Teach English in Hangu Zhen - Chongqing

English as a Global LanguageThe globalization of the English language is an unprecedented phenomenon fueled by the recent boom in technological advances spanning the last couple decades. Never before has it been so easy to get in contact with just about anyone no matter where it is they live in the world. It is said that technology speeds everything up, and for the spreading of the English language, that is most certainly true. In some professions, such as telemarketing jobs, English used to be a skill that could put a job seeker over the top in the eyes of the employer. These days, English fluency is not only a valuable asset, but a necessity to acquire such a job (Power, 2005). The growing demand for the English language in the international business sector has in turn created a high demand for resources to learn the language, and at earlier and earlier ages. Due to this rise in English being learned as a second language, it has become the first language in which there are more non-native speakers than native speakers. As of 2005, non-native speakers outnumbered native english speakers 3 to 1. In addition, it was predicted that within a decade about 3 billion people worldwide will use the English language, and 2 billion people will be studying it. To put things into perspective, china currently has roughly the same number of English users as does the united states, Canada, and Great Britain combined (Power, 2005). For native speakers of the English language, these facts and figures can be a bit alarming. While native english speakers would surely enjoy the benefits of traveling to and doing business with different countries without a language barrier, there are some potential drawbacks from the rapid globalization of the English language. A language is not a group of rules and customs set in stone, but instead is constantly evolving. Because there are more non-native speakers than native speakers, English is starting to evolve in a way that leaves the native-speaking dialects in the minority. It is becoming more common in different countries to teach English in a way that is more similar to their native language rather than in the way it is used in the United States or england. For example, in countries where students struggle to make the ?th? sound such as in the word ?think?, teachers are allowing students to say ?tink? or ?sink? rather than spending time working on the phonetics of the language. The fear is, from the native English perspective, that if this becomes more widely practiced, their form of English will become outnumbered and in turn they might need to learn an international form of English to communicate and do business with people worldwide. Another possibility is that a range of English dialects could result for different situations. It is possible that in the future, people might speak one form of English at home, a different form of English at school, and a third form of English when communicating internationally. (Power, 2005) On the other end of the spectrum, the globalization of the English language can be a tough pill to swallow for non-native countries. One of the major issues created by the idea of a global language is the loss of identity this would cause in many societies. For centuries language and culture have been delicately intertwined to the point that the loss of a language could mean the loss of that nation?s individuality. To further progress the globalization of the English language, it might make sense to let each country create their own individual dialect based on the natural tendencies created by their native language. Although this is already happening at the local levels, perhaps it could also be a strategy used by teachers that arrive through a TEFL program. For some cases it will depend on what the students plan to use the language for. If they are learning English for a local job, then it could work to let each region develop their own dialect. If they are learning English to study in the United States, then it might make more sense for them to learn a strict American dialect. Over time, teaching methods might be altered to compensate for the changing landscape of the English language, but at this current point in time, the classroom will probably look relatively unchanged. English classes taught by locals of the area will probably continue to propel their regional dialect, whereas teachers brought in from native speaking countries will teach based on the English that is taught in their homeland. No matter what happens, the English language is going to continue growing and evolving, and it will be interesting to see what kind of English we are all speaking in 20 or 30 years. Power, Carla. ?Not the Queen?s English; Non-native English-speakers Now Outnumber Native Ones 3 to 1. And It?s Changing the Way We Communicate.? Newsweek International 7 Mar. 2005.