EFL Teachers’ Attitudes Towards a Glocalized Approach: An International, Mixed-Methods Study
Main Article Content
Keywords
EFL teaching, glocalization, post-method approach, language and culture
Abstract
Glocalization is the practice of combining global and local approaches. In English language teaching, it involves adapting materials to reflect the students’ local environment while still equipping them with intercultural communication skills. Nevertheless, it is a phenomenon that teachers are unfamiliar with in many parts of the world. Guided by glocalization research, this study aims to study the teaching practices of university instructors of English as a foreign language (EFL) in Yemen, Algeria, and France, as well as their attitudes towards glocalization. A mixed-methods approach was adopted, including both a questionnaire addressed to 78 teachers and interviews with a select group of 21 EFL professors and instructors working in the three countries, to understand and analyze their use of a glocalized approach for teaching EFL. The results revealed that EFL teachers in all three countries recognized the importance of applying a glocalized approach in their classrooms and used a variety of strategies, technologies, and materials to implement it. Finally, the study found no significant differences in the attitudes of EFL teachers in Yemen, Algeria, and France towards adopting glocalized approaches. Still, some noticeable differences can be observed, particularly in how teachers in the different countries glocalized their classrooms. French participants, for example, focused on the types of documents studied in class and how they were selected, while the Algerian and Yemeni participants focused their comments on their general strategies. This study highlights the awareness of EFL teachers of the importance of including local values while teaching a foreign language to their students.
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References
Ahmadian, M. & Rad, S. E. (2014). Postmethod era and glocalized language curriculum development: A fresh burden on language teachers. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 5(3), 592-598. https.doi.org/10.4304/jltr.5.3.592-598.
Alpetkin, C. & Alpetkin, M. (1984). The question of culture: The teaching of English in non English speaking countries. ELT Journal, 38(1), 14-20. https://doi.org/10.1093/elt/38.1.14.
Anderson, F.E. (2013). Glocalization, English, and education in languages of lesser power. Bulletin of the Institute of Oriental and Occidental Studies, Kansai University, 46, 35-48.
Assad, H.Q.M. (2019). Idea sharing: Analyzing the principles & techniques of English language teaching emphasized in the Crescent English Course for Yemen. PASAA: Journal of Language Teaching and Learning in Thailand, 57, 191-208.
Bax, A. R. (1994). The problem of culture and English language teaching in Europe. IRAL: International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching, 32(1), 57.
Beacco, J. (2010). La didactique de la grammaire dans l’enseignement du français et des langues. Paris, France: Les Éditions Didier.
Chen J. (2022). Between the foreground and the background lies the middle ground: Painting a harmonious early childhood curriculum landscape. ECNU Review of Education, 5(2), 328–337.
Chen, J. (2023). Neoliberalism and neocolonialism in the mix: Evidence of glocalization in the globalization–localization dynamics of early childhood practices in Hong Kong. Policy Futures in Education. https://doi.org/10.1177/14782103231171977.
Cheng, Y.C. (2004). Fostering local knowledge and human development in globalization of education. International Journal of Educational Management, 18(1), 7-24.
DeCuir-Gunby, J., Marshall, P. & McCulloch, A. (2011). Developing and using a codebook for the analysis of interview data: An example from a professional development research project. Field Methods 23(2), 136-155.
Dwi Lusianov, J. (2020). Post-method era and glocalization in language teaching and learning. Advances in Social Sciences, Education and Humanities Research, 509, 360-366.
Eslami, Z. R. (2010). Teachers’ voice vs. students’ voice: A needs analysis approach to English for academic purposes (EAP) in Iran. English Language Teaching, 3(1), 3-11.
Feng, F. (2018). Glocalization, English as a lingua franca, and ELT: Reconceptualizing identity and models for ELT in China. In Yazan, B. & N. Rudolph (Eds). Criticality, Teacher Identity, and (In)equity in English Language Teaching (pp. 23-40). Springer Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-72920-6_2.
Frame, A. (2006). Les Français, mauvais élèves de la classe de langue? De la communication pour sortir du mythe. In Cahiers de l’APLIUT, 25(1), 91-107. Retrieved from http://apliut.revues.org/3221.
