Teachers' attitudes towards target varieties of English in ASEAN

Name: Werachai Thanamaimas

LCSH: Kasetsart University -- Dissertations. Ph.D. (English for International Communication) 2021

Classification :.LCCS: PE3502.S65

LCSH: Kasetsart University. -- Department of Foreign Languages -- Dissertations

LCSH: English language -- Southeast Asia

LCSH: English teachers -- Southeast Asia

LCSH: Language policy -- Southeast Asia

Abstract: This study took place in the ASEAN countries. It based on a global research project: Which English? Whose English: Teachers’ beliefs, attitudes, and practices towards target varieties of the “world” (Young, Walsh, and Schartner, 2016). The study investigated and illustrated teachers’ attitudes toward the varieties and discrepancies caused by teaching and using target varieties. This mixed-method study employed questionnaires and focus group interviews to gather the data. 374 teachers comprised 13 Bruneians, 31 Burmese, 61 Cambodians, 60 Filipinos, 30 Indonesians, 36 Laotians, 26 Malaysians, 11 Singaporeans, 55 Thais and 51 Vietnamese completed the questionnaires. 28 participants: 4 Burmese, 11 Thais, 4 Filipinos, 3 Malaysians, 1 Singaporean, 3 Vietnamese and 2 Indonesians voluntarily participated in 6 focus group interviews. American English (AmE), British English (BrE) were varieties and English as an International Language (EIL) model was the model they had learned. The education levels, schooling, and linguistic features were factors that triggered their awareness of the varieties. Findings also illustrated three major reasons learners in ASEAN learned English: to get a good job, to pass the school requirements and to study overseas. AmE, BrE, and EIL were selected as varieties and modelsthat they learned, taught, and wanted to teach in the future. School curriculum, the teachers’ familiarity, and textbook availability were three key factors that governed the teachers when selecting a variety to teach. ASEAN teachers defined “a standard variety” as the variety is internationally accepted. A standard variety functioned as the instructional variety and was used as a reference variety. EIL was defined as a basic AmE or BrE for communication purposes in the international setting. ELF was defined as an informal form of English that functioned as a working language for NNESs. Five implications related to the teaching of English, designing the curriculum, introducing more local cultures into the classrooms, promoting the teaching staff and student mobility among ASEAN countries, and hiring more non-native English teachers from ASEAN countries were stated. The study ends with a discussion of limitations and suggestions for future studies regarding the teachers’ attitudes towards varieties of English.

Kasetsart University. Office of the University Library

Address: Bangkok

Email: tdckulib@ku.ac.th

Name: Wannana Soontornnaruerangsee

Role: Thesis Advisor

Created: 2021

Modified: 2025-07-12

Issued: 2025-07-12

วิทยานิพนธ์/Thesis

application/pdf

URL: https://www.lib.ku.ac.th/KUthesis/2564/werachai-tha-all.pdf

CallNumber: PE3502.S65 .W47

eng

Spatial: Southeast Asia.

Spatial: Southeast Asia.

Spatial: Southeast Asia.

DegreeName: Doctor of Philosophy

Level: Doctoral Degraee

Descipline: English for International Communication

Grantor: Kasetsart University

©copyrights Kasetsart University

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