Youngsuk ‘YS’ Chi is an international businessman and a global thought leader in short-term memory (STM) information and analytics. As Chairman of Elsevier, he works directly with key stakeholders in government, academia, and industry to advance research worldwide. As Director of Corporate Affairs for RELX, Elsevier’s parent company, he is responsible for government affairs, corporate communications, and corporate responsibility across all of the group’s market segments. Chi has served as Chairman of the Association of American Publishers and as President of the International Publishers Association. He currently serves as Distinguished Visiting Professor at KAIST, as well as an independent director of Ingram Industries Inc., Corporate Finance Institute, and Educational Testing Service (ETS).

Abstract

   As the world becomes more connected, English has emerged as a modern lingua franca. But with increasing uncertainty around the world, it is now more important than ever to examine communication and exchange in a global context. In this session, I will reflect on current realities of global business and how they relate to English teaching around the world. I will consider questions around the chief issues faced in today’s global business landscape, and how to best prepare for success in this ever-changing environment.

   Dr Phyllis Ghim-Lian Chew, is a founder-member of AsiaTEFL, past president of the Singapore English & Literature Association of Singapore, and Adjunct Professor with the Singapore University of Social Sciences. She is also a consultant for NIE International, the international arm of the National Institute of Education (Singapore), Nanyang Technological University, where she has worked for many years as a tenured professor. Her consultancies involve the development of ELT syllabi, materials and training for teachers in Asia, Middle East and South America. She continues her work on the advisory boards of several NGOs.

Abstract

   With the increased awareness of diversity and the deepening of the need for an inclusive culture, the demand for English has also gained momentum. The history of English language teaching (ELT) is closely associated with the complex sequence of named “methods” within which it seemed one replaced the one before. What is little know is that a broader-based study with intrinsic linkages to scientific and technological advances such as complexity and artificial intelligence, as well as connections to the wider political, socio-cultural environment, could provide a more telling story of what had been, what is and what is likely to be. It will also provide us with invaluable clues to the durability and efficacy of “best practices” past, present and future.
   This paper argues that the success of each emergent “method” has less to “do with supposed intrinsic merits than with the degree to which they correspond with teachers’ and learners’ beliefs and abilities to use them optimally. The psychological notions of “growth mind-sets” and resilience has made deep inroads into the ELT field where learning follows the stages of willingness, excitement, discouragement and final balance. In each phase, learning is driven by the volume of input/output/feedback, constant and/or renewed motivation, the focus of learners, the reinforcement from social interactions, the consolidation by repetitive reviewing, and the commitment to long-term memory. The issue of shifting mind-sets is of current interest in ELT not just as support for post methods” preoccupations in the classroom today but also as state-of-the art research of the “new normal”.

   Peter I. De Costa is a Full Professor in the Department of Linguistics, Languages & Cultures and the Department of Teacher Education at Michigan State University. As a critical applied linguist, his research areas include emotions, identity, ideology and ethics in language learning, language teaching, and language policy. His ecologically- and social justice-oriented work looks at the intersection between second language acquisition (SLA), second language teacher education (SLTE), and language policy. He is the co-editor of TESOL Quarterly and the President Elect of the American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL).

Abstract

   In a neoliberal era marked by a global expansion of higher education, many Western based universities aggressively opened EMI satellite campuses in Asia and the Middle East. Inspired by profit and the need to chase the foreign tuition dollar, such expansionary efforts have met with different degrees of success. However, as world economic growth starts to recede and nationalist sentiments rise, we have witnessed a curtailing, and in some cases withdrawal, of these transnational endeavours. Adopting an ecological approach to better understand this educational phenomenon, I investigate how English monolingual biases and an emergent interest and pride in local languages within several countries that have hosted joint venture foreign campuses have been negotiated. Specifically, I explore the ways in which different social actors – students, faculty and administrators – engage in complex identity work that often results in individuals being sorted and sieved according to the various levels of capital that they possess. These actors’ strategic policy and pedagogical decisions will also be unpacked against mounting internal pressures by governments to raise the standards of local universities in the face of stiff global university ranking competition.

   Prof. Tariq Elyas is a Full Tenured Professor of Applied Linguistics at King Abdulaziz University-KAU (Saudi Arabia). He holds an MA in English Literature (USA) and a PhD in Applied Linguistics (Australia). Prof. Elyas was awarded the British Chevening Fellowship in International Law & Human Rights (UK) as well as a Post-Doctorate in Applied Linguistics from the British Commonwealth Council (UK). Prof. Elyas’s areas of interests include Global English, Teacher Identity, Policy Reform, Media Studies, and Women Studies in the Middle East.

