For a long time, the English variety of choice in Swedish schools was what is often called “British English”, or, to be more specific, Received Pronunciation. Not only was this the variety used by the teachers themselves, but it was also the variety students were encouraged - indeed forced - to use, to the exclusion of all others. Recently, American English has made headway, both among teacher candidates and in Swedish society as a whole, probably due to the American dominance in popular culture. Today, most teacher candidates choose to use either Received Pronunciation or General American English, and teaching materials in Swedish schools and at university also focus on these two varieties.
But how representative is this limited choice for the status of English globally today, when most speakers of English have it as their second, third or fourth language? Should we continue to encourage our students to choose either English or American English? And how do we approach students who are fluent speakers of another variety, such as Australian, Nigerian or Indian English?
Participants:
Philip Shaw, Emeritus Professor of English Linguistics, Stockholm University
Katarina Kearney, secondary school teacher in English and PE at Nacka Gymnasium
Moderator: Sara Lilja Visén