Friend, L., Mills, K.A. & Lingard, B. (2023). Globalisation, cultural knowledges, and sociomateriality in Middle Eastern education: how the global and local influence classroom practices. Globalisation, Societies and Education, 21(1), 66-77. https://doi.org/10.1080/14767724.2021.2016376.
Goforth, C. (2015). Using and interpreting Cronbach’s Alpha. Retrieved from https://data.library.virginia.edu/using-and-interpreting-cronbachs-alpha/.
Guilloteaux, M. J., & Dörnyei, Z. (2008). Motivating language learners: A classroom- oriented investigation of the effects of motivational strategies on student motivation. TESOL Quarterly, 42(1), 55-77.
Hauerwas, L. B., Kerkhoff, S.N., & Schneider, S.B. (2021). Glocality, reflexivity, interculturality, and worldmaking: A framework for critical global teaching. Journal of Research in Childhood Education, 35(2), 185-199. https://doi.org/10.1080/02568543.2021.1900714.
He, D. & Li, D.C.S. (2023). Glocalizing ELT reform in China: A perspective from the use of English in the workplace. RELC Journal, 54(1), 149-165. https://doi.org/10.1177/00336882211018499.
Hollier, D. (2018). Are we finished yet? Teacher preparation and the rise of ‘glocalization.’ Journal of Education, 198(2), 127-135. https://doi.org/10.1177/002205741880742 .
Hsieh, C.-N. (2009). L2 learners’ self-appraisal of motivational changes over time. Issues in Applied Linguistics, 17, 3-26.
Huang, Z., Wang, T. & Li, X. (2016). The political dynamics of educational changes in China. Policy Futures in Education, 14(1), 24-41. https://doi.org/10.1177/1478210315612644.
Imerzoukene, I. (2023). At the crossroads of integrating English in primary schools: Parents’ attitudes, challenges and impacts. Language Practices, 14(2), 344-363.
Jensen, C. & Thogersen, J. (2011). Danish university lecturers’ attitudes towards English as the medium of instruction. Ibérica, 22, 13-34.
Kettaneh, H. & Hanford, V. (2019). The promising practices of glocalization in Canadian higher education. International Journal of Humanities and Education, 5(10), 10-38.
Lai, H. T. (2013). The motivation of learners of English as a foreign language revisited. International Education Studies, 6(10), 90-101.
Lin, A., Wang, W., Akamatsu, N., & Riazi, M. (2005). Transnational TESOL professionals and teaching English for glocalized communication. In A.S. Canagarajah (Ed), Negotiating the Global and the Local in Language Policy Practice (pp. 197-222). Mahwah, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Mahmoud, M. M. A. (2015). Culture and English Language Teaching in the Arab World. Adult Learning, 26(2), 66-72. https://doi.org/10.1177/1045159515573020.
Oanh, D. (2012). Global vs. Glocal English: Attitudes and conceptions among educators, administrators, and teachers in eight Asian countries. In A. Kirkpatrick Rolland Sussex (Ed.), English as an International Language in Asia: Implications for Language Education. New York, NY: Spring Publishing.
Patel, F. (2017). Deconstructing internationalization: Advocating glocalization in international higher education. Journal of International and Global Studies, 8(2), 64-82.
Patel, F. & Lynch, H. (2013). Glocalization as an alternative to internationalization in higher education: Embedding positive glocal learning objectives. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 25(2), 223-230.
Pawan, F. & Pu, H. (2019). Methods as interpretation and glocalization, not application: Water far away will not put our nearby fires. The Electronic Journal for English as a Second Language, 22(4).
Pawlak, M. (2012). The dynamic nature of motivation in language learning: A classroom perspective. Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching 2, 249–278.
Poppi, F. (2012). ELF and corporate identity: A case study focusing on companies’ websites. In Ludbrook, G. & Newbold, D. (Eds), English Lingua Franca: Contexts, Strategies and International Relations (pp.41-52). Venice, Italy: Cafoscarina.
Robertson, R. (1995). Glocalization: Time-space and homogeneity-heterogeneity. In Featherstone,M., S. Lash, & R. Robertson (Eds.), Global Modernities (pp. 25-44). London: Sage.
Ryan, R. & Deci, E. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. The American Psychologist, 55, 68-78.
Salih, A. & Omar, L. (2022). An investigation of teachers’ perceptions and practices of interculturality in ELT. International Journal of Society, Culture & Language, 10(2), 50-63. https://doi.org/10.22034/ijscl.2022.556618.2680.
