English Language Teaching; Vol. 16, No.

9; 2023
ISSN 1916-4742 E-ISSN 1916-4750
Published by Canadian Center of Science and Education

Global Englishes: Textbook Analysis and Teachers’ Perception

Ukrit Chimmarak1, Denchai Prabjandee1 & Nattharmma Namfah1
1
Faculty of Education, Burapha University, Thailand
Correspondence: Denchai Prabjandee, Faculty of Education, Burapha University, Thailand. E-mail:
denchai@go.buu.ac.th

Received: July 19, 2023 Accepted: August 17, 2023 Online Published: August 18, 2023
doi: 10.5539/elt.v16n9p64 URL: https://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v16n9p64

Abstract
This study investigated the manifestation of Global Englishes features in three English textbooks commonly
used in the lower secondary schools of eastern Thailand. It further explored whether the teachers who used the
textbooks were aware of the Global Englishes features manifested in the textbooks. The data revealed that
Global Englishes features were primarily taken for granted when designing the three English textbooks. In
contrast to the Global Englishes paradigm, the three English textbooks mainly represented the target
interlocutors, ownership of English, and norms of English from ‘native’ English-speaking (NES) countries. Even
though attempts were made to include some diversity regarding the target interlocutors, it was unbalanced
distribution. However, cultural content in reading materials is found to be diversely represented. When exploring
teachers’ perceptions of Global Englishes in the textbooks, it was revealed that they lacked knowledge about
Global Englishes. They were aware of cultural diversities in the readings but did not try to discuss them with the
students since they perceived reading skills as more important than cultural content. Implications for teacher
professional development are discussed.
Keywords: Global Englishes, textbook analysis, teacher’s perception of Global Englishes
1. Introduction
1.1 Background of the Study
Global Englishes is a research area that receives tremendous interest from many researchers worldwide and
continues to expand in different directions (Rose, McKinley, & Galloway, 2021). Global Englishes consolidated
implications from interrelated paradigms in applied linguistics, including World Englishes (WE), English as a
Lingua Franca (ELF), English as an International Language (EIL), and translanguaging in the multilingual turn
in Second Language Acquisition (SLA) research (Rose & Galloway, 2019). Even though these terms emerged
from different traditions, they are more likely similar in their overarching attempts to appreciate English plurality
and legitimacy and challenge the monolingual ideology prevalent in the dominant culture (Prabjandee & Fang,
2022). Global Englishes was developed to unite these interrelated paradigms and put forward an agenda to
reevaluate current English Language Teaching (ELT) practices, considering the pluricentric English in the
globalized world (Rose & Galloway, 2019).
Since its development, Global Englishes has taken clear directions toward pedagogical concerns (Rose et al.,
2021). Several researchers (e.g., Boonsuk, Ambele, & McKinley, 2021; Fang & Ren, 2018; Galloway & Rose,
2014, 2018; Jindapitak, Teo, & Savski, 2022; Rosenhan & Galloway, 2019) have attempted to investigate the
benefits of implementing Global Englishes in the classrooms. In their edited volume, Selvi and Yazan (2021)
showcased practical examples of how Global Englishes was implemented in language teacher education. As a
result, Global Englishes is now conceptualized as an ELT paradigm that draws implications from the global
spread of English (Galloway & Rose, 2015). Global Englishes aimed to prepare students to use English with
English users by acknowledging that the target interlocutors become unpredictable, and the interaction between
English users becomes more complex (Prabjandee & Fang, 2020). Thus, preparing students to conform to native
speaker norms, such as achieving native-like proficiency, may not support using English outside the classroom.
Instead, teachers are responsible for preparing students to use English in global contexts where English users are
increasingly diverse (Prabjandee, 2020). Similarly, Syrbe and Rose (2018) addressed the need to raise students’
awareness of English varieties and acquaint them with the language norms of diverse communities.
However, implementing Global Englishes in the classrooms requires teachers to embrace new ways of thinking
about English and ELT (Matsuda, 2017). This recommendation is achieved slowly because many English
teachers have formed entrenched beliefs and attitudes toward English and ELT in their teacher education
experiences (Prabjandee, 2020). Additionally, because a lack of materials has been identified as a significant

