Global Englishes and Primary Teacher Education

In light of the global and complex use of English today, it is essential to adopt a Global Englishes-oriented pedagogy, which should promote knowledge and awareness of World Englishes (WE), English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) and Intercultural Awareness (ICA). Accordingly, Language Teacher Education needs to embrace a (more) complex perspective on language and culture, raising prospective teachers’ awareness of how speakers of English perform variable linguistic and cultural practices, on how they negotiate mutual understanding, and on how these aspects/elements and intercultural awareness can be incorporated in ELT practices. Focusing on Primary Teacher Education, some principles and guidelines on how to adopt a more inclusive perspective in English Language Teaching for Young Learners will be suggested, showing an application in higher education of how to raise intercultural awareness and how to include Global Englishes in classroom activities.