TEACHERS AS AGENTS OF LINGUISTIC INNOVATION: TEACHERS’ VIEWS AND UNDERSTANDING OF VOCABULARY OF BRITISH, AMERICAN, AND SRI LANKAN ENGLISH

Abstract

One of the challenging issues that has sparked much debate, as a result of the emergence of World Englishes, is the dilemma: “Which English norms are appropriate for English language teaching and testing?”. This issue becomes increasingly critical in the context in which a growing number of Sri Lankans seek international education and employment; thus, the pressure of being successful in standardised English tests such as IELTS and TOEFL is increasingly important. In accounting for the way teachers respond to this dilemma, this study aimed to examine teachers’ attitudes towards and awareness of the vocabulary of British English, American English, and Sri Lankan English. This study employed a participant selection variant design which involves a questionnaire and individual interviews for a more focused and in-depth investigation of five Sri Lankan ESL teachers’ attitudes towards and awareness of vocabulary of British English, American English, and Sri Lankan English. The results revealed that the teachers hold a middle ground that mediates the attitudes of “orthodox linguists” who uphold linguistic uniformity, and the attitudes of “liberal linguists” who promote the linguistic diversity and creativity of new norms. Particularly, the research findings positioned teachers as potential agents of linguistic innovation, as they yield the ability to either reinforce traditional norms or encourage innovative and inclusive approaches to English language teaching and testing. Moreover, the study revealed the complexity and the changing nature of the teachers’ attitudes due to the influence of personal, interpersonal, sociopolitical, and institutional factors. Moreover, the teachers demonstrated limited awareness regarding the correct recognition of vocabulary of the three varieties. However, they demonstrated some awareness of the plurality of English in the context of globalization and localization. The findings of the study suggest the importance of promoting ways to raise teachers’ awareness to prompt an attitudinal objectivity towards the differences between varieties of English while making learners prepared to navigate both international standards and the evolving landscape of English usage for greater mobility. This study provides insights into future research agendas on evaluating teachers’ acceptability judgements towards not only vocabulary but also phonological and syntactic differences between varieties of English.