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barrier to Global Englishes implementation (Galloway & Rose, 2015), teachers, who may want to present a
global depiction of English use and users to their students, may be constrained by a practical need to rely on
commercial materials. As a result, whether Global Englishes is manifested in English textbooks is an essential
question since textbooks have a vital role in language learning (Syrbe & Rose, 2018). Despite technological
advancements, textbooks remain English teachers’ primary instructional material (Keles, Mansouri, & Yazan,
2023).
Nevertheless, limited research has used Global Englishes as an analytical framework to analyze the
manifestation of Global Englishes (Syrbe & Rose, 2018). Moreover, prior research on textbook analysis has not
taken steps further by exploring teachers’ perceptions about its existence in textbooks. This study attempts to fill
this considerable gap by interviewing English teachers who use textbooks with Global Englishes features to
determine whether they know them. This line of inquiry is essential because it takes a research area on textbook
analysis further to explore how teachers use textbooks. This study aimed to bridge these two lines of research to
unite a more comprehensive understanding of textbook analysis and implementation. Hopefully, the findings will
illuminate how teachers used the English textbooks, reflecting their classroom practices. The following research
questions were used to guide the pursuit of knowledge in this study:
(1) To what extent do English textbooks at the lower secondary school level contain Global Englishes features?
(2) What are teachers’ perceptions of Global Englishes features in English textbooks?
2. Literature Review
2.1 Global Englishes
Global Englishes was initially conceptualized as a linguistic phenomenon illustrating the global expansion of
English into international territories (e.g., Canagarajah, 2013; Jenkins, 2016; Pennycook, 2007). Pennycook
(2007) defines Global Englishes as the spread and use of multiple kinds of English spurred by immigration and
globalization. The notion of Global Englishes recognizes the fluid and hybrid nature of English in an era of
increased globalization and transcultural and linguistic fluxes (Jenkins, 2015). Since its development, Global
Englishes research has expanded to a pedagogical focus, defining it as an ELT paradigm that prepares students to
use English with diverse English users (Rose & Galloway, 2019).
Situated in the Global Englishes paradigm, the Global Englishes for Language Teaching (GELT) framework,
popularized by Rose and Galloway (2019), depicted the target interlocutors as all English users – ‘native’
English speakers (NES) or ‘non-native’ English speakers (NNES). Instead, Prabjandee (2020) used the term
“unpredictable target interlocutors” to describe the instability of using English in the globalized world. From the
GELT perspective, English textbooks should position the target interlocutors as socio-culturally diverse rather
than from ‘native’-speaker nations only (Syrbe & Rose, 2018). Since English is used globally, it is crucial to
reconceptualize its ownership from NES's property to global ownership. GELT argues that everyone can claim
ownership of English (Prabjandee & Fang, 2022). In textbook analysis research, ownership of English can be
examined by examining how dialogues (spoken and written) are represented – whether the dialogues’ characters
are diverse (Syrbe & Rose, 2018). Apart from representing English as global ownership, the target cultures for
learning English should be fluid or diverse rather than fixed or stable. This can be examined through the content
of reading materials (Syrbe & Rose, 2018). Based on real-life English use, GELT acknowledges that English
norms are flexible depending on contexts. The norm depends on moment-to-moment of English use rather than a
pre-determined set of rules.
2.2 English Textbook Analysis and Global Englishes
An extensive literature review found that prior research has paid limited attention to using Global Englishes as
an analytical framework to analyze English textbooks even though it continues to be relevant to ELT in today’s
globalized world. Some related studies are available in the literature. For example, Syrbe and Rose (2018)
analyzed three series of English textbooks in Germany in terms of ownership representation, users, models, and
target interlocutors. It was found that the textbooks were over-reliant on UK models, and they represented
English users and cultures as fixed and static. Similarly, Joo, Chik, and Djonov (2020) analyzed Grade 3 English
textbooks approved by the South Korean government regarding English user representations. The results
indicated that textbook characters’ interactions suggest Western dominance and support native speakerism
ideology. In addition, Liu (2017) analyzed a textbook series used in the Jiangsu province of China for
intermediate-level senior high school students. It was found that diverse cultural contents and linguistic strategies
were incorporated into the English textbooks. However, there is limited exposure to how English was used in a
dynamic lingua franca manner. In Thailand, where this study was conducted, Juntanee (2019) analyzed 12
English textbooks approved by the Thai government to be used at the secondary school level. It was found that
the Global Englishes features were manifested with varying degrees in the textbooks in terms of diverse cultural
representations and depictions of the target interlocutors.

