IATEFL/ TESOL 2016

IATEFL/ TESOL WEB CONFERENCE

Topic : English as a Lingua Franca

Presenter: Jennifer Jenkins

with Jennifer Jenkins

The topic of session one online conference is english as lingua franca.  The things we can learn from the topic presented is about the English Lingua Franca (EFL) similect instead of World Englishes (WE) Variety. She maintained that ELF communities, unlike traditional speech communities, are not made up of speaker with a share language background but of speakers from different L1s. in multilingual research, SLA and ELT are standing still, a range of overlapping developments in multilingualism research and especially into translanguaging and demonstrating gap even in surrent ELF thinking. Furthermore, translanguaging posits that bilinguals have one linguistic repertoire from which they select features strategically to communicate effectively. ELF Current definitions don’t allow for situations where English is known to everyone in the interaction but isn’t actually used or is only used minimally.

Some possible future of English: 1. Convergence (we all speak American English); 2.  Divergent (Latin syndrome, English will develop into many mutually incomprehensible varieties); 3. No future (another language will take over); 4. A Chinese future (influence from the largest speaker of English in the world, Chinese English); 5. English as multilingual franca.

This topic is very interesting. We know that English Lingua Franca become more popular in today’s classroom. English as tool of comunucation not only use in English class but also in non-english class. It is a necessity because many literature of science written in English. Many students learn English to know and to understand the text of the literature. As the result, they become more familiar with English term and start to use English in their communication. Even though there are some mistakes in practicing, they still use English as a Lingua Franca confidently. It means that ELF becomes a mode of communication.

The thing we learn from the presenter is that she has fully prepared for her speech. She is also aware with the audiences’ cultural diversity which came from different country. In simply, she has good ethical speaking. 

SUMMARY OF BRITISH COUNCIL ONLINE CONFERENCE

Theme: The Teacher as Reflective Practitioner

Teacher Stories – A way for teacher to share with and learn from each other

                                                       Speaker: Briony Beaven         

Story of experience is a powerful way to encourage teachers professional development. Telling story of experience is used as professional learning though social reflection. Both of teller listener  have part to play in this activity. The teachers tell what they had got from previous profesional experience such as knowledge and so on.

Teacher knowledge is not only built from theory but also belief, experience, realty life. Moreover, all of those are combined to make an rich knowledge and to know more the teachers’ identity. Teachers can make a group and they can meet regulary to pose and pursui teaching problem and to support each other. Each of them delivers their teaching experience though conversation in narrative style. It has advantage in empowering teacher to be built their own source of knowledge and skill.

The technique that can be used in story telling is grouping. Grouping is very important to make the comfortable atmosphere because the private story needs safe space to share. The important thing that should be emphasized in this part is the trust. Every teacher should trust their colleagues so it will run well.

            Based on the explanation above it can be concluded that teacher story is a way to share with and learn from each other. We can learn from inexperienced and experienced teacher. We can cultivate the strength or the weakness of the teacher. It is not to judge them but to learn from them.