Abstract

   In this talk, I will discuss how the notions of multilingualism are differentiated from translingualism and translingual literacies. First, I will shed some light on translanguaging pedagogy and existing pedagogical approaches that argue for the importance of valuing students’ familiar linguistic and cultural resources and sociocultural theories of ‘funds of knowledge’. Then, I will highlight translingual practices where we can shuttle across languages, communicate in hybrid languages and, thus, enjoy multilingual competence. These new pedagogical notions will, in turn encourage intellectual activities such as writing and finding a writer’s voice in multilingual settings.

   Xuesong (Andy) Gao is Professor of Language and Literacy Education at the School of Education, The University of New South Wales, Australia. His research interests include language learner autonomy, language education policy, and language teacher education. He edits International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching. He is also a member of the editorial teams for The Asia-Pacific Education Researcher and Teaching and Teacher Education.

Abstract

   In this presentation, I draw on the Douglas Fir Group Framework to develop a roadmap for English language teacher education in multilingual Asia. I will first elaborate the complexity of English language teaching before I discuss the implications that it has for English language teacher education. I argue that language teacher educators need to address the following challenges for English language teachers: (a) the deficit discourses about language learners, (b) integrating a broadened theorization of cognition in teaching, and (c) focusing on learner agency in teaching. Teacher educators also need to work with language teachers to reflect on why they teach Englishes, what kind of Englishes they teach, and how they teach Englishes. By doing so, language teacher educators not only enable English language teachers to support language learners’ efforts in developing semiotic resources to assert themselves, but we also help teachers to pursue social justice and equity when teaching in challenging contexts. To conclude my presentation, I refer to my recent research on language teacher agency to illustrate what language teachers’ professional development programs may focus on.

   Francisca Maria Ivone is an Associate Professor of Applied Linguistics at the Department of English, Universitas Negeri Malang, Indonesia. She serves on the boards of directors of the Indonesian Extensive Reading Association (IERA) and the Indonesia Technology-Enhanced Language Teaching (iTELL). She conducts and publishes research in the fields of ELT, Technology-Enhanced Language Learning, Computer-Assisted Language Learning, Extensive Listening and Viewing, Extensive Reading, learning autonomy, and collaborative learning.

Abstract

   Whether language teaching and learning are conducted face-to-face, online, or in a blended learning mode, ELT practitioners are always confronted with the fact that each individual in our language classroom has their own set of circumstances and limitations, particularly in terms of access to technology, internet connectivity, and support. ELT practitioners themselves are also markedly different from one another in regards to this. Depending on the situation and era, the digital divide among language learners and teachers has been addressed in a variety of ways. In this presentation, I will discuss the challenges of bridging the digital divide in Indonesia before, during, and after the recent online learning period, as well as the efforts made by language teachers, professional organisations, educational institutions, and the government to help minimise the impact of the digital divide. I will then discuss the current state of language learning in Indonesia and whether we have done our best to mitigate the effects of digital divide inequalities. I hope that the reflection will help us see how far we’ve come, what we’ve learned, and what needs to be done to make language teaching and learning more inclusive in Indonesia.

   Jihyeon Jeon is a professor at Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea. She has served as the president of AsiaTEFL for finance and publication (2017-2020). Her recent publications appear in the Journal of AsiaTEFL (2022), English for Specific Purposes (2021) and TESOL Encyclopedia of ELT (2018). Her recent talks include teacher communication from the perspectives of interpersonal communication.

Abstract

   There are moments that we feel our competence or experience are not helping us to function properly. Many of us may have experienced those difficult moments in our teaching; a sudden and involuntary switch to online communication during the Pandemic and moving back to face-to-face or hybrid communication after the peak of the COVID 19. These environmental changes sometimes feel threatful to us but the challenging moments at the same time are opening up an opportunity for us to observe the psychological processes, and possibly find ways to help us grow healthier in our dealings with frustrations and challenges.
   Why do teachers' competencies and experiences – which they have diligently kept up to date – not function properly under some challenging situations? How do teachers find their way out? What are the sources of the power for teachers to endure frustration, face challenges, overcome difficulties, and do their best teaching in difficult moments? Let’s focus on resilience, the power to overcome difficulties. We cannot discuss every single way we can prepare for diverse and unpredictable challenges that lie ahead. However, if teachers have a healthy psychological power and are capable of responding to challenges, we will be able to prepare for any unknown or known adversary or difficult situations.

