Connecting with English in the Context of Internationalisation

Abstract

The linking of the global community via English & its connection with the English language are examined in the framework of Braj B. Kachru's (1986) characterization of world Englishes in terms of an inner circle, an outer circle, & an expanding circle. The rapid increase in the outer circle countries of the number of English-knowing bilinguals is making this population a focal one for globalization, as the preponderance of contacts involved in world globalization will be with English-knowing bilinguals. Implications of this trend for the TESOL profession may include moving away from Anglo-Saxon cultural assumptions in the tradition of communicative teaching as English becomes more & more a global resource; shifting identities must be accommodated, as native speakers will be an ever-shrinking minority of the users of English. J. Hitchcock.