ABSTRACT
Many of the factors that language teachers need to consider in making pedagogical decisions relate to the social and institutional context in which they teach. In terms of the social context, teachers need to consider questions such as the following: Is English widely used in the community where they live? Is English one of the home languages of the students? Does speaking English have social prestige, economic rewards, and educational value within the country? Furthermore, there are institutional factors to consider. Is English a required foreign language? At what age do students start learning English? What goals does the ministry of education have for the learning of English? The purpose of this chapter is to examine such questions in relation to the teaching of English as an international language (EIL). Specifically, we will focus on the following topics:
The current status of English around the world;
Typical features of English varieties, popular attitudes toward these varieties, and the issue of standards; and,
Prevalent trends in English education.
