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Practice Activities – M&R

Name and surname(s): Ferney Alberto Castro Castillo

Group: FP-TEFL_2017-10_unini
Date: October 6th / 2018

SUBJECT PRACTICE ACTIVITIES:


ENGLISH IN THE COMMUNITY

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Practice Activities – M&R

Practice Activities

Graddol (2006, p.14) states as a key trend to be expected “the rise


and fall of learners”. That is, he claims that “a massive increase in
the number of people learning English has already begun, and is
likely to reach a peak around 2 billion in the next 10-15 years.
Numbers of learners will then decline.” (ibid, p.14)

Bearing in mind this statement, complete the following tasks.

More than 10 years have gone by since the original statement. Find updated
figures supporting or refuting the hypothesis. If possible, find sources for the
last five years.

First of all, it is important to mention why English is recognized as an


International Language. Keeping in mind the information provided by the British Council
(2004) ’’English is the third most spoken native language in the world, after Standard
Chinese and Spanish’’ in other words English is considered a universal language. The
popularity gained by this language is due to it manages to bring together different
countries. Multiple factors have contributed with the position English has got through
the time that is the case of the technology, when taking about it this language has
become the channel across the technology moves in.

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Practice Activities – M&R

Figure 1.
Top 25 World Languages.

Note. Global Trends in Foreign Language Demand and Proficiency. © 2014 UNESCO.

In addition, facts such as globalization, economic, industry new jobs possibilities


allow to affirm (Kramsch, 1994) words ``Language is something that people do in their
daily lives and something they use to express`` It means language is a social factor, it
is more than just the code: it also involves social practices of interpreting and making
meanings based on different cultures and backgrounds.

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Practice Activities – M&R

Furthermore, the increase of people learning English is evident around the


world, it is approximated that over 1 billion people are currently learning English
worldwide, and according to the British Council, (2014) as of the year 2000, there were
750 million English as a Foreign Language speakers, and in addition, there were 375
million English as a Second Language speakers. As of 2014, this number has
increased to 1.5 billion total English learners worldwide. As a way of illustration in
Colombia where the mother tongue is Spanish, English is considered as a second
language.

Here to be bilingual is a purpose by the government through the ministry of


National education and the British council, as a result it is possible to find a
considerable increase of students going to different institutions, academics, universities
in order to learn English. Besides this, it is the most widely learned second language
and is either the official language or one of the official languages in almost 60
sovereign states.

Finally, without doubts Graddols’ hypothesis around the growth of English is


evident and not only the numbers show the results, but also the moment this language
lives in the world, in reference to the declination it is not possible to predict exactly the
effect other demographic, social, cultural, political and technological influences will
reach with all the effects, However, the fact we can say is that English, like all other
languages, is subject to that constant growth and decay that characterize all forms of
life.

Present the updated figures in table form comparing them to Graddol’s


statements and own figures. Analyse the evolution and state whether Graddol’s
hypothesis has been sustained or refuted.

Before answering this question is quite important to define English learners


according to the Glossary of Education Reform. ‘’English-language learners, or ELLs,
are students who are unable to communicate fluently or learn effectively in English,
who often come from non-English-speaking homes and backgrounds, and who typically
require specialized or modified instruction in both the English language and in their

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Practice Activities – M&R

academic courses’’. In other words an English learner is a person who decides to learn
that language, it can be considered as a second language, or foreign language, but
that person attends English instructions in order to reach a level of proficiency in the
four macro skills. Those students belong either to schools or academic institutions
where institutional policies pretend no only to teach them, but also giving learners the
appropriate tools to communicate fluently in the other language.

Evidently, The following table permits to say that Graddol`s argument around
the rise and fall of English learners has been sustained since the current research
supports it’s affirmation.
Table 1.
Comparative table.

