Last week: TEGCOM and socially sensitive pedagogy

These were interesting readings because it focused on adapting a more socially sensitive pedagogy and fundamentally changing to the idea of TEGCOM, meaning teaching English for glocalized communication putting value on local situated knowledge. Lin discusses the process of “othering”, of dichotomizing, essentializing, and hierarchicalizing through discursive and institutional practices, as well as TEGCOM. I can somehow relate to the narratives mentioned by the English language learners in the article, like Wendy and Angel. I learned English as a school subject for academic grades, so I was not expected to learn a high level of competence in English. The main language in Peru is Spanish, so English is usually not spoken in social contexts. English was one of my favorite subjects in elementary and junior high when I was in Peru, but I was not fluent at it. After I settled in the US, acquiring more English and trying to fit in by sounding more like an English native speaker was challenging. Lin says that teachers should help us appropriate English to expand our horizons and identities. As language teachers, we can encourage appropriating English by engaging in practices that are self-transforming, culturally enriched, psychologically liberating, to help expand their socio-cultural horizons and their own identities. The last chapter in Mckay’s book discusses the importance of following a more socially sensitive EIL pedagogy. She comes up with 6 key principles to achieve this type of pedagogy. By taking various TESOL courses, I am able to be familiar with all the principles and agree with the idea of having a more ESL class that is more sensitive to social contexts. The language curriculum should reflect the student’s life. Reflecting on the diversity the students’ bring to the classroom, as well as respecting their culture and language. Appropriating English promotes English bilingualism for learners of all backgrounds. It also recognizes the variety of Englishes used today and teaches English in a way that meets local language needs, respecting the local culture of learning. We need to reduce othering as well as any tensions globally and locally.