Editorial
This text refers to two articles published in HLT: Let’s Think Back Again’: Whose Culture to Teach?’ by Ayse Tan and ‘The Awareness and Preferences of EFL Students on their Perceptual Learning Styles’ by Renan Saylag

On Two Articles Published in December 2011 Issue of HLT

Anca-Mariana Pegulescu, Romania

E-mail: anca.pegulescu@medu.edu.ro

Both articles are short ones ( the latter being longer and better organized than the former). They introduce, however different attitudes and different points of view. If the first mentioned (I) develops arguments about English as a Lingua Franca (EFL)- in recent studies known as English as an International Language (EIL), the second mentioned article (II) focuses on a very much debated topic: what learning styles our students have.

Ayse Tan seems to be very much convinced that students who learn English as a modern language do not need native speakers as teachers of English. There are here opinions I cannot agree with. I cannot confirm that ‘English today is spoken anywhere, anytime and by anybody’ because it is not true (I travelled in a far oriental country where receptionists at the hotel barely understood English words and were not able to produce sentences in English). Another argument I cannot agree with is that English could be owned. Even an official language of a certain country is not owned by the people of that country. A language is uttered and used but it is nor owned. The example given through that idiomatic example – keep the wolf at bay – is more a counterexample because teaching idioms does not mean that the modern language that is taught through such examples might not be understood or wrongly understood. On the contrary, in such a way, students can judge by themselves the differences and similarities between two linguistic systems and cultures. It is very true, on the other hand that in ELF interactions ‘intelligibility is becoming norm’ or in other words what really counts is how the message is understood. Native-speakers as teachers of languages are needed for many other reasons than teaching ‘target culture’. Accent and pronunciation are needed for students teachers of languages who can take native- speakers as linguistic models. I agree with the idea that syllabi have to incorporate the diversity which combines language and culture.

Renan Saylag succeeded in convincing me through the well organized content of the article (II) that knowing as much as possible about students’ different styles, is really necessary. More than that, the drawn conclusions and recommendations made me think about a possible learning styles inventory (at least at the school level). Such an inventory might help not only teachers but also evaluators, test designers, textbooks writers. Language teachers can be better guided when writing their lesson plans and responding to the students’ learning needs.

Please check the British Life, Language and Culture course at Pilgrims website.
Please check the Special Needs and Inclusive Learning course at Pilgrims website.
Please check the Dealing with Difficult Learners course at Pilgrims website.