally applied and sociolinguistic approach. The second part of the course will consider the pedagogical applications of the ideas discussed in the first part.
Learning outcomes
- Plan work effectively, individually or in groups, in order to fulfil the planned objectives.
- Locate specialised and academic information and select this according to its relevance.
- Incorporate ideas and concepts from published sources into work, citing and referencing appropriately.
- Organise academic work effectively.
- Express oneself in English, orally and in writing, in an academic register and using appropriate terminology in relation to the study of English as a language of global scope, linguistic variation and, in general, the social uses of language.
- Understand specialised academic texts on research into the use/learning of English in multilingual contexts, linguistic variation and change, sociolinguistics and language policy.
- Produce written and oral academic texts at higher-proficient-user level (C2) on the concepts and skills relevant to the study of sociolinguistics, multilingualism and varieties of English.
- Identify and understand different sociocultural approaches and their methodologies for the study of the English language.
- Identify and analysefrom a critical point of viewthe existing models and concepts to conceptualise the rise and use of English as a lingua franca in global communication.
- Analyse the effects of the application of distinct language-diversity management policies in those institutional spheres in which English is a widely used language: business, education, tourism, communication technologies, etc.
- Identify the main linguistic properties of non-standard varieties of English by applying the concepts acquired during the linguistic study of standard English.
- Relate the main linguistic properties of non-standard varieties of English to linguistic change by applying the concepts acquired during the diachronic study of English.
- Analyse simulated professional situations in the classroom and evaluate the resources for dealing with these.
- Apply the knowledge acquired to the solution of contemporary socio-linguistic problems.
- Actively reflect on the ethical dilemmas of sociolinguistic research.
- Identify the inequalities generated by the intersection between sex/gender and linguistic variation.
- Understand specialised academic texts on research into the use/learning of English in multilingual contexts, linguistic variation and change, sociolinguistics and language policy at Mastery level (C2).
- Relate the main linguistic properties of non-standard varieties of English to linguistic change by applying the concepts acquired during the diachronic study of English.
- Assess linguistic diversity from a diachronic point of view.
- Understand specialised academic texts (C2) on research into the use/learning of English in multilingual contexts, linguistic variation and change, sociolinguistics and language policy.
- Plan work effectively, individually or in groups, in order to fulfil the planned objectives.
- Understand specialised academic texts on research into the use/learning of English at higher-proficient-user level (C2) in multilingual contexts, linguistic variation and change, sociolinguistics and language policy.
- Identifying the main and secondary ideas and expressing them with linguistic correctness.
- Develop effective written work and oral presentations and adapted to the appropriate register.
- Maintain an attitude of respect for the opinions, values, behaviors and practices of others.
- Produce normatively correct written and oral texts.
- Understand specialist academic texts at master's-degree level (C2) on research into English language use/learning in multilingual contexts, language variation and change, sociolinguistics and language policy.
Contents
Block 1: Concepts, discourses, and the historical/political dimension of the global reach of English
1.1 Introduction to key theoretical concepts: sociolinguistic perspectives on language; language ideologies; standards and standardisation; dialects, accents and varieties; the native vs non-native speaker.
1.2 Rationalising the global hold of English: figures, metaphors and discourses
1.3 Politicising the spread of English: English in the British colonial project and the paradigm of Linguistic Imperialism
1.4 The scientific politics of English: The birth of Applied Linguistics
Block 2: Theoretical models for conceptualising English as a global language
2.1 Questioning the monocentric standard: World Englishes
2.2 Englishes and inequality: Unequal Englishes
2.3 Beyond standards: English as a Lingua Franca (ELF)
2.4 Global English and linguistic justice
Block 3: Implications for teaching
3.1. From learners to users
3.2. Native vs non-native language teachers
3.3. Material design and new pedagogies
3.4. ELF and testing
Learning activities and methodology
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Individual or group tutorials | 25 | 1 | |
| Completion of weekly exercises | 20 | 0.8 | |
| Discussion of teaching material on the topic | 25 | 1 | |
| Personal study | 17 | 0.68 | |
| Presentation of theoretical concepts | 25 | 1 | |
| Elaboration of projects | 20 | 0.8 |
The methodology of the course will be dialogical. Each session will be structured around a brief presentation of theoretical material followed by discussion of images, videos, texts or exercises. Students are expected to contribute actively to in-class discussions.
Within the teaching period established by the Faculty calendar, 15 minutes of class time will be reserved for students to complete the subject and teacher-assessment surveys.
