Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book explores the awareness and attitudes of English teachers in South Korea towards varieties of English and discusses pedagogical implications in English language education in South Korea. It provides critical reviews of the relevant literature including studies on World Englishes, attitudinal studies, the paradigm of English as an International Language and the English language education policy in South Korea. The book focuses on English teachers' attitudes towards a local variety of English, Korean English (KoE), and reveals their emotional attachment to KoE, yet reports that KoE is still rated negatively in regard to the use of that variety. It identifies a major research gap in the study of KoE and argues for more research into this variety. The book also identifies several problematic aspects of having a mono-model approach that has been favoured by a majority of English teachers in South Korea.