   Jeongyeon Kim, Ph.D., received her doctoral degree in foreign language education at the University of Texas at Austin. Currently, she is professor in the School of Liberal Arts at UNIST, where she teaches courses on pragmatics and intercultural communication. As an educator and applied linguist, she conducts multi-disciplinary research on language policy and language socialization. Her areas of research interest also include technology-enhanced second language learning and teacher identity

Abstract

   Amid intensive global competition in higher education (HE) for more than a decade, HE institutions of many non-English-speaking societies were recently faced with additional challenges during the excruciating time from pandemic. As the institutions have gradually overcome the time, the landscape of EFL education in line with the internationalization of HE is now differently viewed in terms of the place of technology in education as well as the issues of increased intercultural sensitivity and efficient English-medium instruction. This presentation focuses on these issues and seeks to rethink how these can be embedded into the internationalized HE in the post-pandemic era. First, based on a study on intercultural communication via an online social platform between Korean EFL learners and U.S. college students, the effect of technology on intercultural sensitivity of the learners from a Korean university devoted to internationalization and English-medium instruction. The technology, which hosts either synchronous videoconference classes or asynchronous message boards, is also examined to shed light on the relationship between motivational orientations and participation in online EFL classes. The quantitative analysis of the survey data and the subsequent qualitative analysis of the interviews reveal that these different technological interventions are closely related with the HE context of EMI. The findings further highlight the need for balanced, diversified uses of technology in EFL education over the next decade-key insights for developing a sustainable EMI policy in a truly global HE campus.

   Ramesh Nair taught English in schools for several years before joining the Academy of Language Studies, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia. Ramesh served three terms as member of the English Language Standards and Quality Council, Ministry of Education Malaysia, and was actively involved in several key initiatives related to the national reform agenda for English language education. He currently serves as president of the Malaysian English Language Teaching Association, and vice-president in AsiaTEFL.

Abstract

   A workforce proficient in English is regarded as a key factor which makes Malaysia an attractive destination for foreign investment. Recognising this, the education system in the country positions English prominently alongside Malay, the national language. However, there have been on-going discussions in mainstream media about the declining standard of English for decades now. Much of the narratives end with calls to ensure that students leaving schools, and graduating from university, achieve the level of proficiency desired by employers. Understanding the reasons behind the declining standards, and the inherent challenges with language in education planning in Malaysia, requires an appreciation of the journey students take from pre-school right up to university. In this presentation, I first present a brief overview of this journey, before narrowing my focus to a recently introduced reform plan which has informed some significant changes in English language classroom practices. I draw attention to the challenges as well as opportunities which have emerged through the reform process in areas such as continuing professional development, teacher identity, curriculum design, and assessment practices.

   Masaki Oda is Executive Director of Higher Education at Tamagawa University and Academy, and Professor of Applied Linguistics at Tamagawa University in Tokyo, Japan. His primary research interests include socio-political aspects of language teaching, language program management, language education and mass media. He is currently the Vice President for membership in AsiaTEFL and the President of the Japan Association of College English Teachers.

   Pragasit Sitthitikul, Ph.D. is a full-time lecturer at the Language Institute, Thammasat University in Thailand. He earned a doctorate in Language and Literacy Studies, with a concentration in second-language reading processes, at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA. His areas of interest include Second Language Literacy, Cognitive and Sociocultural Factors in Second Language Learning, and Intercultural Issues in Second Language Learning.

Abstract

   This study aimed to investigate the effects of multiple intelligences-based instruction (MI-based instruction) on Thai students’ English achievement, and the perspectives of Thai university students. In this study, 123 participants were selected using the convenience sampling technique. They were divided into two groups: control and experimental. The English achievement test was used to assess their general English achievement, while the semi-structured interviews, and the researcher’ logs were used to explore students’ perspectives on MI-based instruction. The results showed that the experimental group improved their listening, speaking, reading, and grammar skills, while their writing skills did not differ from the control group. Moreover, these students demonstrated favorable attitudes toward the MI-based instruction.

   Dr. Aurelio Vilbar is a Professor at the College of Social Sciences, University of the Philippines Cebu where he serves as the Director of Ugnayan ng Pahinungod (Volunteerism). He is the Philippine Representative of the AsiaTEFL and officer of the Philippine Association for Language Teaching. With experience in higher and basic education, he has designed curriculum and published books and research on language with culture and technology, and sustainable development. He was a Visiting professor in Japan and was the Most Outstanding Professor in Public Service.