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These studies (Joo et al., 2020; Juntanee, 2019; Liu, 2017; Syrbe & Rose, 2018) showed that English textbooks
mainly represented English use with NES, and the norms largely depended on NES. Even though diverse
cultural content was incorporated into the textbooks, the incorporation was unbalanced between NES and NNES
cultures. It should be noted that prior research on textbook analysis did not take a step further into investigating
whether the teachers who use the textbooks were aware of Global Englishes features in the textbooks or not. The
findings could provide valuable insights for preparing teachers to implement Global Englishes in the classrooms
by exploring how teachers used the textbooks or their perceptions of textbook contents.
3. Method
Guided by qualitative research traditions, this study was designed into two phases. The first phase aimed to
analyze English textbooks commonly used in lower secondary schools in an eastern province of Thailand by
using Global Englishes as an analytical framework. The second phase explored teachers’ perceptions of Global
Englishes features in their textbooks. The details of each stage are presented below.
3.1 Phase 1: Analyzing English Textbooks
To obtain the English textbooks for analysis, the first author used a simple, short survey to ask English teachers
in an eastern province of Thailand. The survey was created using a Google form and sent electronically to
potential English teachers in the area through a personal social network. The survey asked for their demographic
backgrounds, including gender, age, years of teaching experience, and classes they are teaching. After the
demographic data, the survey asked: What textbooks do you use for the lower secondary level in your school?
In total, 40 English teachers responded to the survey. Of these teachers, 16 used the same textbooks: Spark 1, 2,
and 3. These English textbooks were different from Juntanee’s study (2019). For the analytical framework, we
adapted Syrbe and Rose’s (2018) framework, as illustrated in Table 1.
Table 1. Description of Global Englishes Analytical Framework (Syrbe & Rose, 2018)

Global Englishes Features Description

Target interlocutors (Who was positioned as the The target interlocutors are all English users,
target interlocutors in the English textbooks?) who are linguistically and culturally diverse.

English belongs to all English users from the

Ownership of English (Who was positioned as Inner, Outer, and Expanding Circles. The Use of
having the ownership of English?) English was directed toward the user of the
English language, not the students.

The cultural depictions had been described as a

Target culture (How was culture depicted in the
call for change to illustrate the fluid and diverse
materials?)
cultures where English was used.

Norms (What models and norms were used in The model of English was fluid, diverse and
the books and audio materials?) flexible in the context.
The first author analyzed the English textbooks using the qualitative content analysis method articulated by Selvi
(2020) to examine which Global Englishes features manifested in English textbooks. The analysis started with
the immersion step. The first author comprehensively familiarized himself with each textbook by reviewing the
textbooks, page by page, and the audio files of the three selected English textbooks (Spark 1, 2, and 3). After that,
the first author developed a coding frame based on the Global Englishes framework (Syrbe & Rose, 2018). As
illustrated in Table 1, the coding frame in this study was created broadly, consisting of a guiding question and a
description for each aspect of Global Englishes-oriented features: target interlocutors, ownership of English,
target culture, norms of English, and orientation. The coding frame was applied flexibly because we wanted to be
open in our approach to textbook analysis. After that, the first author conducted the thematic segmentation
(focusing on content) using deductive and inductive approaches. To elaborate, each textbook was segmented by
units to ensure systematic data management. When analyzing the textbooks deductively, the first author
attempted to answer the guiding question and filtered segments through the coding frame. Simultaneously, when
finding the data beyond the coding frame, the first author separated them for categorization later. However, no
data were beyond the coding frame. To maximize the trustworthiness of the textbook analysis, intra-rater
reliability was used, in which the first author conducted the data analysis several times until the analysis was
saturated. Finally, the second and third authors reexamined the analysis to enhance trustworthiness.

