Page 23 - ELG2107 Jul Issue 476

PHOTO BY DAVID MARK FROM PIXABAY

and number of second/additional language With China’s rise, Mandarin has become teachers and researchers to share expertise
learners. Script competitiveness is about more prominent in the Chinese diaspora and cooperate with colleagues in Chinese
whether a language has a written script than it was in the past. Specifically, language education. As Chinese language
and the purposes this script can be used for. Putonghua, that is Standard Mandarin learning becomes more popular and the
Scientific/technological competitiveness as it’s used in the People’s Republic of language spreads, teachers and researchers
refers to the utility of the language as a China (PRC), has been gaining ground are likely to encounter similar issues to those
means to access information about advances as the lingua franca of diverse Chinese we have encountered in ESOL. Some of these
and developments in science and technology, communities. This is the variety which will include which variety of the language should
while educational competitiveness refers be taught, the role of native and non-native
to the utility of the language to access At present, speakers as teachers, and whether popular
education and research. Finally, geostrategic teaching methods such as Communicative
competitiveness is about the extent of Chinese lacks a Language Teaching (CLT) and Task Based
interests of the country where the language Language Teaching (TBLT) can be used
is spoken in the international system and its strong association across all contexts.
influence within the international system. However, in the long-term future, we may
English rates highly on all of these with popular need to adjust to there being less demand
indicators because it was the language of for learning English. This will mean there
the two most powerful countries of modern culture, science and will be fewer job opportunities for those with
times, Britain and the USA. Chinese rates minimal qualifications. My advice to ESOL
highly on geostrategic competitiveness, technology teachers would be to make yourself stand out
population competitiveness and economic by upgrading your qualifications, learning
competitiveness because of China’s political the language of the country in which you’d
importance, the large number of Chinese like to teach and becoming familiar with the
speakers around the world, and China’s likely be used for global purposes. This is cultural, historical and educational conditions
economic power and influence in the world. similar to people using a Standard variety of of that country.
At present, Chinese lacks a strong association English for global communication and their
with popular culture, science and technology, own variety for local interactions. Of course, Jeffrey Gil is a senior
education and research, and its writing system the increasing use and status of Putonghua
is more challenging to learn and use than the may have negative consequences for other lecturer in ESOL/TESOL
English alphabet. varieties of Chinese. at Flinders University,
where he is involved in the
development, teaching and
Your book’s title refers to the new What is your message to ESOL teachers
global language of Chinese rather than – should they be worried about their administration of courses
Mandarin. Isn’t the number of varieties future careers? at the undergraduate and
of Chinese spoken, especially by the I think English language teaching will remain postgraduate level. His research interests
Chinese diaspora, a disadvantage for a a viable career for some time yet. I also include English as a global language, and the
global language? think there’s a real opportunity for ESOL global use and status of Chinese.
editorial@elgazette.com 23