Page 13 - Kukanja Gabrijelčič, Mojca, and Maruška Seničar Željeznov, eds. 2018. Teaching Gifted and Talented Children in A New Educational Era. Koper: University of Primorska Press.
P. 13
moting Giftedness through ‘English as a Lingua Franca’ Informed Language Teaching
Promotion of Giftedness Learning Performance
Potential
Communicative Capability Communicative ELF
Capability
Meaning Potential
of English
Figure 1 Promotion of Giftedness and Communicative Capability (adapted from
Widdowson, 2003)
sideration. Communicative capability and ELF-influenced language teaching
allow for a focus on individual potential in teaching and assessment as op-
posed to a focus on a lack of knowledge measured against an illusory native
speaker standard.
Similar parallels between language and potential development models
can also be drawn taking into consideration Gardner’s (1991) thoughts on in-
telligence. In contrast to other researchers, Gardner was the first to define
more than just cognitive intelligence. Similarly, in ELF contexts, the potential
of the English language is not only described as the standard version but it
takes into consideration also the unrealized, non-conformist potential of the
language.
Potential Development through ELF-Informed Language Teaching
Two possible areas for the integration of ELF findings in English language
teaching are pronunciation and communicative strategies. The Lingua Franca
Core (Jenkins, 2000) suggests areas of pronunciation that are most crucial
for mutual understanding in ELF situations. It is for example, in general, less
important to perfectly pronounce a th while the differentiation between long
and short vowels is crucial in ELF (e.g.: beach). Using a table, provided online
(www.elfpron.wordpress.com), teachers could choose which pronunciation
features to focus on depending on the linguistic potential of their students.
Students with L1 Arabic or German would, according to the ELF grid, have to
work on different areas of pronunciation (Table 1).
Besides a shifted focus in teaching pronunciation, it is crucial to make room
for communicative strategies in English language classrooms (Kirkpatrick,
2007, p. 194). Communicative strategies are essential in communication, es-
pecially in ELF settings, as they are used to prevent communicative break-
11
Promotion of Giftedness Learning Performance
Potential
Communicative Capability Communicative ELF
Capability
Meaning Potential
of English
Figure 1 Promotion of Giftedness and Communicative Capability (adapted from
Widdowson, 2003)
sideration. Communicative capability and ELF-influenced language teaching
allow for a focus on individual potential in teaching and assessment as op-
posed to a focus on a lack of knowledge measured against an illusory native
speaker standard.
Similar parallels between language and potential development models
can also be drawn taking into consideration Gardner’s (1991) thoughts on in-
telligence. In contrast to other researchers, Gardner was the first to define
more than just cognitive intelligence. Similarly, in ELF contexts, the potential
of the English language is not only described as the standard version but it
takes into consideration also the unrealized, non-conformist potential of the
language.
Potential Development through ELF-Informed Language Teaching
Two possible areas for the integration of ELF findings in English language
teaching are pronunciation and communicative strategies. The Lingua Franca
Core (Jenkins, 2000) suggests areas of pronunciation that are most crucial
for mutual understanding in ELF situations. It is for example, in general, less
important to perfectly pronounce a th while the differentiation between long
and short vowels is crucial in ELF (e.g.: beach). Using a table, provided online
(www.elfpron.wordpress.com), teachers could choose which pronunciation
features to focus on depending on the linguistic potential of their students.
Students with L1 Arabic or German would, according to the ELF grid, have to
work on different areas of pronunciation (Table 1).
Besides a shifted focus in teaching pronunciation, it is crucial to make room
for communicative strategies in English language classrooms (Kirkpatrick,
2007, p. 194). Communicative strategies are essential in communication, es-
pecially in ELF settings, as they are used to prevent communicative break-
11
