Changing Englishes Course

Course Introduction
FAQs
Unit 1: Defining English
Unit 1: Table of contents
1.0 What is English?
1.1 Monolithic vs plurilithic concepts
1.1.1 Monolithic concepts of language
1.1.2 Plurilithic concepts of language
1.2 ‘Standard English’
1.2.1 ‘Standard English’: History
1.2.2 ‘Standard English’: Beliefs
1.2.3 Advantages and disadvantages of ‘Standard English’ for ELT
1.3 Rules of English
1.3.1 The ambiguity of the word rule
1.3.2 Rules of English: The monolithic view
1.3.3 Rules of English: The plurilithic view
1.4 Four dimensions of monolithism
1.5 Check Your understanding
1.6 Reflect and discuss
Unit 2: Using English
Unit 2: Table of contents
2.0 Global talk in English
2.1 Introducing Lingua Franca usage
2.2.1 Native speaker variation
2.2.2 Native speakers: Accommodation
2.3 Englishes in the British Isles
2.4 World Englishes
2.4.1 Englishes in your part of the world
2.4.2 Owning a language (Part 1)
2.5 ELF
2.5.1 Intelligibility
2.5.2 ELF in your part of the world
2.6 Translanguaging with English
2.7 Check your understanding
2.8 Reflect and discuss
Unit 3: Learning English
Unit 3: Table of contents
3.0 English as subject and object
3.1 First language acquisition
3.2 Back to rules
3.2.1 Rules as patterns in the mind (Part 1)
3.2.2 Rules as social markers
3.2.3 Rules as mental representations
3.2.4 Rules in schools
3.2.5 Rules as patterns in the mind (2)
3.3 Models and targets
3.4 Learning contexts
3.5 Owning a language (Part 2)
3.6 Learners and users
3.7 Check your understanding
3.8 Reflect and discuss
Unit 4: Teaching English
Unit 4: Table of contents
4.0 Teaching the object language
4.1 Changing roles for teachers
4.2 Changing versions of English
4.3 Your learning and teaching materials
4.4 Your learning and teaching activities
4.5 Testing English
4.6 Check your understanding
4.7 Reflect and discuss
Unit 5: Changing English
Unit 5: Table of contents
5.0 You hold the future of English in your hands
5.1 The challenge
5.2 Changing learners’ beliefs about English
5.3 Changing teaching colleagues’ beliefs about English
5.4 Changing policy-makers’ beliefs about English
5.5 Changing the public’s beliefs about English
5.6 Check your understanding
5.7 Reflect and Discuss
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1.3.1 The ambiguity of the word rule

Changing Englishes Course 1.3.1 The ambiguity of the word rule

The word rule is actually rather ambiguous, and can cause some confusion when used to describe language learning and use.

The video clip in Fig. 1.6 below explains the ambiguity.

Fig. 1.6 Rules of English

Rules viewed as regulations are external to those who abide by them; they mandate correct, authorised, acceptable behaviours. Rules viewed as regularities, on the other hand, capture actual patterns of behaviour, and can be inferred to operate in the personal histories of individuals, guiding what they do, but through custom rather than obligation.

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