Standard English or World English: Finding the Best Way to Teach English
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| Acknowledging global English varieties can empower students and reflect their identities. (📷:empowervmedia) |
English has become a truly global language, but that also brings a big teaching question: which English should we teach? English is spoken all around the world and has official or special status in over 80 countries. Naturally, there are many regional varieties (British English, American English, Australian English, Indian English, and more). As Cambridge linguist Eline Laperre puts it, “there is not just one Standard English: there are several”. In other words, even the idea of a single “Standard English” is misleading. The choice of which variety to focus on also shapes learners’ sense of identity: language ties closely to community and culture. Instructors today must decide whether to teach a traditional native-speaker norm (like “Standard British” or “General American”) or to acknowledge the full spectrum of World Englishes (or how to combine both approaches).
What Is “Standard English”?
“Standard English” usually refers to a formal variety taught in schools, often based on the norms of a major native-speaking country. It generally means correct spelling, grammar and vocabulary that matches textbooks and dictionaries. But crucially, Standard English is not the same everywhere. In fact, what counts as “standard” varies widely from place to place. As one study notes, Standard English is often defined as the variety most widely accepted within a community, but “Canadian’s definition of what is standard may vary dramatically from that of an Irish person”, and there is no single agreed definition. Each English-speaking country (or even region) has its own standard norms. For learners, this can be confusing: the rules that apply in one context may differ in another. In practice, many schools pick a particular standard model (for example British English in some Asian schools, American English in others) just to have a consistent target.
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| (📷:empowervmedia) |
The Case for Teaching Standard English
Teaching a single standard can simplify lessons. It gives students a clear set of grammar and vocabulary rules to learn. Having one standard model means students can share a common form of English, which can make international communication easier. For instance, speaking a standard form can help people from different regions understand each other more reliably. Exams, textbooks and media often use a standard variety, so learning it can help students succeed on tests and feel literate. In this way, Standard English gives learners a clear, unified model to follow.
The Case for World Englishes
On the other hand, English today is used in countless new contexts, and focusing only on one native norm has drawbacks. Most English speakers in the world are actually non-native, and they use various local forms of English. Insisting on a single native-speaker standard can set learners an unattainable goal. For example, expecting a student in India to speak exactly like a British native speaker may be unrealistic. Worse, teaching only Standard English can imply that local dialects and accents are “wrong” or inferior. This can hurt learners’ pride and even promote bias (accent discrimination can be seen as a subtle form of racism). In many places, people cherish their own variety of English (such as Singaporean English or Nigerian English) as part of their identity; if a curriculum ignores these, students may feel that their language is devalued.
Conversely, embracing World Englishes validates students’ voices. It shows learners that the English they use daily is legitimate English. Research suggests that when teachers acknowledge students’ own English varieties and idioms, learners feel more confident and motivated. For example, if a French speaker says “I finish work at 5 sharp”, using a literal translation from French, a supportive teacher might celebrate that effort rather than instantly correct the phrase. This kind of acceptance can boost a student’s willingness to speak and learn. In fact, one review found that introducing World Englishes in class tends to improve learners’ confidence in using English.
Another practical reason is communication: English often serves as a lingua franca between people from different countries. The goal for many learners is simply to be understood by others, not to sound like a native speaker of one particular country. By hearing and practising multiple accents and dialects (through videos, global news websites, or recorded dialogues), students prepare for real-world conversations with people all over the world. For example, hearing Indian English and Singaporean English on YouTube can train a student’s ear to understand different pronunciations. In this way, focusing on World Englishes meets learners’ actual communication needs and reflects the reality that English has become a diverse global language.
Finding the Balance
So, should teachers choose Standard English or World English? Most experts say: use both. Leading TESOL scholars and materials now advocate a balanced approach. This means selecting a clear target norm based on the teaching context, while also respecting students’ language and preparing them for many Englishes. For example, a school in Qatar might focus on British Standard English (because of local expectations), whereas a class of Chinese students might work toward an English as a lingua franca model. The key is context: teachers should be “culturally sensitive to the diversity of contexts in which English is taught”. In practice, an educator might choose one standard dialect to teach (for exam or curriculum needs) but also encourage learners to share expressions from their own English and learn about others.
Crucially, a balanced method teaches that no single variety is “wrong”. In class, educators can explain that the chosen textbook model is just one kind of English and that many other Englishes are valid. For instance, Dutch learners might say a literal translation like “pull on the bell”, which in their context means “just call me if you need anything”. Instead of marking this as an error, a balanced teacher would say, “Good job, we understood you!”. This reinforces that successful communication is the goal. Indeed, research advises teachers to treat such uses as evidence that learners are successful English users, and to encourage them: Rather than seeing students as bad speakers of a standard, recognise them as creative communicators.
Balanced teaching also involves building students’ strategies for global communication. This includes lessons on listening to various accents, paraphrasing unknown words, or asking peers to repeat and clarify. For example, teaching a student to politely request “Could you say that again more slowly?” or “Please wait a moment while I find the right word” equips them to handle real conversations with non-native speakers. Such skills are valuable no matter which English variety a student later encounters.
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| The idea of a single “Standard English” is misleading. (📷:sidehustles) |
The consensus in current research is that both Standard and World Englishes matter in teaching. Rather than choosing one at the expense of the other, educators should blend them. By adopting a balanced, inclusive strategy, teachers can create a positive learning environment. They can share inspiring stories or examples of how diverse English is (for instance, showing how the word “cookie” and “biscuit” mean the same thing in American and British English, or how different accents colour the pronunciation of everyday words). Such lessons can trigger curiosity and joy. Ultimately, the goal is for students to feel hopeful about communicating with people worldwide, knowing they have the tools to bridge differences.
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