Unveiling Perspectives: Kingsley Bolton’s Lecture on English in Asia and English-medium Instruction (EMI) in Asian Universities

The landscape of English in Asia has become more expansive and dynamic, providing a rich area for research. With the spread of English as a teaching medium in the region, classroom strategies must be reviewed, and research skills must be harnessed. These are the two primary messages in the recent talk delivered by Dr. Kingsley Bolton, a research fellow at Ateneo de Manila University and Professor Emeritus at the University of Stockholm, last March 2 via ZOOM. Further, when presenting the current landscape of English teaching and learning in Asia, Dr. Bolton highlighted the vastness of topics that scholars can explore in Asian Englishes.

The significant turnout of attendees from Ateneo de Manila University’s graduate students, scholars from different parts of the country, and a few international attendees indicates how the topic is of great need and interest. This only emphasizes English’s dominance as a global language. During the two-hour event, Dr. Bolton emphasized the importance of reliable sources in the field of study. He generously provided journal titles, including those where he served as editor-in-chief, to help students in their studies. Also, in a graduate forum the following weekend, he advised students to incorporate the works of at least three prominent scholars specializing in their topic when writing their research papers. To provide directions on what has been researched in the study of World Englishes, Dr. Bolton provided a list of general topics that the attendees can explore. In addition, he encouraged attendees to start their research projects by discussing his past and present projects in which he collaborated with some of the leading institutions in Southeast Asia. This serves as a springboard for discussing the place of English in the Philippine context. Despite works of literature that have already investigated English in the Philippines and Philippine English, Dr. Bolton mentioned other areas of study, such as translanguaging, the use of technology in teaching, and language use, have yet to be undertaken. 

When discussing academic writing skills, Dr. Bolton emphasized the importance of following the standard model of a research article. He stressed that scholars should take each part with considerable effort to effectively contribute to the body of knowledge that the researcher aims to contribute. Admittedly, he acknowledges that academic writing can be a daunting experience but quite rewarding through opportunities in publication and conference presentations. He encouraged the participants to start with their master's thesis, PhD dissertations, and school capstone projects. 

The last part of the event was not just a Q&A session but a platform for the attendees to share their insights, current research studies, and future projects. Dr. Bolton encouraged the local participants to collaborate with other countries from the ASEAN region, given that Philippine English is considered an established variety. This interactive nature of the event fostered shared knowledge and engaging experiences, not only with the speaker but with the participants, making it a truly enriching experience. 

Article by Elaine M. Masangya