English as a Global Language

N The demand for English language and English language education has increased exponentially with economic globalization. It is the language of business, technology, science, the Internet, popular entertainment, and even sports (Crystal, 1997, 2000; Graddol, 1997). In academic contexts, Swales (1987) estimates that over 50% of the millions of academic papers published each year are written in English, and the percentage is growing year by year. The response to this demand by governments around the world has been to introduce English as a compulsory subject at younger and younger ages, often without adequate funding, teacher education, or the provision of appropriate resources. In business, industry, and government, workers are increasingly expected to develop proficiency in English. This has created many challenges for TESOL educators internationally. Currently, the TESOL field has a need for basic research to answer many questions being raised by governments, bureaucracies, and industry. These bodies need to know how and where to direct scarce resources (this is a pressing need in developing countries). There is an urgent need to know the costs and benefits of training students and employees in the English language. A related issue has to do with the effect of the spread of English on indigenous languages, which may lead to a denial of the right of children to be educated in their own language. The following key questions arise: