From ‘English of Specific Cultures’ to ‘English for Specific Cultures’ in ELF Era and the need for EIL-based
Coursebooks
Mehdi Solhi Andarab, English Preparatory School, Bahcesehir University
Dilek Inal, Department of Foreign Languages, Istanbul University
Abstract: The growth of English into an international language and the diffusion of English
across the world have caused considerable tensions and promoted heated debates in the process of
English language teaching. This is due to the fact not only those who speak English are more
likely to be non-native speakers of English than native speakers, but they are most likely to speak
to other non-native speakers of English than to native speakers. Some scholars even believe that
English is no longer the sole property of its native speakers. Nevertheless, majority of ELT
cousebooks are still being published by major Anglo-American publishers and are based on the
norms and cultures of Inner Circle countries, such as the USA and the UK. These coursebooks
may cause problems regarding accurate presentation of cultural information and images about a
variety of cultures beyond the Anglo-Saxon and European world. In fact, the English applied in
such coursebooks mainly represents the culture of native speakers of English and this is what we
conceptualize as ‘English of Specific Cultures’. However, nowadays if English is considered as an
international language, it can be used as a language to portray culture ideas of Outer and
Expanding circle countries especially in ELT coursebooks. In this case, this language can be
regarded as ‘English for Specific Culture’ (Yano, 2009). This article argues in favor of ‘English
for Specific Cultures’ in ELT coursebooks, in an attempt to recommend some features for the
future global coursebooks in EIL era.
Background
English was first introduced as a foreign language to the world and consequently its norms were being developed by
its first dominant owners, the US and the UK. However, as the research literature indicates, in recent years, the role
of English in communication has experienced fundamental changes. These changes have come into existence as a
result of globalization and consequently the need for a well suited language to globally portray wide ranges of
cultures to the world. This heavy burden on the shoulders of English has made it a language of international
communication or in specialized term ‘English as an international language’ (EIL). Once considered as a language
of a small community of speakers (e.g. the UK and the US), English now is being used and spoken by great majority
of speakers in the world. The increase in the number of non-native speakers of English has resulted to a salient fact
about English; not only are people who speak English more likely to be non-native speakers of English than native
speakers, but they are most likely to speak to other non-native speakers of English than to native speakers of
English. These people are using English as a language of communication. This means that they do not necessarily
need to know anything about English or American cultures or literature to be able to communicate effectively.
Instead, they need to know something about each other’s culture and literature because this knowledge can pave the
way or facilitate the mutual understanding. In recent years, the emergence of EIL has paved the way for its global
speakers to use it as a means of interacting globally, and representing themselves and their cultures internationally.
This paradigm shift from learning of English of Specific Cultures (e.g. American and British cultures) to learning of
English for Specific Cultures (non-native speaker cultures) has posed some critical questions in the process of
language learning; among them are the ownership of English, the issue of native-speakerism, whose English?, and
materials developments.
As far as language coursebooks are considered, they often incorporate the teaching of culture as part of their content
and are considered as the best medium to present the cultural contents to the learners. However, when coursebooks
have only limited potential to promote the acquisition of intercultural competence in learners, either because of
cultural contents of the coursebooks or deficient approach used in the coursebooks to include intercultural
competence, teachers might be unable to use them for raising intercultural competence of the learners. In fact, global
coursebooks are criticized for painting idealized pictures of English-speaking countries because the cultural content
of such coursebooks tends to lean predominantly towards Inner Circle countries. The content of such materials has
been criticized for not markedly engaging the Outer Circle or Expanding Circle cultures.
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Vast number of studies has been made to investigate the issue of ownership and that of native-speakerism. However,
with regard to the inevitable impression of EIL on the forthcoming global EIL-based coursebooks, there lie some
gaps in need of exploration (McKay, 2002; Tomlinson, 2005). In spite of the increasing attention given to the
teaching of EIL, however, we know much less when it comes to the question of how such ideas as teaching English
for Specific Cultures are dealt with in English language materials, namely global coursebooks. In a nutshell, the
importance attached to the function of EIL and the significant role of coursebooks in language learning stimulated
the researchers to investigate EIL and the need for English for Specific Cultures in global coursebooks.
Methods and Results
In this study, five EIL-based coursebooks (e.g., Global series, English Across Cultures, Intercultural English,
Understanding Asia, and Understanding English across Cultures) were analyzed to examine their validity of their
claims, that is, to be based on EIL. All of these coursebooks claim to be in parallel with the specifications of EIL.As
a preamble, all references and cultural contents of the EIL-based materials were analyzed in terms of Inner, Outer,
and Expanding Circle countries. In addition, an attempt was made to examine different varieties of English in these
EIL-based coursebooks to realize whether they were ‘English of Specific Cultures’ or ‘English for Specific
Cultures’. Then, culture with small ‘c’ and Culture with ‘big’ C of the Inner, Outer, and Expanding Circle countries
were taken into close account. In sum, in contrast to Global series which are based on the culture of Inner Circle
countries, coursebook analysis of the other four coursebook indicated that they almost meet the requirements of EIL.
Conclusion
The very existence of this study will shed light, firstly, on the role of English for Specific Cultures in the globally
prepared coursebooks, and secondly on the burden to the material providers and syllabus designers to pay attention
to the significance of English for Specific Cultures in the future coursebooks. The materials designers are expected
to localize the materials by using the learners’ experiences and cultural backgrounds and making coursebooks
culturally responsive to them. The materials designers are also supposed to develop teachers’ manuals that
encompass specific suggestions and instructions about how the texts can be used in the learners’ specific cultural
contexts. We may have to replace unfamiliar cultural contexts with those that are familiar to the learners and can
most likely raise the intercultural awareness among the learners.
There are several aspects which need to be taken into account when teaching materials are being made. They are as
follows:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Literature in English rather than solely English literature
Various systems of cultural conceptualizations rather than only homogenous speech community
Meta-cultural (intercultural) competence rather than merely native speaker competence
Target community culture rather than just Native-speaker culture
Realistic representation of both native or non-native speakers of English rather than solely negative portrait
of non-native speaker and ideal presentation of native-speakers
6. Cultural liberty (learning form other cultures) rather than cultural literacy (learning about other cultures)
7. Cultural consciousness rather than cultural assimilation
8. Empowerment of other cultures rather than marginalization of other cultures
9. Glocal English rather than global English
10. Dialogues among non-native speakers of English rather than merely focusing on the dialogues among
native speakers or among native and non-native speakers of English
11. English for Specific Cultures rather than solely English of Specific Cultures
References
McKay, S. L. (2002) Teaching English as an International Language: Rethinking Goals and Approaches. Oxford:
Oxford University Press.
Tomlinson, B. (2005). The Future for ELT Materials in Asia. Electronic Journal of Foreign Language Teaching,
2(2), 5-13.
Yano, Y. (2009). English as an international lingua franca: from societal to individual. World Englishes, 28 (2),
246-255.
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