Salih, A. & Omar, L. (2023). Reflective glimpses of culture in EFL online classes during COVID-19 pandemic in Oman. Sustainability, 15(9889). https://doi.org/10.3390/su15139889.
Salimi, E.A. & Safarzadeh, M.M. (2018). A model and questionnaire of language education glocalization in Iran. International Journal of Instruction, 12(1), 1639-1652.
Schug, D. (2019). English courses across disciplines: A question of motivation, (Unpublished doctoral thesis). Université de Paris VIII and Università Ca’ Foscari Venezia.
Schug, D. & Simon K. (2023). Analyzing the impact of e-tandems on students’ experiences with foreign language anxiety. Dans Fekete, A., K. Farkas, K. Simon, & R. Lugossy (Eds), UPRT: Empirical Studies in English Applied Linguistics (pp. 90-112). Lingua Franca Csoport.
Setzler, F. (2013). Tailoring business ESL classes to suit student needs. In Proceedings of the 3rd Conference on Foreign Language Learning and Teaching (pp. 523-536). Thammasat University.
Shi, X. (2013). The Glocalization of English: A Chinese Case Study. Journal of Developing Societies, 29(2), 89–122. https://doi.org/10.1177/0169796X13480442.
Shin, H. (2007). English language teaching in Korea: Toward globalization or glocalization? In Cummins, J. & C. Davison (Eds), International Handbook of English Language Teaching (pp.75-86). New York, NY: Springer Science+Business Media.
Suci, D.N. & Puspitasari, I.N.N. (2017). The insights of glocalization in Islamic primary education. Madrasah: Jurnal Pendidikan dan Pembelajaran Dasar, 9(2), 169-180.
Tien, C.Y. & Talley, P.C. (2012). “Think globally, act locally”: ‘Glocalization in Taiwanese higher education. International Journal of Business and Social Sciences, 3(15), 124-130.
Wahyudi, R. (2014). “Democratic” online courses as “glocalized communication” in English language teaching and applied linguistics: A proposal. Journal of Global Literacies, Technologies, and Emerging Pedagogies, 2(3), 248-260.
Wang, J. (2011). Culture differences and English teaching. English Language Teaching 4(2). 223-230. https://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v4n2p223.
Weber, E. (2007). Globalization, ‘Glocal’ development, and teachers’ work: A research agenda. Review of Educational Research, 77(3), 279-309. https://doi.org/10.3102/003465430303946.
Yaman, I. (2016). Glocalization in English as a foreign language (EFL) coursebooks. International Congress on New Trends in Higher Education: Keeping Up With the Change (pp. 176-183). Turkey: İstanbul Aydın University.
Alpetkin, C. & Alpetkin, M. (1984). The question of culture: The teaching of English in non English speaking countries. ELT Journal, 38(1), 14-20. https://doi.org/10.1093/elt/38.1.14.
Anderson, F.E. (2013). Glocalization, English, and education in languages of lesser power. Bulletin of the Institute of Oriental and Occidental Studies, Kansai University, 46, 35-48.
Assad, H.Q.M. (2019). Idea sharing: Analyzing the principles & techniques of English language teaching emphasized in the Crescent English Course for Yemen. PASAA: Journal of Language Teaching and Learning in Thailand, 57, 191-208.
Bax, A. R. (1994). The problem of culture and English language teaching in Europe. IRAL: International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching, 32(1), 57.
Beacco, J. (2010). La didactique de la grammaire dans l’enseignement du français et des langues. Paris, France: Les Éditions Didier.
Chen J. (2022). Between the foreground and the background lies the middle ground: Painting a harmonious early childhood curriculum landscape. ECNU Review of Education, 5(2), 328–337.
Chen, J. (2023). Neoliberalism and neocolonialism in the mix: Evidence of glocalization in the globalization–localization dynamics of early childhood practices in Hong Kong. Policy Futures in Education. https://doi.org/10.1177/14782103231171977.
Cheng, Y.C. (2004). Fostering local knowledge and human development in globalization of education. International Journal of Educational Management, 18(1), 7-24.
DeCuir-Gunby, J., Marshall, P. & McCulloch, A. (2011). Developing and using a codebook for the analysis of interview data: An example from a professional development research project. Field Methods 23(2), 136-155.
