Teach English in Zhuma Zhen - Huai'an Shi

English is spoken as a mother tongue in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. It is common knowledge that English is spoken all around the world as the lingua franca (or the common means of communication) as the language of academic world as well as the language of international business. However, very few people realize that the second largest English-speaking population in the world is found in India. Nonetheless, language schools in South Korea do not hire Indian people. This raises a question which variety of English is being taught to EFL students in Korea. While British English is more broadly used around the globe, American English has been dominantly taught in South Korea. This can be proven by the fact that most English teachers in South Korea are from North America. Even those who are from other English-speaking countries are coerced to teach “American” English by adjusting their accents and vocabulary. This may lead to the production of ill-prepared global English speakers because there are other English standards. It is crucial for Korean educators to understand the importance of teaching the other main variety of English to prepare their students for international communication. First, it is crucial for Korean educators to know that the most common English standard is British English. This variety is spoken in the British overseas territories and 52 countries in the Commonwealth of Nations also known as former British colonies (such as India, South Africa, New Zealand and Hong Kong, Singapore, Brunei, Malaysia). Moreover, it is spoken in many world’s organizations such as the United Nations (UN), the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the International Organization for Standardization (IOS), and the International Olympic Committee (IOC). On the other hand, American English is spoken mainly in North America and some former colonies of the U.S. such as the Philippines. In short, there are more speakers of British English than American English. This is one of the reasons that learners of English should familiarize themselves with British English. Second, it is important for English teachers to be trained to teach both varieties of English to students to become well-balanced global citizens. To this end, Korean students should be exposed to the British variety more often because there are more places globally that speak British English then speak American English. The most distinctive differences are found in pronunciation, spelling, vocabulary, and grammar. The United States of America developed their own English variety as a way of establishing a distinct country after they became an independent country from England. In some ways, American English improved the spelling rules of British words by simplifying them phonetically (e.g. doughnut vs donut). In the meantime, American English violates prescribed grammar rules (e.g. Whom are you calling? vs Who are you calling?) In general, British English is well accepted as a written form of English. Third, it is desirable for English teachers to remain unbiased and respectful of other English varieties. Keeping in mind that there are many English varieties and that there is a controversy over establishing a certain variety as the world’s standard, English teachers need to practice the following guidelines: 1) English teachers should avoid teaching one extreme ; 2) they should encourage students to use one variety consistently instead of mixing them; 3) teachers should focus on one variety based on the target audience. For example, English teachers whose students are businessmen working with a company in Europe must focus on British English, not American English. In conclusion, considering the bond between Korea and the U.S. through financial and political aid since the Korean War, it is understandable why American English has been dominantly taught in South Korea. Nonetheless, the U.S. is only one of many countries where English is spoken. To produce well-equipped global citizens, it is imperative to teach British English as well as American English. Teaching the other variety will help the future generations to be open-minded enough to hire English teachers based on their qualifications, not based on the country of origins.