Humanities & Social Sciences Reviews

eISSN: 2395-6518, Vol 7, No 6, 2019, pp 45-48

https://doi.org/10.18510/hssr.2019.7610

INNOVATIVE APPROACHES TO TEACHING AND LEARNING ENGLISH

AS SECOND AND ENGLISH AS FOREIGN LANGUAGE IN MULTILINGUAL
EDUCATION
Diana Rustamovna Sabirova1, Regina Rafael’yevna Khanipova2*
1,2
Kazan Federal University, Russia.
Email: *regina-90@inbox.ru
th th th
Article History: Received on 11 September 2019, Revised on 28 October 2019, Published on 15 November 2019
Abstract
Purpose of the study: The aim of our research is to analyze modern approaches to teaching English as a foreign language
and English as a second language. In our research, we analyze the works by C. Brown, B. B. Kachru, A. Matsuda, J.
Peterson, and others.
Methodology: In our research, the following methods were used: historical and theoretical analysis of the materials of the
American pedagogical and socio-political press; statistical bulletins on the quantity of multilingual school-aged children,
statistical bulletins on the quantity and quality of educational programs for training teachers of English as a foreign
language in the United States; analysis and synthesis of resources used.
Results: The authors hold the idea of the variety of English’s and consider English as an international language. The
effectiveness of education depends on the way teachers are trained. In this article, the authors analyze English as a second,
English as a foreign language teacher training programs, identify similar and distinctive features of the contents, and
demonstrate ways to modernize the system of training teachers of English in the United States.
Applications of this study: This research can be used for the universities, teachers, and students.
Novelty/Originality of this study: In this research, the model of the Innovative approaches to teaching and learning
English as Second and English as Foreign Language in Multilingual Education is presented in a comprehensive and
complete manner.
Keywords: linguistics, second language, multilingual, foreign language, learning, learners, bilingualism.
INTRODUCTION
The USA is a country with a multinational population. Between 2000 – 2017, the population of the country increased by
15% from 282, 325, 2 million people to 3 million people. The National Center for Education Statistics conducted an
analysis of the school-aged children studied at US schools (De Brey, et al. 2019). By 2017, 53.7 million children were
enrolled in U.S. schools. According to the research, the scientists concluded that there is a decline in the number of Black
students from 15% to 14%, as well as the White – from 62% to 51%. While the number of representatives of other ethnic
groups increased: Hispanic children – from 16% to 25%, Asians – from 3% to 5%, and representatives of two or more
races – from 2 % to 4%. The percentage of American Indians and Alaska Natives remained the same – 1% of each nation,
and Pacific Islanders – less than 1% of the total number of students.
A characteristic feature of the multilingual class in the United States is, firstly, the level of multiculturalism or the ratio of
the use of the native language and English. According to the American Council for Teaching Foreign Languages, teachers
use a foreign language (L 2) during almost the whole lessons (90 % of classes). Another study conducted by the Center for
Applied Linguistics notes that 79% of high school teachers and 81% of middle school teachers use at least during a half of
a lesson a foreign language, and only 58 % of primary school teachers use the foreign language to explain the material and
communicate in the class. In a study by P. Duff and C. Polio, the percentage of foreign language use in a lesson ranges
from 98% to 10% (Duff & Polio, 1990). In 2011, Levine conducted his study, which included the interview with 600
college students and 163 teachers and compared their data with those already known (Levine, 2011). He concluded that the
ratio of using a foreign language and a native language varies with each teacher. Teachers usually use a foreign language
more than students do. Multilingual teachers tend to change the language while explaining grammar.
METHODS
In our research, the following methods were used: historical and theoretical analysis of the materials of the American
pedagogical and socio-political press; statistical bulletins on the quantity of multilingual school-aged children, statistical
bulletins on the quantity and quality of educational programs for training teachers of English as a foreign language in the
United States; analysis and synthesis of resources used.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Modern approaches to teaching English as a foreign language can be called in different ways: English as a lingua franca -
aware pedagogy, global Englishes language teaching GELT, Teaching EIL, and World Englishes informed ELT.
However, the unique feature of all modern approaches is the awareness and considering a variety of English languages that