Dwi Lusianov, J. (2020). Post-method era and glocalization in language teaching and learning. Advances in Social Sciences, Education and Humanities Research, 509, 360-366.
Eslami, Z. R. (2010). Teachers’ voice vs. students’ voice: A needs analysis approach to English for academic purposes (EAP) in Iran. English Language Teaching, 3(1), 3-11.
Feng, F. (2018). Glocalization, English as a lingua franca, and ELT: Reconceptualizing identity and models for ELT in China. In Yazan, B. & N. Rudolph (Eds). Criticality, Teacher Identity, and (In)equity in English Language Teaching (pp. 23-40). Springer Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-72920-6_2.
Frame, A. (2006). Les Français, mauvais élèves de la classe de langue? De la communication pour sortir du mythe. In Cahiers de l’APLIUT, 25(1), 91-107. Retrieved from http://apliut.revues.org/3221.
Friend, L., Mills, K.A. & Lingard, B. (2023). Globalisation, cultural knowledges, and sociomateriality in Middle Eastern education: how the global and local influence classroom practices. Globalisation, Societies and Education, 21(1), 66-77. https://doi.org/10.1080/14767724.2021.2016376.
Goforth, C. (2015). Using and interpreting Cronbach’s Alpha. Retrieved from https://data.library.virginia.edu/using-and-interpreting-cronbachs-alpha/.
Guilloteaux, M. J., & Dörnyei, Z. (2008). Motivating language learners: A classroom- oriented investigation of the effects of motivational strategies on student motivation. TESOL Quarterly, 42(1), 55-77.
Hauerwas, L. B., Kerkhoff, S.N., & Schneider, S.B. (2021). Glocality, reflexivity, interculturality, and worldmaking: A framework for critical global teaching. Journal of Research in Childhood Education, 35(2), 185-199. https://doi.org/10.1080/02568543.2021.1900714.
He, D. & Li, D.C.S. (2023). Glocalizing ELT reform in China: A perspective from the use of English in the workplace. RELC Journal, 54(1), 149-165. https://doi.org/10.1177/00336882211018499.
Hollier, D. (2018). Are we finished yet? Teacher preparation and the rise of ‘glocalization.’ Journal of Education, 198(2), 127-135. https://doi.org/10.1177/002205741880742 .
Hsieh, C.-N. (2009). L2 learners’ self-appraisal of motivational changes over time. Issues in Applied Linguistics, 17, 3-26.
Huang, Z., Wang, T. & Li, X. (2016). The political dynamics of educational changes in China. Policy Futures in Education, 14(1), 24-41. https://doi.org/10.1177/1478210315612644.
Imerzoukene, I. (2023). At the crossroads of integrating English in primary schools: Parents’ attitudes, challenges and impacts. Language Practices, 14(2), 344-363.
Jensen, C. & Thogersen, J. (2011). Danish university lecturers’ attitudes towards English as the medium of instruction. Ibérica, 22, 13-34.
Kettaneh, H. & Hanford, V. (2019). The promising practices of glocalization in Canadian higher education. International Journal of Humanities and Education, 5(10), 10-38.
Lai, H. T. (2013). The motivation of learners of English as a foreign language revisited. International Education Studies, 6(10), 90-101.
Lin, A., Wang, W., Akamatsu, N., & Riazi, M. (2005). Transnational TESOL professionals and teaching English for glocalized communication. In A.S. Canagarajah (Ed), Negotiating the Global and the Local in Language Policy Practice (pp. 197-222). Mahwah, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Mahmoud, M. M. A. (2015). Culture and English Language Teaching in the Arab World. Adult Learning, 26(2), 66-72. https://doi.org/10.1177/1045159515573020.
Oanh, D. (2012). Global vs. Glocal English: Attitudes and conceptions among educators, administrators, and teachers in eight Asian countries. In A. Kirkpatrick Rolland Sussex (Ed.), English as an International Language in Asia: Implications for Language Education. New York, NY: Spring Publishing.
Patel, F. (2017). Deconstructing internationalization: Advocating glocalization in international higher education. Journal of International and Global Studies, 8(2), 64-82.
Patel, F. & Lynch, H. (2013). Glocalization as an alternative to internationalization in higher education: Embedding positive glocal learning objectives. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 25(2), 223-230.
