Communication in English as a lingua franca: challenges for teaching English as a Foreign Language.

The complex and varied sociolinguistic reality of English today and its English as a Lingua Franca role have important implications for ELT: a plurilithic rather than a monolithic perspective is called for, one that can make learners aware of the different roles, characteristics and contexts of use, so that they can be prepared to effectively interact with speakers of different Englishes and in ELF contexts. Communication strategies have been shown to have a highly significant role in ELF communication, that is characterised by negotiation and co-construction of meaning, with a range of pragmatic strategies employed to solve, or pre-empt, (potential) non-understandings, often involving the speakers’ plurilingual repertoires, too (e.g. [1], [2], [3]). In this light, activities aimed at raising awareness and promoting actual use of communication strategies should be included in ELT, so that they can become an integral part of classroom practices towards the development of an effective communicative ‘capability’ ([4], [5]) as part of Communicative Competence. This presentation will first look at the ways in which Communication Strategies have been theorised in SLA, ELF and ELT course-books, and will then provide examples of activities that can effectively be used to raise awareness and practise communication strategies in secondary school educational contexts. Implications for ELT material developers, teacher education and pedagogic practices will also be set forward.