SUMMARY OF TASKS

1. Task 1 [CLO1]: Synthesising Working Definitions: SE vs WE vs ELF [10 marks]
2. Task 2 [CLO2]: Choosing Sides: SE vs WE vs ELF [40 marks]
3. Task 3 [CLO3]: Sampling Views on SE vs ELF [25 marks]
4. Task 4 [CLO4]: Producing a Digital Learning Artefact [25 marks]

 

TASK1 [CLO1] SYNTHESISING WORKING DEFINITIONS: SE vs WE vs ELF [10 MARKS]

 

1. Revisit your Jenkins (2015) textbook, zooming in on the parts where she makes theoretical and experiential distinctions between English as a First/Native Language

(ENL; also referred to as Standard English or SE), World Englishes (WE), and English as a Lingua Franca (ELF).

 

2. Once you are clear on Jenkins’ differentiation between SE, WE, and ELF, read the journal article given below. Focus on how the author’s treatment of the subject intersects with, adds to, and departs from Jenkins’. Be sure to annotate productively as you read. You will need to refer to your annotations when you subsequently start writing for this task:

Ishikawa, Tomokazu. 2016. “World Englishes and English as a Lingua Franca: Conceptualising the Legitimacy of Asian People’s English”. Asian Englishes 18(2): 1-12.

3. Thereafter, dive into additional scholarly research to deepen your understanding of the subject. Explore academic journals available in OUM’s Digital Library and search the internet for research projects carried out worldwide to learn how other scholars have dealt with the competing ideologies behind ENL, WE, and ELF. Again, annotate as you read.

 

4. Based on the three steps listed above, synthesise a scholarly working definition for each of the terms under discussion: SE, WE, and ELF. Cite, paraphrase and summarise as necessary. It is mandatory to provide full bibliographic information of all cited sources. Aim for approximately 600 words for all three working definitions.

 

           

TASK 2 [CLO^[1]]

CHOOSING SIDES: SE vs WE vs ELF [40 MARKS]

 

1. Imagine that you have been invited to serve as a language policy consultant for the government of a country in Asia. The said government is open to views from all parties on how the country should revamp its educational system, especially its English language policy for schools and universities. Based on preliminary feedback, the government is aware that it could take the SE route, the WE route, the ELF route, or a route that combines two or more of the foregoing. You are among the several consultants that have been invited and, like the rest of the consultants, you have been requested to submit a written proposal on the favoured route to take.

 

TASK 3 [CLO3]

SAMPLING VIEWS ON SE vs ELF [25 MARKS]

1. In Task 1, you synthesised scholarly working definitions of SE and ELF (not to mention WE), which you employed to anchor your proposal in Task 2. Now, assuming that you want to explain the difference between SE and ELF to laypersons, rather than language experts and politicians, how would you do it? How would you rephrase your earlier definitions in simpler, easier to understand language? Think of your layperson audience as your acquaintances, friends, relatives, neighbours, and co-workers who may or may not have higher education qualifications.

 

2. Using your simplified definitions of SE and ELF, independently conduct an interview survey in person or by electronic means (e.g., phone, email, e-messaging apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and WeChat). The point of the survey is to solicit selected laypersons’ answers to these questions:

 

1. Between SE and ELF, which do you think is more prestigious? Why?

 

1. If you have school-going children of your own, would you prefer that they learn to communicate in SE only, or ELF only? Why?

 

3. Interview as many laypersons as is necessary for you to curate 10 substantial responses that favour SE, and 10 substantial responses that favour ELF.

 

4. Lastly, write a short analysis of the responses you curated. What do the responses indicate? What conclusions can you draw from them? How do they square with your own opinion on the subject?

 

5. Present your findings in the following format:

 

A. Pro-SE Responses

Interviewee 1

Personal particulars

Given name

Age or age bracket

Occupation

Relationship to interviewer (e.g., friend, neighbour, colleague, etc.)

Response to Question 1

Response to Question 2

 

                              Interviewee 2

Personal particulars

Given name

Age or age bracket

Occupation

Relationship to interviewer (e.g., friend, neighbour, colleague, etc.)

Response to Question 1

Response to Question 2

 

Interviewee 3

[… till 10]

B. Pro-ELF Responses

Interviewee 1

Personal particulars

Given name

Age or age bracket

Occupation

Relationship to interviewer (e.g., friend, neighbour, colleague, etc.)

Response to Question 1

Response to Question 2

[… till 10]

1. Analysis of the Responses (Aim for about 1,000 words)

 

           

 

 

TASK 4 [CLO4]

PRODUCING A DIGITAL LEARNING ARTEFACT [25 MARKS]

 

 

1. Learning artefacts, or learning objects, are anything that students choose to produce as evidence of how well they have learned a particular subject over a period of time.

Learning artefacts may take the physical form (e.g., sculpture, miniature model, etc.). Or they may take the digital form (e.g., research poster, video of your own presentation, audio presentation, infographic, slideshow, screencast, photo and text montage, short film, animation, etc.).

 

2. Surf the internet to learn more about learning artefacts. Sites you may find useful include:

https://www.luc.edu/experiential/eportfolio/learningportfolioelements/learningar tifacts/

http://www.21things4teachers.net/PD–Modules/Digital–Age–Teaching–andLearning/Digital–Artifacts.html

 

3. This task requires you to produce:

 

i.      a digitallearning artefact that encapsulates your mastery of a key aspect of the theoretical and experiential distinctions between SE, WE, and ELF; and

1. a 1,000 word written rationale for the choices you made on medium, content, length, and other parameters, as well as your commentary on the learning journey undertaken in producing the artefact.

 

4. You have the autonomy to decide on the medium, content, length and other parameters of the digital artefact you will be producing, as long as you are able to complete the task within the stipulated timeframe, and are able to ensure and justify that the final product enables you to fully encapsulate the particular message you seek to convey.

 

5. A note on submission: Please be mindful that only the 1,000 word written rationale and commentary are to be included as your task response.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Based on the working definitions you synthesised in Task 1, produce the requested proposal in the conventional format of an academic essay in about 2,000 words. Your essay should include these parts: Propose and justify your recommended route or route-combination. State clearly why you choose this particular route or routecombination and not the others. Include all other relevant details to strengthen your proposal. Among other things, you should explain also why your proposed route befits the ground realities and aspirations of the country, and how it caters to career goals and global communication. Cite your readings in Task 1 to back up your proposal. Be sure to include a Works Cited section as specified in the cover instructions.