Evaluating the suitability of teaching EIL for the German classroom

Abstract

English has developed into a global language, spoken in numerous varieties and used as a lingua franca worldwide. Consequently, scholars have argued for a shift in English language teaching to an EIL‐oriented approach. This paper examines the suitability of this approach for German secondary schools and shows its relevance for English language teaching in Germany. It further investigates to what extent such an approach can be implemented in Germany based on the curriculum of Germany's most populous state. While the approach ties in well with some components of the curriculum, many elements of teaching English will have to be reconsidered, so that the English classrooms in Germany can move away from the native speaker model towards teaching EIL.