Incorporating Global Englishes Varieties into EFL Classrooms: Development of Listening Comprehension and Pronunciation

Abstract

AbstractWith the rise of different English varieties, scholars argued for reconceptualizing teaching pedagogies to acknowledge and incorporate diverse Global English (GE) varieties into the classroom (Rose & Galloway, 2019). However, very few studies explored the effectiveness of such innovative pedagogy on language skills. This study investigated the effect of an 8‐week GE‐oriented English intervention on the development of learners' listening comprehension and pronunciation. Two intact classes of undergraduate English learners in China were sampled over one semester. The intervention group (n = 29) received (a) awareness‐raising activities about different GE varieties and (b) explicit teaching of and exposure to different spoken varieties of English and their linguistic features. The control group (n = 21) received instruction modeled on American English. The intervention lasted 8 weeks (one session of 45 minutes/week). A pretest, an immediate posttest, and a delayed posttest (3 weeks after) were administered. Results from mixed effect models suggested (a) positive, yet unsustained effects on listening comprehension of GE varieties and (b) no effect on pronunciation development. Findings provide preliminary evidence for the practicality and effectiveness of GE‐oriented language classrooms.