Abstract

   Service learning (SL) is a course-based activity conducted by students to address the community’s needs. Although SL is effective, there are challenges in its implementation and assessment. This paper presents case studies with my graduate students who volunteered as coaches in training public school teachers to conduct action research for their reading remedial programs. It used the IPARD Learning Design. In the Investigation Stage, we assessed the needs of the public school teachers in conducting remedial programs and research. In the Planning Stage, we developed the SL program in which my students coached the teachers online/in person. In the Action Stage, my students coached the teachers in conducting research and designing their reading materials. My students and teachers agreed to use sustainability texts on global warming, gender equality, and cultural diversity in the program to address environmental conservation and people empowerment. In the Demonstration Stage, the materials underwent validity, expert evaluation, and pilot testing. Findings from the survey, interviews, and focus-group discussion showed that (1) SL developed teachers’ confidence in conducting research. (2) Student-volunteers developed course content, personal growth, and public service. (3) The student-users' reading comprehension improved. This paper highlights the role of reciprocity and participatory design in SL.

   WEN Qiufang, Professor of applied linguistics, works as a full-time researcher at the National Research Center for Foreign Language Education affiliated to Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU). She has published more than 220 papers and 20 monographs, and has finished/is conducting more than 30 research projects. Currently she serves as chief-in-editor of Chinese Journal of Applied Linguistics (English) and Foreign Language Education in China (Chinese). Her research interests include foreign language education, EFL teacher development and national language capacity.

Abstract

   My talk consists of two parts. The first part will review the development of critical thinking (CT) as one of instructional objectives in EFL teaching in the Chinese context in the past four decades. The second part is my reflections on the progress as well as weaknesses in our CT instruction. Generally speaking, six stages can be identified concerning CT instruction: (1) initiators’ awareness starting from 1986; (2) researchers’ efforts from 2006; (3) textbook writers’ actions from 2009; (4) classroom teachers’ practice from 2010; (5) experts’ endeavors in setting CT as a teaching objective in guidelines for EFL education across different levels. At first glance it would appear that remarkable progress has been made in teaching CT in EFL education in China. However, there are two typical problems regarding teaching CT. The first is that CT is not well-integrated with English language teaching. The second is that CT alone is not sufficient for adults to become good thinkers, as CT is only one form of high-order thinking. Apart from CT as the basic form of high-order thinking, university students also need to cultivate other forms of high-order thinking such as dialectical thinking, systems thinking, creative thinking and strategic thinking.

Looking Forward: Directions of ELT Professionals and Organizations in the Future

Abstract

In celebration of the 20th anniversary of AsiaTEFL, this panel discussion aims at projecting the future of ELT. We provide ELT professionals and their organizations with some directions to meet their own needs and expectations from the world they face. To do this, we reflect on our career paths, growth and development as well as issues and resolutions. We then share the experiences, wisdom, and inspirations from our extensive years of teaching, research, professional network, leadership and service. Overall, we examine the evolving roles of teacher associations in a networked world and many other issues regarding our shared ELT goal: to build a better world for the future.

   Dr. Judy Yin is a professor of English Education at the Korea National University of Education in South Korea. Her research interests include collaborative teaching and learning, reflective practice, and teacher professional development. Serving as the secretary general for Asia TEFL and KEES (Korea English Education Society) and the Program Chair for SIG (Special Interest Group) workshop at KATE (Korea Association of Teachers of English), she actively participates in various TEFL conferences and workshops.

   Dr. Deborah Healey was the 2019-2020 President of the Board of Directors of TESOL International Association. An online and face-to-face teacher educator, she writes and presents extensively internationally (Africa, Asia, Latin America, Europe, US) on appropriate use of technology in language teaching.
Her doctorate is in Computers in Education, and her website with resources and more information is at https://www.deborahhealey.com.

   Dr. Kyungsook Yeum has served as the Director of SMU TESOL and the faculty of Sookmyung Women’s University for over 20 years. Her TESOL leadership became more robust with her service on the TESOL Board of Directors, TESOL International Association, USA (2015-2018). She also led professional associations as the President of Korea TESOL (2004-5) and Vice President of The Korean Association of English Education (KATE) and The Applied Linguistics Association of Korea (ALAK), among others. Email: yeum@sookmyung.ac.kr

   Dr. Suwarsih Madya retired as a professor of EFL teacher educator in August 2022. With a range of experiences in international cooperation through several structural positions and national/international professional organizations, she now views language teaching from multi-perspectives considering its potential to contribute to international cooperation/collaboration, character education, and identity formation. Sensing the rising global-local tension in student identify formation, she would recommend that translanguaging be applied as an EFL teaching approach to contribute to the glocal identity formation. Currently, she is president of AsiaTEFL (2022-2024).

