English as an international language: international student and identity formation

Abstract

Drawing on the literature on Asian international students, current debates surrounding English as an international language (EIL), and the conceptual tools of appropriation, this article reports the findings of a qualitative research study with eight Asian international students studying at a university in Thailand to explore their taking ownership of English and how they see themselves in relation to the language. The findings demonstrate that these students’ appropriation of EIL for their own advantage reflects a healthy and sensible sense of sharing the ownership of English. The findings also highlight the relationships between these students’ sense of self and their positioning with respect to the English language. Many stereotypes about international students constructed around the English language and their being Asian have been challenged by the sophisticated and dynamic manner of the participants’ appropriation of English. The article argues that together with encouraging and valuing users’ appropriation of English, it is important to acknowledge and promote ways that individuals take ownership of English. Their voices must be heard, not assumed. Users of EIL need to be seen as individuals and in relation to who they are, who they want to be and who they could become and in multiple domains in which their identities are produced and reproduced. Noi dung cua bai viet nay dua tren so lieu thu thap duoc tu mot de tai nghien cuu khoa hoc thuc hien voi tam sinh vien quoc te nguoi chau A theo hoc chuong trinh thac si ve giang day tieng Anh tai mot truong dai hoc o Thai Lan. Bai viet duoc khai trien tren nen co so ly luan lien quan den ba mang ly thuyet. Thu nhat, do la mang ly thuyet viet ve du hoc sinh chau A tai cac quoc gia noi tieng Anh. Thu hai, do la cac van de va tranh cai xoay quanh tieng Anh nhu mot ngon ngu quoc te. Thu ba, do la cac hinh thuc tiep nhan va chon loc tieng Anh cua cac cong dong va quoc gia tren the gioi cho muc dich phat trien rieng cua minh. De tai nghien cuu noi tren nham muc dich tim hieu moi lien he giua viec su dung tieng Anh nhu mot ngon ngu quoc te, goc gac chau A va moi truong hoc tai Thai Lan co anh huong nhu the nao den su hinh thanh va phat trien cac gia tri co lien quan den cai toi, ban sac ca nhan, ban sac van hoa va ban sac dan toc cua tam du hoc sinh quoc te tham gia vao de tai. Ket qua cua de tai bac bo mot so nhan dinh mang tinh tieu cuc va co phan ky thi ve sinh vien quoc te nguoi chau A, vi du nhu kha nang tieng Anh yeu kem va cach tiep can tri thuc thieu tinh sang tao va thieu dau oc phan bien. Nhung nhan dinh nay phan lon deu cho rang nguyen nhan cua nhung yeu kem nay xuat phat tu ly do ngon ngu, su khac biet van hoa va su thua kem ve van hoa tri thuc khi so sanh voi phuong Tay. Viec tam sinh vien quoc te nguoi chau A du hoc tai Thai Lan chu dong va sang tao lam chu tieng Anh va tiep nhan co chon loc ngon ngu nay duoi nhieu goc do da dang cho thay su lam chu tieng Anh nhu mot ngon ngu quoc te co moi lien he mat thiet voi su hinh thanh cac gia tri co lien quan den ban sac va vi tri xa hoi cua moi ca nhan trong moi tuong quan voi nhung hoan canh khac nhau, voi van hoa dan toc, dat nuoc cua minh va su giao luu quoc te. Dieu nay goi mo mot huong di moi cho nhung nghien cuu co lien quan den tieng Anh nhu mot ngon ngu quoc te, ban sac, va du hoc sinh tai cac quoc gia khac nhau tren the gioi. Bat dau bang nhung dinh kien duong nhu khong phai la mot cach bat dau co hieu qua de tim hieu su hinh thanh cac gia tri ban sac cua cac nhom du hoc sinh boi le qua trinh hinh thanh cac gia tri ban sac nay thuong rat phuc tap, da chieu, chiu tac dong cua hoan canh, luon trong the bien dong nhung lai gan lien voi nhung gia tri van hoa ‘goc’ ma nhung dinh kien mang tinh khien cuong thuong khong nam bat duoc.

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