English Language Learning in a Global and Heterogeneous Context: Global Individualized Instruction as a Response

Abstract : This study examines the impact and challenges of globalization on society and the need for English as a Foreign Language Education to bring about innovation in its teaching content and practices to respond to the interconnected and heterogeneous dimension of the world. It analyses the competences required to face the new challenges of globalization, namely global and intercultural competence while considering learners individual differences, and how the one-size-fits-all approach usually in vogue in EFL classrooms fails to reach this goal. On the ground of the OECD framework and Systemic Functional Linguistics, it suggests a didactic model that can simultaneously develop EFL learners’ global and intercultural competences while considering their individual differences. Keywords: Globalization, heterogeneity, language didactics, individualized instruction