Global English in the workplace_Introducing the concepts of workplace English as a lingua franca (WELF), and successful WELF users.pdf

Many workplaces nowadays are increasingly international, where English is used as a lingua franca (ELF). This chapter introduces the notion of WELF, Workplace English as a lingua franca, as a means of conceptualising English used in international workplace settings and successful users of it. In doing so, it focuses on the language skills and strategies that are deployed by successful international English users in workplace settings. The intent of carrying out this task is to help English learners to find their own answers to the questions why they need to learn English, and what it means to be a competent user of the language, as well as to reach out to English teachers working in contexts where students will become globalised professionals.