Assessment
Continuous assessment activities
| Title | Weight | Hours | ECTS | Learning outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Project | 20% | 10 | 0.4 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26, 27 |
| Exam 1 | 35% | 1.5 | 0.06 | 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22, 26 |
| Meaningful contributions to class discussions and completion of in-class activities | 10% | 5 | 0.2 | 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 22, 25, 26, 27 |
| Exam 2 | 35% | 1.5 | 0.06 | 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22, 26 |
ALL assessment tasks are compulsory. If a task is not submitted, the student will get a 0.
Students will obtain a not assessed/not submitted course grade unless they have submitted more than 30% of the assessment items
To be able to pass the course, students must have obtained a 5. To calculate the average mark, they must have a minimum of 4/10 in both exams and the course project. Otherwise, they will have to retake those items with a mark lower than 4 even if the course average is higher than 5/10.
The student's command of English will be taken into account when marking all exercises and for the final mark. If a student's level of English is lower than C2, up to 40% of the final grade can be taken off.
Students are required to employ non-sexist language in their written and oral productions. For guidelines on how to do this, they are advised to check the website of the Linguistic Society of America (LSA): https://www.lsadc.org/guidelines_for_inclusive_language. Appropriate use of language will be part of the assessment criteria.
Important note for exchange students (Erasmus, etc.) on exams and other tests: Erasmus students who request to bring forward an exam or any other type of assessment activity must present the lecturer with an official document from their home university justifying their request.
VERY IMPORTANT: PLAGIARISM.In the event of a student committing any irregularity that may lead to a significant variation in the grade awarded to an assessment activity, the student will be given a zero for this activity, regardless of any disciplinary process that may take place. In the event of several irregularities in assessment activities of the same subject, the student will be given a zero as the final grade for this subject. These evaluation activities will not be re-assessed. Irregularities can refer, for instance, to copying in an exam, copying from sources without indicating authoriship, or a misuse of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools.
NOTE ON AI USAGE: This subject entirely prohibits the use of AI technologies in all of its activities. Any submitted work that contains content generated using AI will be considered academic dishonesty; the corresponding grade will be awarded a zero, without the possibility of reassessment. In cases of greater infringement, more serious action may be taken.
REASSESSMENT:
The following activities can be reassessed: Exam 1, Project and Exam 2. It is not possible to reassess meaningful class contribution (10%).
Re-assessment for this subject will be undertaken on an item-by-item basis, for which the following conditions apply:
-The student must have been assessed in activities representing at least two-thirds of the total course grade.
-The student must have an average mark equal to or higher than 3.5.
-Should students need to reassess the two exams, they will be required to sit one single examination.
PROCEDURE FOR REVIEWING GRADES AWARDED:
On carrying out each assessment activity, lecturers will inform students (on Moodle) of the procedures to be followed for reviewing all grades awarded, and the date on which such a review will take place.
SINGLE-ASSESSMENT OPTION:
Students will have to hand in a project (20%) and sit an exam covering all the concepts in the course (80%).
RE-ASSESSMENT OF SINGLE-ASSESSMENT OPTION:
Students must have completed all assessment activities and obtained an average grade of 3.5 or higher.
Bibliography
At the beginning of each block, more specific references will be provided.
(*) indicates that the document is available in digital format through the UAB library system.
Canagarajah, Suresh (2007). Lingua Franca English, Multilingual Communities, and Language Acquisition. Modern Language Journal, 91, 923–939.(*)
Codó, Eva (2021). Non-localizable vs localizable English: New linguistic hierarchies in “democratizing” English in Spanish education. In R. Tupas, R. Rubdy, & M. Saraceni (Eds.), Bloomsbury World English Volume 2: Ideologies. (pp. 233–252). Bloomsbury.
Codó, Eva and Riera-Gil, Elvira (2022). The value(s) of English as global linguistic capital: A dialogue between linguistic justice and sociolinguistic approaches. International Journal of the Sociology of Language, 277, 95-119. (*)
Cogo, Alessia & Dewey, Martin (2012). Analysing English as a Lingua Franca: A Corpus Driven Investigation. Continuum.(*)
Crystal, David (2003). English as a Global Language (2nd Edition). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Fang, Fan Gabriel (2017). English as a Lingua Franca: Implications for Pedagogy and Assessment. TEFLIN Journal: A Publication on the Teaching & Learning of English, 28(1), 57-70. (*)
Garrido, Maria Rosa & Codó, Eva (2017). Deskilling and delanguaging African migrants in Barcelona: Pathways of labor market incorporation and the value of ‘global’ English. Globalisation, Societies and Education, 15(1), 29–49.
