[eng] This study deals with the presence of the two main Standard Varieties of
English in the English classroom of a Secondary school in the context of the
Balearic Islands.
As part of the theoretical background of this work, in the literature review
we will develop the concept of English as a Global Language, from its spread
and distribution across the globe to the concept of English as a lingua franca,
and the different issues and attitudes that the presence of a Global Language
implies for its speakers. We will get an insight on English Standard and
Standard Language Ideology, and subsequently, we will review the
morphological, lexical, grammatical and phonological differences between the
two main English varieties: British English and American English. To finish with,
we will consider how Global Englishes affect the field of English Language
Teaching, the issues and attitudes towards English varieties in students of
English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in different contexts, and to what an
extent EFL textbooks in Spain in the last decades pay attention to English
varieties.
Regarding our own particular study, we will develop a questionnaire to
test the knowledge and attitudes of six groups of students from IES Arxiduc
Lluís Salvador in Palma, one group per academic year, related to the distinction
between Standard British and American English varieties. The test will involve a
listening, a reading and a vocabulary exercise, followed by a brief survey
intended to collect the students’ perceived difficulties and their own preferences
about the two accents, their attitudes towards them, and whether their English
variety of choice may or may not be motivated by social or cultural factors and
their exposure to these varieties through entertainment media, such as films,
series or Internet content.