GRADDOL`S HYPOTHESIS CURRENT RESEARCH ( British


council)
English learners ESL/ EFL English learners ESL/ EFL

2 Billions 1,5 billion 750 million/ 350


million
A massive It is estimated According to the
increase in the that there are British Council's
number of currently over 1 research,
people learning billion people (2014) there are
English has learning English approximately
already begun, worldwide and 750 million
and is likely to this will double English as a
reach a peak of in a little over foreign language
around 2 billion five years. speakers (EFL)
in the next 10– and 375 million
15 years. English as a
Numbers of Second
learners will Language
then decline. speakers (ESL)
Own source.

On the other hand, although it is true and there is very difficult to find more
detailed studies in reference to the possible declination of English. According to
Gradoll’s there are some tendencies such as demography, economic, technology,
society and language trends, as a result it is viable to say his conclusions are not out of
context, for instance he states.

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Practice Activities – M&R

 Demographic change is one of the most important factors affecting language


spread, language shift, and language change.
 English is at the centre of many globalisation mechanisms. Its future in Asia is
likely to be closely associated with future patterns of globalisation.
 Other world languages, such as Spanish, French and Arabic, are also being
adopted by the new media.
 The rise of the urban middle class in developing countries is creating new
constituencies of English users.
 The attractiveness of Mandarin to learners across the world is growing, and
language schools in many countries are expanding their provision to include it.
Unlike the enthusiasm for learning Japanese which was prompted by thee
economic rise of Japan, there are reasons why interest in Mandarin may remain
a long-term trend.

Finally, once checked the previous arguments and comparing to the current
results it is possible to conclude there exist a high grade of implications that confirm
Gradoll´s Hypothesis.

Based on the figures you had, propose your own claim to the future development
of English as a Foreign Language. Take into account the figures you found, the
materials of the class, the readings available in the campus and other external
sources that you might deem relevant.

In a complex world it is not possible to say something with a hundred percent of


certainty, since all in the life is subject to the change bearing in mind Heraclitus words ‘’
The only thing that is constant is change’’ for that reason it is not appropriate to claim
totally the mentioned topic will continue and even will develop in the exactly prediction
proposed. However based on the evidence, research and results it is possible to
conclude the following:

Firstly, English is and will be unless until the majority of countries that pretend to
reach the English as a second language and become learners in Bilingual people, an
international language that can overcome even Spanish and being a rival of mandarin
in terms of number of students. Consequently, while people around the world study
English, it is compulsory to supply the necessity of English Professors, not only native
one, but masters in the way of teaching too.

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Practice Activities – M&R

Second, now and in the future people will realize that being a native or listening
to them it is not the only resource they have. By contrary the more opportunities and
necessities to communicate in English they have, the more students will enroll in
different programs in order to communicate effectively. On the whole with the aim to
participate in the fashion tendency ‘’ globalization’’

Third, It is true that a language like English can decline keeping in mind the fact
that English, like all other languages, is subject to that constant growth and decay that
characterize all forms of life, due to demography, economic, technology, society,
language trends or even any other factor that can occur in the future, it is possible to
conclude people who already learnt it will get that gift ( in the case it may occur) to
overcome the situation learning another one easier than starting from zero, because
the communication among them will allow to reuse effective strategies used in English.

Finally, we as professors must teach our students from the reflection, I means
that English is more than a language, because we find people who do not handle the
language with perfection, in other words there were not taught around the basic skills,
but they have contributed in their lives/ countries, because they were aware about their
needs and motivations. It was possible because they were not taught but they were
formed. It is here when we can see the difference between a teacher and an educator.
Or between students who always wait for the fish or the ones that learnt how to get the
fish. This language is important but if one day it declines, English students have learnt
what is possible to do with the knowledge acquired.

REFERENCES.

 Dearden, J. (2014). English as a medium of instruction-a growing global


phenomenon. British Council.

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Practice Activities – M&R

 Global Trends in Foreign Language Demand and Proficiency. © 2014


UNESCO.

 Graddol, D. (1997) The Future of English?


London: British Council.

 Krashen, S. D. (1994). Principles and practice in second language


acquisition. Oxford: Pergamon.

 Seidlhofer, B. (2001). Closing a conceptual gap: The case for a


description of English as a lingua franca. International journal of applied
linguistics, 11(2), 133-158.

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