Measuring the Global Englishes mindset: Development and validation of the GEM-Q for EFL learners

Abstract

Despite growing interest in Global Englishes (GE)-informed pedagogy, most existing studies fall short in capturing the nuanced and evolving attitudes of learners toward the pluralistic realities of English today. Current research instruments often lack the conceptual depth and methodological rigor needed to assess key constructs such as linguistic diversity, native-speakerism, and learner agency. Responding to recent calls for more robust tools to measure complex constructs like identity and attitude (Rose & McKinley, 2025), this study introduces and validates the Global Englishes Mindset Questionnaire (GEM-Q), a theoretically grounded, empirically tested instrument aligned with the Global Englishes Language Teaching (GELT) framework. Drawing on prior instruments and qualitative insights, the GEM-Q was refined through exploratory factor analysis (N = 418) and confirmatory factor analysis (N = 192) involving Thai EFL undergraduate students. The results confirmed a reliable four-factor structure: Multilingual utility value, Linguistic diversity orientation, Accent bias and Nativespeakerism, and Agency in English communication. These findings reveal the layered and sometimes conflicting attitudes learners hold toward Global Englishes. The paper concludes by highlighting the GEM-Q's potential for guiding future pedagogical interventions and cross-contextual attitude research in English language education.