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3.2 Phase 2: Exploring Teachers’ Perception

After identifying the textbooks containing Global Englishes features, this phase explored teachers’ perceptions of
the Global Englishes features manifested in the English textbooks. The participants were two English teachers
(hereafter referred to by their pseudonyms as Lisha and Marie) who used textbooks with Global Englishes
features and volunteered to provide more information about how they used them. Semi-structured interviews
were used to elicit the data. Examples of the interview questions were: How did you use the textbooks? Which
sections in the textbooks were the most important, and why? Have you heard about the concept of Global
Englishes? If you have, what do you think it means? How did you respond to the students when they made
mistakes in pronunciation or spoke with their accents? These topics guided conversations in a relaxed,
comfortable, and uninterrupted environment. The interviews were audio-recorded and later transcribed for
analysis. The coding method, in which the themes emerged from the analysis inductively, was used to analyze
the data (Saldaña, 2009).
4. Findings
4.1 Textbook Analysis
4.1.1 Target Interlocutors
For the target interlocutor, the analysis of English textbooks aimed at answering: Who is positioned as the target
interlocutors in the English textbooks? From the GELT perspective, the target interlocutors are all English users.
To explore how the textbooks represent the target interlocutors, we examined future scenarios of using English
and the writing tasks in the textbooks.
(1) Future Scenarios of Using English
A total number of 40 future scenarios of using English were prevalent in the textbooks. Out of the 40 tasks, there
were 17 future scenarios of using English in Spark 1, 12 future scenarios of using English in Spark 2, and 11
future scenarios of using English in Spark 3. Table 2 summarizes future scenarios of using English.
Table 2. Summary of future scenarios of using English
Appear on page number
Future scenarios of using English
Spark 1 Spark 2 Spark 3
Greetings and introductions 4, 5, 7, 15 8 4
Giving personal information 11, 14, 15 8 -
Daily routines - 9 5
Making suggestions - 15 63
Holiday - 71 99
Opinions - 87 81
Past events 99 39 -
Buying things 27 - -
Rooms and things 39 - -
Family 45 - -
Time 51 - -
Expressing fear 63 - -
Weather 71 - -
Buying clothes 75 - -
Ordering food 83, 87 - -
Recommending films - 27 -
Asking for and giving advice - 51 -
Buying train ticket - 63 -
Asking for and giving information - 75 -
Directions - 99 -
Complimenting about clothes - - 15
Health - - 27
Apologizing - - 39
Eyewitness statements - - 51
Giving instruction - - 75
TV programs - - 87
Total tasks (40) 17 12 11

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Out of 40 future scenarios for using English, the analysis revealed that most scenarios positioned the target
interlocutor from the NES countries (n = 33), followed by some English users from the NNES countries (n = 7).
This unbalanced distribution indicated that NES was positioned to be the main target interlocutor. Figures 1 – 3
illustrate some examples from English textbooks.

Figure 1. The future scenario of using English from Spark 1

The first example was the giving personal information scenario from Spark 1 (n = 3). The students are expected
to ask about addresses and telephone numbers in the scenario. The addresses and telephone numbers in the task
are from England, such as Middle Street (Brighton, England) or Newton Street (Manchester, England). Thus, it
positions the students to use English with NES, particularly those from England.

Figure 2. The future scenario of using English from Spark 2

The second example is about the holiday scenario from Spark 2 (n = 1). The scenario asks the students to discuss
a holiday plan in London, England. Based on the dialogue, the students are forced to talk about London – “We’re
going to travel to London.” This indicates that the target interlocutors for using English are from England.

Figure 3. The future scenario of using English from Spark 1

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Apart from positioning NES as the target interlocutors, some scenarios positioned the target interlocutors from
various countries. As illustrated in Figure 3, the diversity of names, nationalities, and cities from both the NES
and NNES were found. The students could make a dialogue to ask and answer from this information. They could
see the diversity of personal data in many countries.
(2) Writing Tasks
From the three textbooks, a total of 37 writing tasks were prevalent. Out of these tasks, there are 11 writing tasks
in Spark 1, 13 in Spark 2, and 13 in Spark 3, as illustrated in Table 3.
Table 3. Summary of writing tasks constructions
Appear on page number
Writing Tasks Constructions
Spark 1 Spark 2 Spark 3
Email 17, 29, 41, 89, 101 26, 53, 65, 77, 101 41, 53, 89
Blog 53 17 -
Article 65 - 17, 101
Short paragraph 71 95 -
Complete paragraph 83 23, 71 -
Complete email - 35 23, 47, 83
Story - 41 29
Complete sentences 11 - -
Postcard 77 - -
Biography - 29 -
Survey report - 89 -
Portfolio - - 11
Essay - - 65, 77
Complete text - - 95
Total (37) 11 13 13
Out of 37 writing tasks, most writing tasks positioned the target interlocutor from the NES countries (n = 23),
followed by some English users from the NNES countries (n = 14). Figures 4 – 5 illustrate examples from
English textbooks.

