From the Native Speaker Norm towards English as an International Language. A study of Exposure and Attitudes to Native and Non-native

Abstract

The present thesis aims to give an overview of the representations of different varieties in two editions of Targets and an edition of eXperience, which are among the most widely used textbooks in Norway at the upper secondary level, as well as an insight into students' and teachers' experiences, views and attitudes regarding the presence of varieties of English in the classroom, the native speaker norm and some approaches that have recently been proposed as alternatives to the native speaker norm. Through analysis of the audio-materials for Targets and eXperience, interviews with teachers, and a student questionnaire, this thesis should be able to provide an insight into the current situation in Norway regarding exposure and attitudes to different speech varieties of English. It can also make some suggestions as to whether current teaching practice reflects a continuation of the long tradition for the native-speaker model in Norway, or if the idea of a possible replacement, by means of for example an intercultural speaker model (Byram 1997), corresponds with the views of the people who are actually involved in the teaching process, namely the teachers and students.