   Dr. Joo-Kyung Park is a professor in the Department of English Language at Honam University, Gwangju, South Korea. She was the president of Korea TESOL (1996–1997) and the Applied Linguistics Association of Korea (ALAK; 2015–2016). She has also served as the journal editor-in-chief for Korea TESOL and Global English Teachers’ Association, and as an editorial board member of numerous Korean and overseas journals. Currently, she is president of AsiaTEFL (2022-2024). Email: english58@hanmail.net

Decentering ELT

   WEN Qiufang, Professor of applied linguistics, works as a full-time researcher at the National Research Center for Foreign Language Education affiliated to Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU). She has published more than 220 papers and 20 monographs, and has finished/is conducting more than 30 research projects. Currently she serves as chief-in-editor of Chinese Journal of Applied Linguistics (English) and Foreign Language Education in China (Chinese). Her research interests include foreign language education, EFL teacher development and national language capacity.

   Professor Dr Fauzia Shamim currently works as the Chief Academic Officer for Durbeen, an NGO committed to improving teacher quality in Pakistan. She is a former founding dean of the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences at Ziauddin University, Karachi, Pakistan. Dr Shamim has also worked in leadership positions in several other public and private sector universities in Pakistan and internationally. These include: The Aga Khan University’s Institute of Educational Development, University of Karachi, Institute of Business Management, and Taibah University, KSA. She is a founder member and Vice President of the Society of Pakistan English Language Teachers (SPELT) and was Chair of TESOL International’s Research Professional Council, USA (2018-19). She is also Asia TEFL’s representative for Pakistan since 2019.

Dr Shamim is a regular presenter at national and international conferences. Her publications include two co- edited books titled ‘Teaching English in Difficult Circumstances’ (Palgrave/McMillan), and ‘Perils, Pitfalls and Reflexivity in Qualitative Research in Education’ (OUP). Her current research interests include teacher development and Language-in-Education Policy, particularly the role of English as Medium of Instruction in equity and social justice in education.

Email Address: fauzia@durbeen.pk

Abstract

   Pakistan is a multilingual country with over 70 languages. Urdu is the national language of Pakistan, while English is used as the official language, and as the medium of instruction in higher education in Pakistan. However, as there is social stratification of schools in Pakistan, closely linked to the language of instruction in different school types, learners enter a higher education institution with varying degrees of proficiency in both Urdu and English. This case study was undertaken to investigate the institutional language policy in a public-sector teacher education institution adopted by an NGO under the government’s public-private partnership scheme in Pakistan. Data was collected through six semi-structured faculty interviews and two focus group discussions with years 3 and 4 students in the focal program. Additionally, documents such as course books, learning materials, assessment briefs and students’ work samples were collected and reviewed. Findings revealed that while the assessments and course materials are in English, teachers use translanguaging in the classroom to facilitate student learning. More important, student teachers are given complete autonomy to use either English and/or Urdu in the classroom. This helps in developing student teachers’ content knowledge, cognitive skills, creativity and critical thinking. However, there are few opportunities in the program to develop their English language skills. This raises an important question for the faculty and senior administration of this program: Are the students being disadvantaged through this LOI policy and related classroom practices, as English in Pakistan is linked to social and cultural capital and may therefore serve as a gatekeeper, opening and closing doors to future opportunities for the student teachers’ personal and professional growth after their exit from the program?

The audience will be invited to reflect on this question and share their experiences of dealing with this dilemma in their specific educational settings/countries.

   Kiwan Sung is Professor at Kyung Hee University in Korea and was co-editor for AsiaTEFL Book Series and former president of the Korea Association of Multimedia-assisted Language Learning. He co-edited Secondary School English Education in Asia: From Policy to Practice (2015) and has published various books and articles on teaching methodologies, World Englishes, language skills areas, critical theory and pedagogy, etc.