Figure 4. Writing task in Spark 1

The analysis showed that most writing tasks (n = 13) were email writing in all three textbooks (five from Spark
1). All 13 tasks ask the students to write an email to an English-speaking penfriend. This task positions the target
interlocutors from NES countries. Apart from positioning the target interlocutors from NES countries, some
writing tasks (n = 23) position the target interlocutors from the same country, as illustrated in Figure 5.

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Figure 5. Writing task in Spark 1

This example is writing an email to invite “your friends” to your birthday party. The target interlocutor in this
writing task depends on where the textbook is used. Since this textbook is used in Thailand, it is safe to conclude
that the target interlocutor positioned in this task is a Thai friend.
4.1.2 Ownership of English
For ownership of English, the analysis aimed to answer the question: Who is positioned as having ownership of
English? In doing so, all spoken and written descriptions of conversations between two or more persons were
examined. There are 24 dialogues in the three English textbooks, with eight conversations in each textbook.
Based on the analysis, it was unsurprising that most conversations (n = 19) in the three textbooks depicted
ownership of English as a property of NES. Figures 6 – 8 illustrate examples.

Figure 6. Ownership of English from Spark 1

The analysis for Spark 1 indicated that the ownership of English was depicted for NES. The characters in the
dialogue were Susan, Anna, and Ben. They talk about their personal information.

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Figure 7. Ownership of English from Spark 2

The analysis for Spark 2 indicated that the ownership of English was depicted for NES. The characters in the
dialogue were Carl and Patricia. They talk about their making suggestion for skydiving.

Figure 8. Ownership of English from Spark 3

The analysis for Spark 3 indicated that the ownership of English was depicted for NES. The characters in the
dialogue were Alice and Jane. They talk about their holidays.
4.1.3 Target Cultures
For the target culture, the analysis of English textbooks aimed to answer: How is culture depicted in the
materials? To achieve this purpose, the content of reading materials was examined. The readings in all three
textbooks were 85 reading stories, as shown in Table 4. There were 29 reading stories in Spark 1, 34 in Spark 2,
and 22 in Spark 3. Out of 85 reading stories, the analysis revealed that most reading stories positioned the target
cultures from the expanding circle countries (n = 50), followed by cultures from the inner circle countries (n = 23)
and the outer circle countries (n = 12), respectively.

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Table 4. Summary of target cultures reading stories

Appear on page number
Target cultures reading stories
Spark 1 Spark 2 Spark 3
USA 22, 82 16, 22, 34, 64, 94 22, 82
England 40 70 58, 62, 101
Inner circle Australia 64, 70 82, 88 64
countries Canada - 64 -
(23) New Zealand - 74 -
Scotland - 41 -
Ireland 88 - -
Philippines 30 66 42, 54
Outer Malaysia 18, 42 - 42
circle
countries Singapore 18 78 18
(12) India - 16 -
Kenya - 88 -
Thailand 62, 70, 90 30, 34, 42, 66, 78, 102 30, 54
China 34, 40, 64, 98 - 64
Laos - 30, 90, 102 30, 90
Cambodia 82 42 58
Russia 88 64 94
Vietnam 30, 90 - 66
Expanding
Egypt 94 - 100
circle
Greece 94 58 -
countries
Indonesia 66 90 -
(50)
Myanmar - 66 78
Austria 70 - -
Belgium 62 - -
France 40 - -
Japan 82 - -
Malawi 34 - -
Croatia - 58 -
Expanding Italy - 94 -
circle Mexico - 28 -
countries Peru - 82 -
(50) Spain - 82 -
Madagascar - - 64
Brunei - - 66
Total (85) 29 34 22
As illustrated in Table 4, the content of 23 readings is from the inner circle countries in the three English
textbooks, 12 are about culture in outer-circle countries, and 50 are from the expanding circle countries. This
indicated that diverse cultural content is diversely represented. Surprisingly, the three English textbooks included
considerable explicit cultural knowledge from Thailand, including festivals, lifestyles, foods, and tourism
attractions. Figure 9 is an example of the cultural content of Thailand.

