EXPLORING ENGLISH AS A LINGUA FRANCA: A REVIEW OF STUDIES ON ELF- AWARENESS IN TURKEY

Abstract

Language has been the central element of our lives and there are many languages around theworld. English is one of the most well-known and spoken languages. The countries whose native languageisn’t English attach importance to the teaching and learning process of English. The linguistic differencesbetween English and other language make this process difficult. In addition, the cultural and regionaldifferences and varieties of countries in which English is the native languages are the other aspects of thisprocess. During education in English, it is necessary to be aware of these differences and to be acquaintedwith the current changes in English as an English language teacher. Particularly after the globalization ofEnglish and the new terms coming up with this (Englishes, English as a lingua franca, multilingualism,etc.), it has become more of an issue to know about it.In this study, it is attempted to explain these current terms and their relations with the language teachingprocess. This study also presents some of the related studies on this topic. Finally, the study will concludeby mentioning some comments about how to raise awareness of English as a lingua franca (ELF).