WORLD ENGLISHES AND ENGLISH AS A LINGUA FRANCA: IMPLICATIONS FOR TEACHER EDUCATION AND ELT

In this paper we will illustrate exemplifications of how WE and ELF-informed activities can be successfully incorporated into ELT classroom practices, drawing from two main datasets: lesson plans developed within university-run pre-service teacher education courses addressed to Italian secondary school English language teachers, and a project realized in three primary schools in Italy aimed at fostering awareness of English in the linguistic environment, of the plurality of English(es) and of its lingua franca role. We will also explore how this approach can be applied to other educational contexts, in the perspective that exposure to the plurality of English through active and guided noticing can involve teachers and learners alike in the exploration of, and reflection upon, English in its diversity and as part of internationally-oriented communication practices.