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https://doi.org/10.18510/hssr.2019.7610
are spoken around the world, as opposed to the traditional approach to teaching English as a foreign language. Proponents
of these approaches, one of which is S. Kang, consider it wrong to refer only to British or American English, despite the
fact that the majority of the English-speaking population comes from these countries. In their opinion, students should
master the variant of the English language most frequently used in the life of each of them (Kang, 2017).
The main problems in multicultural and multilingual education of the modern approaches were singled out by Erin
Kearney (Kearney, 2015). They are:
The problem of the interaction of language and culture;
Modern approaches to learning a foreign language in the United States are aimed at creating a close connection between
the cultures of the language studied. However, these two concepts are studied separately from each other, sometimes even
opposing one to the other. For example, L. Damen in his article considers culture as one of the five skills in addition to
reading, writing, listening and speaking. So, he isolates it from the language learning process (Damen & Savignon, 1987).
J. Brody emphasizes that teachers are aware of the importance of studying the culture in language learning but they are not
ready to use it in practice (Brody, 2003; Muyambiri & Chabaefe, 2018). Culture, as many teachers believe, is an integral
part of language learning, knowledge of which comes spontaneously in the process of language acquisition. Scientists do
not overlook the problem of the relationship between culture and language, devoting their research work to the study of
this phenomenon. M. Agar (He introduced the concept of “linguistic culture”) and K. Kramsch described in detail the
interaction between culture and language (Kramsch, 1993; Merkibayev, et al. 2018; Lin & Chen, 2018).
The problem of defining culture;
Culture is understood by many scientists in a broad and narrow sense. American scientists – H. Byrnes, J. Swaffer, K.
Arens – consider culture in a broad sense, as the study of literature, art, philosophy of the country of the studied language.
In a narrow sense, the study of the “culture” of the country of the studied language is considered as an introduction to the
everyday realities of the life of native speakers. So, M. Byram identifies the creation of such learning conditions that
contribute to raising interest, the motivation of students as one of the pedagogical goals of a foreign language teacher. The
goal is achieved by studying the everyday life of native speakers. The result of education is the implementation of
knowledge in real life. The study of literature, the history of the language is better to consider in a different way, through
the analysis of the situations reflected in the works of art (Byram, 1994, Barreto & Alturas, 2018). In this regard, scientists
distinguish “big C culture” and “little c culture”.
This division of culture causes a certain hierarchy of cultural values, at the top of which are the study of culture, art,
literature, ideology. Cultural values of everyday life are unjustly marginalized. Thus, scientists face the problem of a
variety of approaches to the concept of “culture” in multicultural and multilingual education.
The problem of connecting and also distinguishing the personal and individual from the cultural and shared;
M. Byram considers the process of learning culture not only as of the study of theoretical material but also as the ability of
practical implementation of knowledge about culture through the communicative approach in learning (Byram, 1994).
Authors of textbooks and teaching AIDS in a foreign language now offer students material that includes introduction,
drilling, checking vocabulary on different topics. The subject of the lessons presented in the textbooks reflects the main
areas of everyday life (“Introducing themselves”, “Theatre”, “Music”, “Literature”, etc.). All this involves memorizing
standard clichés, without paying special attention to the personal interests and preferences of the student. The possibility of
correlating the realities of different cultures in the learning process makes us reconsider the cultural values of different
nations.
Modern approaches to teaching a foreign language in the United States involve the study of culture as an integral
component of the studied language. The teacher, in this case, is a mediator who implements an intercultural approach in
learning.
Many colleges and universities in the United States offer a training program for teachers of English as a foreign language
TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language), TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language), TESOL
(Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages). According to the Standards put forward by the British Council, it
is recommended to include in the program the practice of teaching English to children and adolescents whose English is
not their native language. However, there is no unique center for the accreditation of TEFL, TESL, TESOL programs, that
is why the contents of the programs differ from university to university.
One of the most interesting programs that train teachers to teach in a multicultural environment is the Total Immersion
Courses for Chinese and Korean English teachers (TICKET). The program is developed by Bloomfield College (New
Jersey). The program is based on the concept of training teachers of English, taking into account the cultural and linguistic
diversity of teachers and students.
The basis of the program dates back to 2008. It included a course for teachers of English as a Foreign Language and
English as a Second Language. The main target of the program was in mastering the language by imitation pronunciation,
grammar, and logical structure of the statement of the native speakers. The problem was that in that case the American