Abstract

   Despite many calls for exposing EFL learners to diverse linguacultures (e.g., Canagarajah, 2013; Kachru, 1985; Jenkins, 2009; Seidlhofer, 2001; Park & Jang, 2018; Pennycook, 2020; Sung, 2018, 2019), there are some reservations in including ELF and WE in ELT in Korea. For example, the 2022 Revised National English Curriculum (MOE, 2022) upholds a decontextualized view of English as a most widely used tool for international communication and fails to discard myths of standard English and native speakerism. Accordingly, this session shares advocates’ and opponents’ views on Teaching ELF and WE based on previous studies and the speaker’s engagements in curricular revision work and dialogical talks to ELT professionals. Then, key suggestions are made to rupture the status of quo in the current ELT by adapting EFL and WE perspectives in post-/non-colonial contexts where Korean English teachers and learners play the role of change agents in their classrooms and in superdiverse, translingual/cultural world.

   Le Van Canh has earned his Master’s Degree in TESOL from Saint Michael’s College (USA) and Doctoral Degree in Applied Linguistics from the University of Waikato (New Zealand). Prior to his recent retirement, he had worked for Vietnam National University, Hanoi as an English Language teacher, teacher educator and researcher for more than 40 years. His research on ELT and teacher education in Vietnam has been published in international journals and by international publishers. In addition, he is a frequently invited speaker at international conferences organized within Vietnam and beyond. Currently, he is working as an independent researcher and consultant in ELT and Applied Linguistics. Email: levancanhvnu@gmail.com

Abstract

   My main argument in this presentation is decentering is not about discrediting ELT expertise from the center but recontextualizing that expertise to make teaching more responsive to the contextual demands and the centred expertise. One of the approaches to decentering ELT in Asia and beyond is reflective practice.

In this presentation I showcase a course of professional development for Vietnamese EFL teachers as a component of a graduate programme in which reflective practice is integrated in the regular English-Language-Teaching Methodology. The course was designed and delivered by myself. The two-fold goal of the course is updating teachers’ professional knowledge with the new insights from the field and developing their capacity to question the authority of the ELT-related theories developed from the center, thereby becoming more competent in developing contextually situated knowledge of tecahing. Data from teacher participants’ narratives shows that reflective practice, in spite of its limitations, can be an effective pathway to decentering ELT.

   Paul McBride is a Professor and Director at the Center for English as a Lingua Franca (CELF) at Tamagawa University in Tokyo. He is interested in pedagogical implications of ELF, including how language, literacy, meaning, and knowledge are related to structural power within academic institutions. He is a member of the Asia TEFL ELF Research Network. Email: paulmcb64@lit.tamagawa.ac.jp

Abstract

   English is a widely shared linguistic resource, shaped by the people of diverse linguacultural backgrounds who use it. To allow any nation guardianship over English is to hinder its development and therefore to erode its international status (Widdowson 1994). Acknowledging the scope of English beyond pre-established codes and conventions, English as a lingua franca (ELF) researchers investigate language function according to local and context-specific requirements, without placing particular emphasis on language forms of communities using English as a first language. In Japan, as knowledge of ELF research grows, teachers of English are increasingly aware of measures they might take to shift from traditional centers of ideological and pedagogical emphasis. Such measures include taking heterogeneity into account, thinking critically about one-size-fits-all teaching approaches, and emphasizing learning objectives associated with learning processes and the communicative needs of most users of the language rather than objectives reflecting adherence to specific linguistic forms and sociocultural norms. Accordingly, the presenter will examine prevalent and often uncritically accepted ‘normalizing’ worldviews in English language teaching and suggest that teachers consider a shift towards facilitating meaning making, prioritizing objectives associated with intelligibility, and emphasizing linguistic accommodation and adaptation.

   Asst. Prof. Dr. Sornchai Mungthaisong, President of Chiang Rai Rajabhat University, Chiang Rai, Thailand, holds Ph.D. in linguistics from Adelaide University, Australia. He also serves as Chair of International Strategic Collaboration Consortium Committee of Rajabhat Universities Network, Chair of Rajabhat University President Council of Northern Region, and Director of TASSHA-Thailand Academy of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts under Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI).

Abstract

   Translanguaging refers to the practice of the speakers (teachers and learners) using all the languages they know for interaction, for example, in the situation where teacher interacts with learners in the classroom. Translanguaging is a strategy that bilingual people use for meaning making, knowledge gaining, and sense making of their bilingual words through the daily use of two languages (Garcia, 2009 cited in Kampittayakul, 2018). The EFL classroom in Thailand could utilize and maximize a translingual environment in that translanguaging is perceived as authentic rather than deviant practice of the classroom community so teachers can adopt this practice as instructional strategy to promote and empower interactional competence of learners in their foreign language classroom. (195 Words)