Grafting Global Issues into English Lessons

Abstract

The purpose of my textbook is to create a TBI (theme-based instruction) model based on global issues and world citizenship. Korean EFL classrooms have heavily focused on receptive skills such as reading and listening, emphasizing on test taking strategies rather than productive skills such as writing and speaking. As a result, students do not get an opportunity to study special topics such as global issues and world citizenship and express their own ideas on such topics in English. My textbook will be designed as a supplementary course to the high school English textbook for students who are interested in global issues. This textbook will enable them to learn English in a meaningful theme-based instructional setting. First of all, since it is a language course, students will develop communication skills and critical thinking skills in English using authentic materials. There is no doubt that English has been become a lingua franca by all the users to communicate with the world since the world is becoming globalized. Furthermore, as the world establishes cooperation amongst countries, we no longer live by ourselves: We live together with our neighbors. We live in a society where we are supposed to use our communicative competence, the component of which are linguistic, pragmatic, discourse and strategic competence. Therefore, we need a language teaching approach through which learners are given a meaningful learning in context. Second of all, through this program, I want students to broaden their own values, thoughts and perspectives about global issues. Teaching with a focus on forms and testing skills may not be conducive to helping students to think critically as world citizens. The greater role of a teacher is to help students expand their worldview while enhancing their communication skills in English. Through this portfolio, I integrate communicative skills including academic skills such as discussion, note-taking, writing essay into global issues as educational themes to meet the demand of the day. Therefore, I would like to set up an applicable teaching methodology about teaching English dealing with global issues in Korean EFL context.