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https://doi.org/10.18510/hssr.2019.7610
English was taught as the only correct version of the language with its norms and cultural values; the cultural values of
foreign students were underestimated, demotivating students in the learning process. As a result, the TICKET program was
reformed. S. Kang, American scientist put forward new goals of the program:
 Understand the peculiarities of the language used depending on different contexts;
 Use the language for a different purpose, avoid conflicts due to sociolinguistic differences;
 Analyze your experience as a teacher of English as a foreign language (identify your strong side and weak side) in
order to improve professional competence;
 Be aware of the changing role of English in the modern world;
 Study and develop forms and methods of teaching based on authentic material, taking into account the realities of
different cultures.
Depending on the purpose of training, TICKET can be aimed at:
 Improvement of different types of speech activity (speaking, reading, writing);
 Improvement of the pronunciation;
 Study the strategies and methods of intercultural communication;
 Analysis and discussion of the role and place of English’s in the modern world;
 Study of English language teaching methods;
 Time management;
 Internship or practice under the supervision of mentors.
The program helps to expand knowledge about the world, to be aware of all international events, to use an interdisciplinary
approach in teaching English as a foreign language, to develop critical thinking, as well as to improve the level of language
proficiency.
SUMMARY
Currently, the study of Standard English is not a priority. The ability of a native speaker to adapt to the standards set by the
linguistic context of different countries will lead to successful intercultural interaction, which is a distinctive feature of the
human World according to the concept of international organizations such as UNESCO and OECD (Kramsch, 1993). A
teacher of English as a foreign language can also in different ways. Some of them are familiar to us for a long time:
English as a Second Language teacher, a teacher for English Language Learners, teacher of English to Speakers of
Other Languages; and a relatively new concept: English as a New Language teacher, which was mentioned in the work
by John Jenkins. The teacher of English as an International Language has many responsibilities. The teacher is always
ready to improve his/her knowledge. According to W. Renandya, the teacher should teach students not only knowledge of
the language, skills and ability to communicate in English, but also love, tolerance, respect for the cultural values of the
studied language and native speakers (Kearney, 2015).
There is no unique standard for the training of teachers of English as a foreign language in the United States, and the
requirements for the training are regulated by the policy of every state.
According to the National Comprehensive Center for Teacher Quality, only to the beginning of the second decade of
the twentieth century, a certification of teacher of English as a foreign language became available in all states. Currently,
the number of training programs for teachers of English as a foreign language has increased significantly. E. Haugen,
whose point of view is supported by our compatriots Kondrateva, I. G., Nazarova, M.V., in his report on the quality of
training of teachers of English as a foreign language notes that the abundance of educational programs has led to a decrease
in the quality of training (Kondrateva & Nazarova, 2015).
CONCLUSIONS
Despite the variety of programs with a traditional approach to teaching English, presented by the educational institutions of
the country, it can be concluded that training teachers of English as a foreign language is at the stage of reform. The
traditional approach to teaching the native population of the country Standard English is gradually overshadowed
(Ageyeva, et al. 2015). Learning English as a New Language or English as an International Language is an area of
modernization of training programs for English teachers working in a multicultural and multilingual class. The
development of information technology has expanded the boundaries of the use of the English language. English as a
language of international communication, which is mastered by the representatives of different countries must reflect the
values and attitudes of students in order to avoid misunderstandings on the part of the others.

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https://doi.org/10.18510/hssr.2019.7610
AACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The work is performed according to the Russian Government Program of Competitive Growth of Kazan Federal
University.
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