Developmental Shifts in ELF Perceptions: How Teaching Experience Shapes Thai Pre-service and In-service Teachers' Readiness for ELF-Informed Pedagogy
(in progress)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62819/jel.2026.1924Keywords:
English as a lingua franca, teaching experience, teacher perceptions, teacher training, English in ThailandAbstract
This study investigates how teaching experience influences Thai pre-service and in-service teachers' ELF perceptions and examines their perspectives on incorporating ELF-informed approaches into classroom practice. Using an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design, 92 participants from the same ELT teacher education program were recruited across three groups: junior pre-service teachers (n = 30), senior pre-service teachers (n = 36), and in-service teachers (n = 26). A questionnaire adapted from Curran and Chern (2017) measured perceptions across four ELF-related dimensions, supplemented by focus-group interviews with 15 volunteers (five per group). ANOVA results indicated that teaching experience significantly influenced views on language models and intercultural competence, with in-service teachers showing less attachment to native-speaker norms and greater prioritization of communicative effectiveness. Qualitatively, a developmental progression emerged. Junior pre-service teachers expressed uncertainty about ELF, senior pre-service teachers showed growing pedagogical awareness, and in-service teachers offered more critical, experience-informed perspectives. All groups endorsed bilingual practices, particularly L1 use to support comprehension. These findings underscore the centrality of experiential learning in developing ELF awareness and call for stage-specific, scaffolded ELF integration within teacher education programs, with implications for curriculum reform and professional development in expanding-circle contexts.
References
Ambele, E.A. (2022). Thai English? Non-Thai English lecturers ‘perceptions of Thai English and world Englishes. LEARN Journal: Language Education and Acquisition Research Network, 15(2), 724-750.
Ambele, E. A., & Boonsuk, Y. (2021). Voices of learners in Thai ELT classrooms: A wake up call towards teaching English as a lingua franca. Asian Englishes, 23(2), 201-217. https://doi.org/10.1080/13488678.2020.1759248 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13488678.2020.1759248
Baker, W. (2012). English as a lingua franca in Thailand: Characterisations and implications. Englishes in Practice, 1(1), 18-27.
Boonsuk, Y., & Ambele, E. A. (2021). Towards integrating lingua franca in Thai EFL: Insights from Thai tertiary learners. International Journal of Instruction, 14(3), 17-38. DOI: https://doi.org/10.29333/iji.2021.1432a
Boonsuk, Y., Wasoh, F., & Ambele, E. A. (2024). Global Englishes pedagogical activities for English-as-a-foreign-language settings and beyond: Understanding Thai teachers' practices. RELC Journal, 55(2), 379-393. https://doi.org/10.1177/00336882221112193 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/00336882221112193
Bayyurt, Y. (2006). Non‐native English language teachers’ perspective on culture in English as a foreign language classrooms. Teacher Development, 10(2), 233-247. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13664530600773366
Bayyurt, Y., & Sifakis, N. C. (2017). Foundations of an EIL-aware teacher education. In A. Matsuda (Ed.), Preparing teachers to teach English as an international language (pp. 3-18). Multilingual Matters. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/jj.22730695.5
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77-101. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
Canagarajah, A. S. (2006). Changing communicative needs, revised assessment objectives: Testing English as an international language. Language Assessment Quarterly, 3(3), 229-242. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1207/s15434311laq0303_1
Chanwaiwit, P., & Kantisa, P. (2022). Thai teachers' attitudes towards English as a lingua franca: A longitudinal study. ELT Echo: The Journal of English Language Teaching in Foreign Language Context, 7(2), 119-135. DOI: https://doi.org/10.24235/eltecho.v7i2.11662
Cogo, A. (2012). ELF and super-diversity: A case study of ELF multilingual practices from a business context. Journal of English as a Lingua Franca, 1(2), 287-313. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/jelf-2012-0020
Cogo, A., & Dewey, M. (2012). Analysing English as a lingua franca: A corpus-driven investigation. Continuum.
Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. Sage publications.
Crystal, D. (2003). English as a global language (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press.
Curran, J. E., & Chern, C. L. (2017). Pre-service English teachers' attitudes towards English as a lingua franca. Teaching and Teacher Education, 66, 137-146. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2017.04.007
Dewey, M. (2012). Towards a post-normative approach: Learning the pedagogy of ELF. Journal of English as a Lingua Franca, 1(1), 141-170. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/jelf-2012-0007
Forman, R. (2005). Teaching EFL in Thailand: A bilingual study. PhD thesis, University of Technology Sydney.
Galloway, N., & Rose, H. (2018). Incorporating global Englishes into the ELT classroom. ELT Journal, 72(1), 3-14. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/elt/ccx010
George, D., & Mallery, P. (2003). SPSS for Windows step by step: A simple guide and reference. 11.0 update (4th ed.), Allyn & Bacon.
Graddol, D. (2006). English Next. Plymouth: British Council.
Hayes, D. (2009). Non-native English-speaking teachers, context and English language teaching. System, 37(1), 1-11. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2008.06.001
Holliday, A. (2006). Native-speakerism. ELT journal, 60(4), 385-387. https://doi.org/10.1093/elt/ccl030 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/elt/ccl030
Hynninen, N. (2014). The common European framework of reference from the perspective of English as a lingua franca: What we can learn from research on ELF academic writing. Journal of English as a Lingua Franca, 3(2), 293-316. https://doi.org/10.1515/jelf-2014-0018 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/jelf-2014-0018
Jenkins, J. (2000). The phonology of English as an international language. Oxford University Press.
