ELF: a teacher's perspective

Much attention has been given to the concept of English as a lingua franca (ELF) in recent years. In this article, the premises on which the claims of ELF are based are examined. These claims are submitted to critical scrutiny, and it is suggested that they may well be both statistically and theoretically flawed. More importantly, the dilemmas which the global spread of English poses for teachers in institutional settings are examined. It is suggested that, rather than promoting ELF as an emerging/emergent new variety, it may be more helpful to focus on the interactive process of English used globally, and the raising of awareness of this among learners, while continuing to teach them something approaching a standard variety.