English as the Pluricentric Language: Changes within the Educational Process

Abstract

The limited exposure to the native-like environment has been argued to incubate the priority of communicative meanings over language correctness or grammatical rules. This paper explores the mobility of English across contexts which are not tied to fixed rules, hence creating the varieties of Englishes. With the employment of document collection and semi-structured interview, the study first examined the diverse picture of English language used in spheres of life in some countries in Asia. It then investigated the Vietnamese teachers’ perspectives on practices to promote learners’ tolerance towards the emergence of nativized Englishes. The paper concludes with recommendations on methods to tailor the peculiarities of English to users in todays’ globalized world. Accordingly, ‘good’ standard English should not be the sole benchmark for competent communication in multilingual and multicultural contexts. Instead, English programs in higher education should focus on developing responsive skills and sensitivities for a mobile language repertoire.