Job Discussion Forums

[Captain Onigiri]

I searched to see if this topic was done before but I can only find ones that talk about this in passing. I was curious to see how many schools and such institutions chose a certain strain of the English Language and try to stick with it or how many are okay with being a "Tower of Babel" when it comes to accents/spellings/etc. This poll probably belongs in the Teacher Forum but I am interested in teaching in Japan so I'm more interested in what is the case there. Have you ever been turned down because of your accent? If you are Canadian, I would be interested to know if you think you speak a variant of British English or American English... or are you the great 'via media'?

[Lover]

I am new to teaching English in Japan. I have two job offers and tomorrow I will decide which job I am going to take! Anyway now to answer your question with my limited background.

Both jobs want me to teach American English. In fact if I didn't have an American accent I would not of been hired. I know many Canadans who sound American!

[Sheep-Goats]

It's important that you understand and mention common variants of whatever dialect of English it is you speak, in my opinion.

Thai students usually like to say "zed." I'm American and prefer "zee" because it sounds better in the alphabet context, assonating with P, and V -- while no other letter has that -ed sound at the end.

Don't forget that the Roman alphabet is taught even when English isn't in some countries, and so the students may have a preference for that letter that has nothing to do with what dialect of English they want to learn.

[Celeste]

I use 'zed' because my students are less likely to confuse it with 'G'. Many of the schools that I teach at claim to have a preference for American English, but their curriculum is full of British English expressions and pronunciations.

As a Canadian, I would have to say that my spoken English is certainly closer to American English, while my written English is more British (in terms of spelling and acceptable written grammar) because that is what was taught when I went to school.

It is really important not to let students get too hung up on which English they choose to learn. It is not as though your average Harvard graduate can't understand the English spoken by your average Oxford alumnus. THe most important thing for them to remeber is that for communication purposes they will need to have a good grasp of vocabulary, grammar, and to have experienced listening to a variety of different people speaking, as well as to put forth the effort to make themselves understood. Too many 'students' of foreign languages are willing to use the "I can't understand that person's accent" cop out when real communication presents itself outside of the safety of the classroom.