While communication according to an ELF paradigm is not commonly practiced in Japanese educational institutions, the consensus-oriented and cooperative characteristics of ELF closely match Japanese cultural traits. ELF teaching approaches seem to address two historically significant difficulties in English education in Japan: the provision of communicative English experiences and the retention of Japanese identity amid internationalization. Particularly in Japan, standard varieties of English have been thought of as the ‘proper’ models to be imitated. Ownership of English is attributed to native speakers of English, who are assumed to be effective teachers. In contrast, at a newly established Centre for English as a Lingua Franca (CELF) at a private educational institution in Tokyo, it is not a requirement that teaching staff be native speakers. Despite diversity in teaching staff, however, teaching practices may still be founded largely on British and American norms (Jenkins 2011).
