Prof. Jennifer Jenkins talks about shifting to English as a Lingua Franca (ELF)

[@mustafarussell]

Was all set and excited to watch this before the lighting and audio spoilt it all

[@leannec3609]

The concept of ELF is very interesting and most certainly evidential in communication between non-native speakers. It is something observed in my classroom frequently with learners adapting their English to the needs and style of the other speaker. Learners are able to communicate adequately for their needs despite not having standard English grammar. Who's to say which English is right or wrong if both standard and non-standard English achieve the necessary communicative functions. However, one area that I disagree somewhat is in regards to the teacher's choice about whether to teach and accept standard or non-standard English. Depending upon the teaching environment this may not necessarily be a teacher's choice. If learners are required to sit exams then standard English is usualy the only acceptable English and this may conflict with the teacher's values (e.g. of encouraging flunecy rather than accuracy, particulary in an ESOL setting where English is likely to be used on a daily basis). I agree with Jenkins' idea that English used in the real world is not the English that is learnt in the classroom and as such, what the teacher may want to teach their learners is not necessarily what the teacher has to teach their learners. Therefore, we must consider whether, in the long run, we are in fact setting some learners up to fail by only accepting standard English as the correct English and training learners to be accurate rather than fluent.

[@holaforistas]

It has no volume, someone is supposed to check this.

[@TESOLacademic]

Nubia - the volume is working, I have checked. It must be something related to the setting on your computer or You Tube channel - please check them. Regards

[@rolithesecond]

Nope, it is definitely a problem with the recording. Since the video quality is abysmal as well, I guess it is also a fault of the hardware used. But normalizing the audio track before exporting the video would certainly have helped.

[@TESOLacademic]

It is certainly the worst quality of all of our talks and if I was posting it now I would have done more to try and improve the audio. However, back then I took the view that something was better than nothing and the audio on all of the devices that I have used is far from perfect BUT certainly comprehensible, apologies if this is not so for one and all.

[@Saruman38]

15:35 Whaaaaaat? How about "boredom"? Isn't that a word used by native speakers of English?

[@mariannafox1675]

I thought this lecture was extremely interesting and thought provoking. I also agree with it. Non native speakers tend to understand what each other are saying, even it is not entirely correct. I agree teachers have to decide how and what to do in the classroom. Whether it is relevant or not, to their specific learners. The key here would be what are they learning English for. Great stuff!

[@billtempler764]

Standards of written academic English for publication, for doctoral and MA theses, for term papers at most universities in the UK, US, Australia and Canada have remained quite geared to native speaker standards. Many users of ELF in a range of more informal communicative contexts find they need an NS copy editor/stylist to go over their academic written work to satisfy what peer reviewers and editors of journals, most publishers of books require in virtually all scientific fields. And with doctoral diss., even at Dr. Jenkins own university. How are these very high walls of 'correctness' and even 'style' in elite 'publishable' academic discourse viewed within ELF research?

[@Saruman38]

15min35s: Whaaaaaat? How about "boredom"? Isn't that a word used by native speakers of English?