Pawan, F. & Pu, H. (2019). Methods as interpretation and glocalization, not application: Water far away will not put our nearby fires. The Electronic Journal for English as a Second Language, 22(4).
Pawlak, M. (2012). The dynamic nature of motivation in language learning: A classroom perspective. Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching 2, 249–278.
Poppi, F. (2012). ELF and corporate identity: A case study focusing on companies’ websites. In Ludbrook, G. & Newbold, D. (Eds), English Lingua Franca: Contexts, Strategies and International Relations (pp.41-52). Venice, Italy: Cafoscarina.
Robertson, R. (1995). Glocalization: Time-space and homogeneity-heterogeneity. In Featherstone,M., S. Lash, & R. Robertson (Eds.), Global Modernities (pp. 25-44). London: Sage.
Ryan, R. & Deci, E. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. The American Psychologist, 55, 68-78.
Salih, A. & Omar, L. (2022). An investigation of teachers’ perceptions and practices of interculturality in ELT. International Journal of Society, Culture & Language, 10(2), 50-63. https://doi.org/10.22034/ijscl.2022.556618.2680.
Salih, A. & Omar, L. (2023). Reflective glimpses of culture in EFL online classes during COVID-19 pandemic in Oman. Sustainability, 15(9889). https://doi.org/10.3390/su15139889.
Salimi, E.A. & Safarzadeh, M.M. (2018). A model and questionnaire of language education glocalization in Iran. International Journal of Instruction, 12(1), 1639-1652.
Schug, D. (2019). English courses across disciplines: A question of motivation, (Unpublished doctoral thesis). Université de Paris VIII and Università Ca’ Foscari Venezia.
Schug, D. & Simon K. (2023). Analyzing the impact of e-tandems on students’ experiences with foreign language anxiety. Dans Fekete, A., K. Farkas, K. Simon, & R. Lugossy (Eds), UPRT: Empirical Studies in English Applied Linguistics (pp. 90-112). Lingua Franca Csoport.
Setzler, F. (2013). Tailoring business ESL classes to suit student needs. In Proceedings of the 3rd Conference on Foreign Language Learning and Teaching (pp. 523-536). Thammasat University.
Shi, X. (2013). The Glocalization of English: A Chinese Case Study. Journal of Developing Societies, 29(2), 89–122. https://doi.org/10.1177/0169796X13480442.
Shin, H. (2007). English language teaching in Korea: Toward globalization or glocalization? In Cummins, J. & C. Davison (Eds), International Handbook of English Language Teaching (pp.75-86). New York, NY: Springer Science+Business Media.
Suci, D.N. & Puspitasari, I.N.N. (2017). The insights of glocalization in Islamic primary education. Madrasah: Jurnal Pendidikan dan Pembelajaran Dasar, 9(2), 169-180.
Tien, C.Y. & Talley, P.C. (2012). “Think globally, act locally”: ‘Glocalization in Taiwanese higher education. International Journal of Business and Social Sciences, 3(15), 124-130.
Wahyudi, R. (2014). “Democratic” online courses as “glocalized communication” in English language teaching and applied linguistics: A proposal. Journal of Global Literacies, Technologies, and Emerging Pedagogies, 2(3), 248-260.
Wang, J. (2011). Culture differences and English teaching. English Language Teaching 4(2). 223-230. https://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v4n2p223.
Weber, E. (2007). Globalization, ‘Glocal’ development, and teachers’ work: A research agenda. Review of Educational Research, 77(3), 279-309. https://doi.org/10.3102/003465430303946.
Yaman, I. (2016). Glocalization in English as a foreign language (EFL) coursebooks. International Congress on New Trends in Higher Education: Keeping Up With the Change (pp. 176-183). Turkey: İstanbul Aydın University.
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Apr 1, 2024
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Bin-Hady, W., Sarnou, H., & Schug, D. (2024). EFL Teachers’ Attitudes Towards a Glocalized Approach: An International, Mixed-Methods Study. JURNAL ARBITRER, 11(1), 13–28. https://doi.org/10.25077/ar.11.1.13-28.2024
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Author Biographies
Wagdi Bin-Hady, Hadhramout University
Department of English, College of Education, Humanities and Applied Sciences
Hanane Sarnou, Abdelhamid Ibn Badis University
DPSM Laboratory
Daniel Schug, Université Paris Nanterre
CREA Laboratory