Abstract
Publication Release Date: April 2017
In response to the global demand for English and the changing sociolinguistic reality of English, the number of second or foreign language users of English who teach English (often referred to as “non-native teachers”) has grown dramatically. In countries such as Hong Kong, Malaysia and Vietnam, teachers are required to take English tests to demonstrate their level of language proficiency. But what is the relationship between language proficiency and the ability to teach English, and is an advanced level of proficiency in English necessary in order to be an effective language teacher? Do teachers whose mother tongue is English have any advantage over teachers for whom English is a second or additional language? And what kind of language development programs is relevant for teachers who need to improve their level of English language proficiency?
This Special Issue of the RELC Journal looks at the issue of language proficiency of language teachers in the light of the present status of English as a global lingua franca, the impact of teacher talk on language learning, and the role of teacher education in developing language proficiency. We invite research articles, review articles, “Innovations in Practice” reports, viewpoints, and book and/or technology reviews that address the theme of this issue. Topics could include:
- What is the relationship between language proficiency and teaching skills?
- What level of language proficiency do teachers need?
- What kind of language proficiency do teachers need?
- How relevant are “native-speaker” models of English in teaching and in teacher
education?
- What role does language proficiency play from an ELF (English as a Lingua Franca) perspective?
- How can language proficiency be a component of a teacher-education course?
The deadline for submission is