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Figure 9. Example of Monkey Festival, Thailand

In addition, China, an expanding circle country, was shown in Spark 1 through four cultural stories about regions,
animals, and ancient stories. Lao culture was portrayed in Spark 2 and 3 regarding tradition, place, and plays.
Aside from these three nations, the cultural content of the expanding-circle countries is included in up to 19
countries. Moreover, the cultural stories of the outer circle nations were highlighted. They were shown the
Philippines in all three textbooks for items and places. In addition, the reading background showed the history of
these countries. The story of the outer circle nations, Malaysia and Singapore, was given.
4.1.4 Norms of English
For the norms of English, the analysis aimed at answering: What models and norms are used in the books and
audio materials? To determine the English norms in textbooks, audio resources were evaluated. The prevalent
variant was British English. The same speakers presented every audio recording in all three English textbooks.
The vocabulary in all three textbooks adhered to the standard mandated rules of British English, such as
favourite, colour, metre, programme, harbour, and snarkelling.
When examining the key texts and assignments in each textbook for the language used to study the written
language norms offered in the textbooks, all three textbooks endorsed a static British English, provided
unmarked throughout the three textbooks, confirming its use as standard British English. All three textbooks had
material regarding spelling and vocabulary usage in British English. There was no label, explanation, or footnote
signaling a departure from the textbook’s typical English use. Furthermore, none of the textbooks mentioned that
grammar usage might differ from mandated standards. The English standards utilized in textbooks were mainly
shown as permanent and unchanging.
4.2 Teachers’ Perceptions of Global Englishes Features in the Textbooks
Before asking whether the teachers who used the textbooks with Global Englishes features were aware of its
features, we were interested in understanding their knowledge of and attitudes toward Global Englishes since
these two aspects strongly influenced how they used the textbooks in the classrooms.
4.2.1 Limited Knowledge of Global Englishes
Even though Global Englishes are manifested in varying degrees in the three English textbooks, it was revealed
that the teachers reported lacking knowledge of Global Englishes. During the interview, it was the first time they
heard the term “Global Englishes.” Upon asking what they think Global Englishes meant, Lisha thought it was
an English learning method. She reported, “I have never heard it before. It probably means one of the methods of
learning English.” Marie thought Global Englishes was a type of English used worldwide. She responded, “What
is it about? I have never heard that before. I have just heard ‘global.’ It is probably about English used
worldwide.”
Aside from having a limited understanding of Global Englishes, it was surprising to learn that they had difficulty
differentiating English users (NES or NNES), affecting their inability to distinguish English varieties. For
example, Marie had a traditionally superficial perception of an NES as someone with blond hair, a Western