Harding, Luke & McNamara, Tim (2017). Language assessment: The challenge of ELF. In Jennifer Jenkins, Will Baker and Martin Dewey (Eds.),The Routledge handbook of English as a lingua franca (pp. 570-582). Routledge. (*)
Holliday, Adrian (2006). Native-speakerism. ELT Journal, 60(4), 385–387.(*)
Jenkins, Jennifer (2002). A sociolinguistically based, empirically researched pronunciation syllabus for English as an international language. Applied Linguistics, 23(1): 83-103.(*)
Jenkins, Jennifer (2020). Where are we with ELF and language testing? An opinion piece. ELT Journal 74(4), 473-479. (*)
Jenkins, Jennifer, Baker, Will and Dewey, Martin (Eds.) (2018) The Routledge Handbook of English as a Lingua Franca. Routledge. (*)
Kachru, Braj (1976). Models of English for the third world: White man’s linguistic burden or language pragmatics? TESOL Quarterly 10(2), 221-239.
Kohn, Kurt (2019). Towards the reconciliation of ELF and EFL: Theoretical issues and pedagogical challenges. In Nicos C. Sifakis and Natasha Tsantila (Eds.), English as a lingua franca for EFL contexts (pp.32-48). Multilingual Matters.
Lee McKay, Sandra (2002). Teaching English as an International Language: Rethinking Goals and Approaches. Oxford University Press.
Lippi-Green, Rosina (2012, 2nd ed.) English with an Accent: Language, Ideology and Discrimination in the United States. Routledge.
Llurda, Enric (2005) Non-Native Language Teachers: Perceptions, Challenges and Contributions to the Profession. Springer.
Llurda, Enric & Calvet-Terré, Júlia (2024). Native-speakerism and non-native second language teachers: A research agenda. Language Teaching, 57(2): 229-245. (*)
Llurda, Enric & Calvet-Terré, Júlia (2026). Challenging Monolingualism, Native-Speakerism, and Standard Language Ideology in Language Teacher Training. In Vander Tavares & Sílvia Melo-Pfeifer (Eds.), Routledge Handbook of Language Teacher Identity (pp. 225-241). Routledge.
Matsuda, Aya (Ed.) (2012). Principles and Practices of Teaching English as an International Language. Multilingual Matters.(*)
Modiano, Marko (2001). Ideology and the ELT practitioner. International Journal of Applied Linguistics, 11(2), 159-173. (*)
O’Regan, John (2021). Global English and Political Economy. Routledge.
Pennycook, Alastair (2017, 3rd ed). The Cultural Politics of English as an International Language. Routledge. Routledge.
Phillipson, Robert (1992). Linguistic Imperialism. Oxford University Press.
Saeedi, Zari, Tajeddin, Zia and Tadayon, Fereshte (2025). Assessment of English as a Lingua Franca and Its Principles: A Research Synthesis. International Journal of TESOL Studies, 7(3). (*)
Saraceni, Mario (2015). World Englishes: A Critical Analysis. Bloomsbury.
Seidlhofer, Barbara (2011). Understanding English as a Lingua Franca. Oxford University Press.
McLelland, Nicola and Smith, Richard (Eds.) (2018). The History of Language Learning and Teaching: 3 volumes (Vol. I: 16th-18th Century Europe; Vol. II: 19th-20th Century Europe; Vol. III: Across Cultures). Legenda.
Sunyol, Andrea (2021). “A breathtaking English”: Negotiating what counts as distinctive linguistic capital at an elite international school near Barcelona. In J. E. Petrovic & B. Yazan (Eds.), The Commodification of Language: Conceptual Concerns and Empirical Manifestations (pp. 89–107). Routledge.
Tupas, Ruanni (Ed.) (2015). Unequal Englishes: The Politics of Englishes Today. Springer.
Tupas, Ruanni (Ed.) (2024). Investigating Unequal Englishes: Understanding, Researching and Analysing Inequalities of the Englishes of the World. Routledge.(*)
Van Parijs, Philippe (2011). Linguistic Justice for Europe and for the World. Oxford University Press. (*)
Academic journals on this topic:
Journal of English as a Lingua Franca – De Gruyter (UAB subscription)
World Englishes – Wiley (UAB subscription)
English Today – Cambridge University Press
English World-Wide: A Journal of Varieties of English – John Benjamins
“Global English and Social Justice” (special issue of Nordic Journal of English Studies)
https://njes-journal.com/49/volume/19/issue/3 (open access)
Software
No specific software is needed for this course.
Course groups and languages
The information provided is provisional until November 30. After this date, you will be able to consult the language of each group through this link. To access the information, you will need to enter the course CODE
| Type of teaching | Group | Language | Semester | Shift |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (TE) Theory | 1 | English | first semester | morning-mixed |
| (PAUL) Classroom practices | 1 | English | first semester | morning-mixed |
| (TE) Theory | 2 | English | first semester | morning-mixed |
| (PAUL) Classroom practices | 2 | English | first semester | morning-mixed |