TEFLology Episode 64: ELF Revisited, L.A. Hill, and Interview Voices

(TEFLology Podcasts)

You can listen to episode 64 here. 

I'm really behind in my reviewing now.  This episode came out close to 2 months ago now.  (I'm behind by 4 episodes now.)

But, better late then never, here's my review.

Even though I'm just getting around to writing the review now, I actually listened to this episode several weeks ago.  (And I linked to it in my review of Discourse Analysis for Language Teachers). 

Part of the reason I procrastinated on writing this review is that they touch on a lot of juicy topics, and there's a lot to say about them. 
There's a temptation, therefore, to gush forth with all my thoughts on each of these topics, and spend 3 hours writing this review.

I'm going to try to resist that temptation, and just limit myself to some very brief sentences.

ELF
* Boy, there's a lot to say on this topic if you really wanted to get into it.  And as the TEFLologists themselves admit, this isn't even the first time that they've broached this topic.  (This was one of their first ever episodes.  And also it relates to the interview they did with Jennifer Jenkins recently). 

L.A. Hill
As coincidence would have it, these two topics are related, since the discussion on L.A. Hill doubled back to more discussion on ELF.

And then the discussion also related to Krashen.

Again, I have lots of thoughts on this, but I'll try to keep my comments brief.

* I've noticed myself through my own personal experience that most people in Asia are using English as a lingua franca to communicate with other people in Asia, rather than with Americans.  For example, when I was in Japan, I was asked to teach extra English classes to prepare some junior high school students to communicate with Koreans.

* In Vietnam, I've also noticed how the current boom in English schools is driven exclusively by the belief that English ability will lead to better jobs.  The focus is almost exclusively on passing IELTS exams, and very little on learning English for cultural enrichment reasons. 
Which I find frustrating.  But this is the way things are. 

* I've used similar information about the differences between older students and younger students in my presentation about comprehensible input for young learners.  Although in my case, I took the information from Lourdes Ortega's book, and not from Krashen. 

* I've double checked the reference section in the Krashen books I have, and I couldn't find any reference to L.A. Hill.  (But who knows, Hill could be referenced in a book I don't have.)

Interview Voices
* The high pitched "telephone voice" that woman in Japan are supposed to use is something I've also observed.  (Everyone who has lived in Japan has observed this.)  It's endlessly fascinating to outsiders.  I've even read articles which analyze all the times women in Japan are supposed to talk in high pitched voices, and all the times they're not.  (Example: Japanese female broadcasters are supposed to talk in high pitches for talk shows, but not for serious news reporting.)