English Speakers’ Dilemma: Variations in English affecting teaching practice

This article discusses the dilemma faced by English speakers due to variations in accent, pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar. It explores how these variations affect teaching practices in schools and suggests solutions to the problem. The article emphasizes the need for teachers to be trained in crucial areas of language acquisition such as syntax, phonology, and morphology. It also highlights the importance of acknowledging cultural diversity and creating awareness of the different accents of people. The article concludes by suggesting that setting prescriptive English rules can help in maintaining standards during education in spite of local variations.

Running head: ENGLISH SPEAKERS’ DILEMMA
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English speakers’ dilemma
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Introduction
English has risen as an international language that is used by both native and non-native
speakers. Teachers need to be trained in crucial areas that are used in language acquisition. Some of
these areas are syntax, phonology, and morphology (Flowerdew, 2015). In most cases, when a person is
a non-native speaker of English, the accent may be different regarding the words articulation, voice,
intonation and the rhythm. The case under study illustrated how variation in English could affect the
teaching practice in schools. After moving from the United States, it is almost 20 years. The analysis is
an about 11-year old child who failed English, and the teacher wanted to take him to classes that study
English as one of their second languages due to spelling mistakes. It was also difficult for the child to
differentiate between collective and singular nouns. The other child is six years, and he also has a
problem with the word phrase and could not pronounce some of the words as an Australian speaker. The
issue of concern is the differences between various English speakers (Trudgill & Chambers, 2017). The
teaching staffs and the principals are expected to come up with ways to minimize accent, morphological
differences that exist in the nations speaking English.
Question (A), what is taking place in the account
In the context, the study of English consists of identification of various English used. The
sociolinguistic is diverse context globally and involves the analysis multicultural background, function
context and histories affect the use of English in various geographical location. In most regions, English
is used in numerous dialects to communicate globally. The parents of the two children are American
native speakers and had moved from the United States about 20 years ago. At school, the children had a
problem with the use of the collective nouns and the changing present tense into past. The sentence
structure, spelling, and differentiation of the collective noun and singular were a challenge to an 11-year

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child who was born to American parents. The teacher wanted to take of the child to study English as one
of the Second Language (ESL) because of the spelling and other grammatical errors (Bocanegra, 2014).
Though the child had English as a home language, there was a variation between American and
Australian English especially in the educational system. The teaching staffs seemed not to recognize
how different cultural setting, the accent of different countries and the best ways to manage the
differences that exist. Similarly, the other case was a child of the same parents who were in the
kindergarten and had a problem with the cognitive ability. The teachers in the pronunciation perceived
the cognitive challenge. There were some of the words which the child could not pronounce according
to Australian English. The children were annoyed by the traumatic experience in an Australian school. It
was hard for the children to understand Australian English and the teaching staffs did not have a
mechanism to aid student who from other countries. The usage of English differs depending on
geographical locations, and this may affect the accent and pronunciation of the words. It can change
educational systems as well as the societal and cultural setting of the people.
Question (B), use of linguistic terms.
Furthermore, the syntax of Australia is different from that of America. The principles, processes,
and rules that govern the use of sentence structure in a particular language show the differences in
syntax. It was indicated by the six-year American child who could not pronounce ‘nosebleed’ instead
she was saying it as a bloody nose. The arrangement and construction of the sentences in the two
countries differ and that is why the kids were frustrated while in Australian schools (Holmes & Wilson,
2017). English was one of the subjects that gave a challenge to children from other areas because the
accent and the word phrase are different. Furthermore, the Phonics in the school does not encourage
children to have the healthy development of the English despite the native language. They seem to
frustrate kids because the six-year girl had annoying experience in the school. The ability to identify,

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manipulating and creating awareness in the sound correspondence and spelling patterns can be linked to
the teaching methods. There should be established a technique that the teachers use to ensure that all the
learners understand the grammar and sound pattern in English (Hung, 2015). Similarly, the lexical
choice of the content of the words such as noun, adjectives, adverbs, and verbs is not the same. The
spelling of various words differs, and that is why the 11 years son wanted to be put in the class of
studying English as the secondary language due to spelling problems. Some of the words which are
accepted in American English as the correct language are perceived as grammatical errors in Australian
English. Generally, language variation is based on the syntax, pronunciation and the lexicon. The
vocabulary and phonology, and the styles and standards of English used in America are not the same as
that of Australia. The variation can be indicated when American speaker is giving a speech. Some of the
people from Australia can be unimpressed due to change in the pronunciations, use of vocabulary or the
methods used to deliver the address.
Question C, dilemma for English speakers
Some of the English speakers have learned about it but it is not a native language. There are
requirements and qualifications that need the person to be a native speaker of English and it becomes a
challenge for teachers. In the institution, there are international students who speak different English, the
population have mixed multicultural and have regional dialects. The rules, standards, and regulations
governing the use of language in Australia are not the same as those in America. There are some
circumstances where social and cultural activities influence the style of the people (Brannen, Piekkari &
Tietze, 2014) .The culture can affect and the societal values can change how people will understand and
appreciate the speakers from another part of the country. Speakers are in a dilemma as they move from
one state to another. The situation is mainly due to accent due to pronunciation differences. Words
which are not used in one country can be ubiquitous in another country. Non-native English speakers

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find it hard to pronounce the word for the first time following the tone and right sound pattern. Another
challenge of the speakers is vocabulary, colloquialism, and slang. There are many English vocabularies,
and most of them vary. Some of them have complicated and extensive which make it hard to maintain a
smooth and consistent conversation when giving a speech (McKay, 2016). The slang words also pose a
challenge to most of the English speakers. English variation and grammar can interfere with the concise
and the clarity of the speech. The syntax is very crucial in proper pronunciation of the word and
speakers are expected to master the existence of morphological differences keenly.
Question D, solutions to the dilemma
The education system should include a curriculum that appreciates the cultural diversity that
exists when using English. At this stage children will grow up appreciating different English and the
variations. The society will be able to compare their English culture with other of other people and
appreciate the differences. Globalization and modernization have increased migration and resettling in
other countries. The schools are full of children from a different race, ethnic groups, and cultural
backgrounds. If the teaching staffs appreciate and acknowledge cultural diversity, it will be easy to teach
children from diverse backgrounds (Martín et al, 2014). Moreover, the principals of various schools
should make sure that the teaching staffs are conversant with these differences that exist in English.
Teaching staffs should record the demographic information of the kids or students so that they can
understand how to handle different students in the class. Some of the children can have an accent
depending on their mother tongue, but they can pass the intended information. Teachers should learn to
embrace cultural diversity. Every country has its values and moral principles. Another solution to the
existence of logistic dilemma is the creation of awareness of the different accent of the people. Most of
the countries have a unique language, and English can be the second language. Those countries that
speak English have variation in their pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and slangs used (Pennycook,

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2017).There should community education on the existence of different language and acknowledgement
of the kind of English spoken by different societies. Setting of prescriptive English rules that have the
standards where all members of the common language are expected to adhere to them during education
in spite of local variations.
Conclusion
There is a dilemma as English speakers move from one place to another. The variations of the
English are brought by the accent, pronunciation, vocabulary and grammatical differences. The syntax,
morphology, and phonology of the English can also vary depending on the multicultural population and
the society using it. Though both United States and Australia use English as a native language, there are
differences concerning accent, vocabulary, and syntax. Principals of the schools should make sure that
the teaching staffs appreciate the existence of cultural diversity. They acknowledge the English accent
used by different people and learn to embrace another language internationally. Awareness should also
be created in the society of the existence of these differences and how to comfortably interact with
people from another cultural setting.

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