Out-of-Class Communication and Awareness of English as a Lingua Franca

This article reports on the implementation of an out-of-class communication component of a university ELT course in Hong Kong to raise students' awareness of the pluralistic nature of English as a Lingua Franca (ELF). Drawing on students' written reflections as part of the coursework, the study investigated how out-of-class ELF communication activities impacted on students' understanding of English in a global context. Findings suggest that students developed an increased awareness of ELF as a result of the communication activities. In particular, they appreciated the diversity of English in the world, questioned the relevance of native-speaker norms, and emphasized the importance of communicative strategies in ELF communication. In addition, they reported practical and personal benefits derived from the out-of-class communication activities. The study points to the importance of first-hand, out-of-class communication experiences in raising students' awareness of ELF and the role of reflection in developing students' critical consciousness of the global role of English.