Connecting the Global Model to Effective Intercultural Communication in English

English language education policies throughout Asia typically operate on a deficiency model, wherein differences from "native speaker" English are viewed as flaws requiring educational correction. Such a position overemphasizes aspects of English that are relatively unimportant in English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) communication, while simultaneously generating negative attitudes towards learning non-prestige English variants. The Global Model of English (Haswell 2013; Haswell & Hahn, 2016) encapsulates ELF interactional realities and is aimed at being a tool for teachers, curriculum designers, and language policy makers. The model frames English performance in terms of communicative success rather than conformance to an arbitrary (most often native-speaker) standard. The model is particularly valuable in the Asia-Pacific region, where many English varieties exist, as it demonstrates the importance of transitioning from native-speaker-centric language education. To operationalize the Global Model in educational spaces, we must determine practices that centralize intercultural communication while accounting for pre-existing language-related ideologies. To begin this process, a pilot study was conducted to gather data from students in Japanese universities their ideas about how to configure a globally focused language learning program. Results indicate that while students do not always share the desire for a fully globally focused curriculum, there do appear to be some areas of concordance on which new programs can be built that will move us towards greater internationalization.