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complexion, and a “good” accent. Upon asking who NNEs are, she reported reluctantly, “Let me think about that.
I think there are a few countries I know of, like England and America. Is France a native speaker? I am not sure,
but I think France is a native speaker. I think they have good accents.” Similarly, Lisha knew that the British and
Americans were NES but lacked knowledge that Russia is NNES.
Additionally, upon asking whom they think could be a role model for learning English for students, the two
English teachers immediately described an English user with native-like English proficiency (correct, good
accent, etc.). Marie responded, “The role model of English users should be enthusiastic and use language
correctly. I think one of the English teachers in the school. Because she graduated with a doctoral degree, she
speaks correctly, and her accent is good. I like her accent when she uses English.”
However, upon asking if their students use English with an accent or incorrect grammar, Lisha and Marie stated
that they would not correct them while speaking. Instead, they would offer them corrections after they had
finished talking. Lisha reported, “I am not serious about making grammar mistakes while they are speaking. Just
dare to speak. I will not tell them that it was wrong after they finished talking. I will suggest to them, like, you
can try this instead of that one or use this phrase. Similarly, Marie narrated, “I am okay with the accents of Thai
people, but I prefer my students to sound native-like. I will suggest that they pronounce it correctly. I think it
should be simpler to communicate.”
4.2.2 Awareness of Diverse Cultural Contents, but Ignore Teaching Them
Even though the teachers had limited knowledge of Global Englishes, they knew the textbook readings included
cultural content from different countries. Upon checking whether they knew of cultural diversities in their
English textbooks, Marie reported, “In the textbooks, right? I know, yes. I know. The textbook showed cultures
from different nations. Similarly, Lisha reported, “Yes, different cultures are included in the reading parts. There
are a lot of other countries. It is not specific to one country.”
However, it is distressing to learn that the two teachers did not take the time to raise students’ awareness of
cultural differences in the readings, even though they were aware that comparing cultural differences is part of
the national curriculum. They reported that they mainly focused on reading comprehension, so they spent time
teaching vocabulary and reading skills rather than engaging students in discussing cultural differences. Upon
asking why they did not spend time discussing cultural differences, they reported that they did not have time and
thought the students did not have to learn about cultural differences during the lower secondary school level. The
teachers felt that reading skills were more important than cultural content.
5. Discussion and Implications
This study aimed to analyze the English textbooks commonly used in eastern Thailand to determine the extent of
Global Englishes features manifested in the textbooks and explore teachers’perception of the textbooks. For the
textbook analysis, the data showed that the textbooks contained Global Englishes features of varying degrees.
Regarding target interlocutors, ownership of English, and norms, the data revealed that activities involving future
scenarios of using English and writing tasks might prompt students to think they were more likely to use English
with NES than NNES. The findings in this study were consistent with previous studies (Joo et al., 2020; Juntanee,
2019; Liu, 2017; Syrbe & Rose, 2018). According to Syrbe and Rose (2018), Germans were likelier to use
English with other NNES at work, socialize, or travel. As a result, the students will communicate with the NNES
using English rather than NES. This is similar to the Thai context (Jantanee, 2019). In the actual situation, Thai
students will have more chances to use English with NNES. If the English textbooks do not prepare them to
understand the target interlocutors, Thai students may have narrow views of English use outside the classroom
and may not be ready to use English in the globalized world (Prabjandee & Fang, 2022). Regarding the target
culture, it is satisfactory that the cultural content in the three textbooks is diversely represented. This insight is
hopeful for future textbook design to continue incorporating diverse cultural content to benefit students.
Apart from analyzing the textbooks, this study takes a step further to explore teachers’ perceptions of Global
Englishes features in the English textbooks. This study is one of the first inquiries to integrate extant literature on
teachers’ perceptions of Global Englishes with textbook analysis. Based on the interview responses, it is safe to
conclude that the two teachers in this study lack knowledge of Global Englishes. They also had limited
worldviews about who English users are, as they could not differentiate between NES and NNES nations. In
addition, they perceived ELT classrooms as a site of learning about NES standards and norms as they articulated
their beliefs that they wanted their students to achieve native-like accents and correctly use English. The teachers
reported that they were aware of cultural differences in the textbooks. However, they did not teach those cultural
diversities because they did not have time and thought the students didn't need to learn at their age. The findings
called for the urgent need to prepare teachers to understand Global Englishes and equip them with the skills

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necessary to implement it in classrooms. Some examples of teacher professional development programs were
found in the literature (e.g., Prabjandee, 2020; Prabjandee & Fang, 2022). Future research can engage in this line
of research by offering teacher professional development to help teachers implement the Global Englishes
paradigm in their classrooms.
6. Conclusion
Although this study focused on English textbooks used in eastern lower secondary schools, the knowledge
obtained was substantial. The study provides clear evidence that although the English textbooks commonly used
by English teachers in eastern Thailand contained varying degrees of Global Englishes features, the teachers in
this study were unaware of its features and did not spend time discussing with the students about them. The
findings call for urgent action to equip English teachers’ knowledge of the Global Englishes paradigm, so they
have appropriate tools to discuss with their students about the plurilithic and pluricentric nature of English.
It should be noted that the interpretation of this study should be conducted with caution. Given the limitation of
the qualitative research nature, we did not intend to claim universal generalization. We were aware that not all
English textbooks took for granted Global Englishes, and not all teachers in Thailand possessed limited
knowledge of Global Englishes, believed in standard ideology and NES norms, and did not take the time to
incorporate cultural content in ELT. Instead, we hoped that our study painted the urgent need to act. Our students
may be disadvantaged if we do not do something about these circumstances.
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