A Model for spoken English? - A Minor Field Study of Teachers` Attitudes towards spoken English in Punjab, India

Sammanfattning: What model of spoken English a teacher aims for in the classroom is far from self-explanatorywith implications for learners and the future of English Education. Through a SIDA-scolarship this essay — a Minor Field Study, sets out to explore teacher’s attitudes to spokenEnglish in Chandigarh, Punjab and, moreover, whether a model for spoken English exists andthus motivated by a selection of teachers here. Furthermore, to discuss spoken English withinperspectives of power and identity.Mixed methods have been adopted for this study, instruments such as an introductorydiscourse analysis, teacher interviews, learner survey and observations, all were employed toinvestigate the aspects mentioned above. Nevertheless, the main method lies withinqualitative semi-structured interviews conducted with nine Indian English teachers.Furthermore, to complement the interviews a survey with Indian English learners toinvestigate the role English plays in their lives, and thus identity and incentives for acquiringEnglish was also selected. Moreover, this essay is based on poststructural theory and,therefore, not claiming a generalised result, instead it should be read as a discussion wherefactors such as identity and power are situated culturally and socially.The study revealed that the English language was ascribed with formality, high status andpower by the Indian teachers, which has implications for the identity and language learningnot only in India but also raises questions of the English Education in Sweden. All teachersbut one recognised British English as the model for teaching, moreover, the most commonmotivation for acquiring English was that for communication beyond the nation's borders.