English Language Speakers, Fluent and Limited

There has been a surge worldwide in the number of people who speak English fluently as well as those who are acquiring English as an additional language. Currently, there are a reported 2 billion people learning English worldwide. Although English is one of the “power languages” in the world, with 28% of the world's economic activity taking place in English, popular notions of what constitutes fluency in English are sometimes narrowly defined within the English-speaking community. Given the political nature of the term fluency and its possible influence on issues of equity, it is important to explore the labels “fluent English language speaker” and “limited English language speaker.”

Limited English Language Speakers: Demographic Information

The meaning of the term limited English language speaker varies widely. It is ...

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