The use of English as a lingua franca (ELF) is an especially contemporary, at times controversial global-linguistic phenomenon. In recent years ELF has emerged as a dynamic area of research, leading to considerable empirical and conceptual developents.

There exists a substantial volume of empirical evidence demonstrating that ELF requires us to rethink conventional ideas about language and communication, with conceptual discussions arguing that many established precepts of linguistics and sociolinguistics are no longer entirely tenable. Many of the more influential of these discussions have also considered the implications of ELF for English language teaching (ELT), but with relatively little examination of what this would entail in practice.

This book provides a systematic account of the relationship between ELF and current practice. Research has highlighted the variable, dynamic, adaptive nature of lingua franca interaction, properties which hold major implications for ELT, including: the language syllabus, methods, materials, assessment, and teacher education. The book examines what ELF research and conceptual arguments mean for language pedagogy, exploring ways in which teachers might begin to incorporate an ELF perspective in their pedagogic practices.