Jenkins, J. (2006). The spread of EIL: A testing time for testers. ELT Journal, 60(1), 42-50. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/elt/cci080
Jenkins, J. (2007). English as a lingua franca: Attitude and identity. Oxford University Press.
Jenkins, J. (2015). Repositioning English and multilingualism in English as a lingua franca. Englishes in Practice, 2(3), 49-85. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/eip-2015-0003
Jeong, H., Sánchez Ruiz, R., & Wilhelmsson, G. (2022). Spanish and Swedish pre-service teachers’ ELF user attitudes towards English and its users. Changing English, 29(2), 189-201. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/1358684X.2021.2022976
Kachru, B.B. (1990), World Englishes and applied linguistics. World Englishes, 9, 3-20. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-971X.1990.tb00683.x DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-971X.1990.tb00683.x
Kanoksilapatham, B. (2014). Thai university students’ voices heard: Aspired pronunciation model. Journal of Studies in the English Language, 8, 124-153.
Karakas, A. (2021). Enhancing global Englishes awareness among pre-service language teachers through audio/video-based resources. In A. F. Selvi & B. Yazan (Eds.), Language teacher education for global Englishes (pp. 20-26). Routledge. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003082712-4
Kirkpatrick, A. (2010). English as a lingua franca in ASEAN: A multilingual model. Hong Kong University Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5790/hongkong/9789888028795.001.0001
Llurda, E. (2009). Attitudes towards English as an international language: The pervasiveness of native models among L2 users and teachers. In F. Sharifian (Ed.), English as an international language: Perspectives and pedagogical issues (pp. 119-134). Multilingual Matters. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21832/9781847691231-009
Lopriore, L. (2024). Language education in plurilingual contexts: Challenges and perspectives within an ELF-aware approach. Research Papers in Language Teaching & Learning, 14(1), 50-65.
Matsuda, A. (2012). Teaching materials in EIL. In L. Alsagoff, S. L. McKay, G. Hu, & W. A. Renandya (Eds.), Principles and practices for teaching English as an international language (pp. 168-185). Routledge.
Nowell, L. S., Norris, J. M., White, D. E., & Moules, N. J. (2017). Thematic analysis: Striving to meet the trustworthiness criteria. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 16(1). https://doi.org/10.1177/1609406917733847 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1609406917733847
O’Connor, C., & Joffe, H. (2020). Intercoder reliability in qualitative research: Debates and practical guidelines. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 19. https://doi.org/10.1177/1609406919899220 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1609406919899220
Rajprasit, K. (2021). 'Do as WE do': Teaching world Englishes in a general English course to Thai students. RELC Journal, 54(1), 291-299. https://doi.org/10.1177/00336882211011276 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/00336882211011276
Rose, H., & Galloway, N. (2019). Global Englishes for language teaching. Cambridge University Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781316678343
R Core Team. (2024). R: A Language and Environment for Statistical Computing. Vienna, Austria: R Foundation for Statistical Computing. https://www.R-project.org/.
Seidlhofer, B. (2004). 10. Research perspectives on teaching English as a lingua franca. Annual review of applied linguistics, 24, 209-239. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0267190504000145
Seidlhofer, B. (2011). Understanding English as a lingua franca. Oxford University Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/9781405198431.wbeal0243
Si, J. (2019). English as a lingua franca: A new approach for English language teaching in China? Chinese Journal of Applied Linguistics, 42(1), 113-135. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/CJAL-2019-0007
Sifakis, N. C. (2007). The education of teachers of English as a lingua franca: A transformative perspective. International Journal of Applied Linguistics, 17(3), 355-375. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1473-4192.2007.00174.x
Sifakis, N. C., & Bayyurt, Y. (2017). ELF-aware teaching, learning and teacher development. In J. Jenkins, M. Dewey, & W. Baker (Eds.), The Routledge handbook of English as a lingua franca (pp. 456-467). Routledge. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315717173-37
Sung, C. C. M. (2018). Out-of-class communication and awareness of English as a lingua franca. ELT Journal, 72(1), 15–25. https://doi.org/10.1093/elt/ccx024 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/elt/ccx024
Thao, T. Q., Phuong, N. L., & Tham, D. M. (2022). Vietnamese teachers' attitudes toward English as a lingua franca (ELF) and classroom EFL teaching practices. VNU Journal of Science: Education Research, 38(4), 90-102. DOI: https://doi.org/10.25073/2588-1159/vnuer.4641
Wang, Y. (2013). Non-conformity to ENL norms: A perspective from Chinese English users. Journal of English as a Lingua Franca, 2(2), 255-282. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/jelf-2013-0015
Wangdi, T., & Dhendup, S. (2024). Exploring Bhutanese English teachers' attitudes toward English as a lingua franca in Bhutan. Issues in Educational Research, 34(1), 359-377.
Wongsothorn, A., Hiranburana, K., & Chinnawongs, S. (2002). English language teaching in Thailand today. Asia Pacific Journal of Education, 22(2), 107-116. https://doi.org/10.1080/0218879020220210 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/0218879020220210
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
